Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Hire The Better Writer

If you are trying to decide among a few people to fill a position, hire the best writer. It doesn't matter if that person is a marketer, salesperson, designer, programmer or whatever; their writing skills will pay off.

That's because being a good writer is about more than writing. Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking. Great writers know how to communicate. They make things easy to understand. They can put themselves in someone else's shoes. They know what to omit. And those are qualities you want in any candidate.

Writing is making a comeback all over our society. Look at how much people e-mail and text-message now rather than talk on the phone. Look at how much communication happens via instant messaging and blogging.

Writing is today's currency for good ideas.

From REWORK by Jason Fried

2 comments:

Dean said...

I teach a business writing course at a college near my home. Many students are taking it to fill a second composition requirement that follows the initial composition course (or testing out of it).

Here's my bottom line in the class welcome statement:

"All other things being equal, employees in professional settings with superior written communication skills will have an edge over their otherwise equally qualified peers. A modest investment in improving your writing will add value to your working life and to the products or services of your organization."

Anonymous said...

Captain Lambert,

Unfortunately the modern methods of communication and wording by cell phone and other modern methods are rapidly destroying effective communications as we knew it in days past. I am surprised the author defends this tripe that one sees on the typical blog responses as even coming close to being effective and proper communications. R u ok with his wrds?

Very Respectfully,
Navyman834