5 Career Fails Your Writing Can Fix
Being able to write nowadays is a rare talent. Spellcheck takes place of grammar lessons and abbreviations are more common than the actual words.
So take advantage of this gap. Writing is your secret weapon to your career success—even if your career has nothing to do with writing.
Snag That Job Interview
Hiring employer, meet your written voice. Your first impression isn’t your charming personality—it’s the writing in your cover letter and resume. Communicate your personality, not a forced form letter. Practice writing with a professional tone that is honest, congenial, and straightforward.
Prove Your Expertise
Know about a topic? Write about it. Get it published.
Freelance writing means taking control of your career:
- When a hiring employer types your name in search engines, what will they find?
- Field research leads to networking within your chosen field, not to mention connecting with your editor’s contacts.
- Your credibility builds with each published piece.
- You’ll earn extra cash.
Rep Control in 140 Characters
That’s right: social media can make or break your career. How you write sets the voice of your brand—and that’s you.
Social media is today’s go-to for your next job. You seek hiring employers on Twitter and Facebook—and they’re checking your profile for professionalism.
So show them what you can do:
- Lead and engage in discussions.
- Prove your knowledge in your industry.
- Network with your followers.
- Show that your conversations are concise, positive, and insightful.
Grow Your Career Horizontally
Writers have the knack of being able to explain their jobs to others. Only a small percentage can really do that.
So grow your position at your company. Write your company’s blog posts, how-to manuals, employee training guides, press releases, and newsletters. You’ll prove your worth at the company and your boss won’t be looking to replace you anytime soon.
Start That Side Business—In Writing
There’s no need to quit your career, especially if you love what you do. But you also love writing.
Why not do both?
Consult companies in writing grants, business proposals, press releases, and website copy. Just make sure to register yourself as a business before you begin.
Then do what everyone wants to do—write that novel.
Lots of good ideas in this post. Especially the bit about making yourself valuable to management. If you have writing skills that those around you lack, your boss will look to as an asset.