Writing Professional Documents is Hard, But Not With This Advice
When you’re settling into a new career just after graduation, it can be hard to fit in when you don’t have the experience that your coworkers and higher-ups do. There are a variety of things you will need to adjust to, from getting up for work every day to problem solving on a regular basis.
One of the most important things you’re going to learn very quickly is that you are going to be changing your writing style. Instead of academic papers and essays, you are going to be drafting and creating professional documents for a variety of reasons, from field reports to marketing graphs.
But you shouldn’t be worried. You’re not in this alone.
We have handpicked 5 juicy secrets that you need to know before you sit down and start writing your next professional document. Try them out and see the difference a little bit of sound advice can really make.
Take a Break
Walk away from your document and come back to it later. Sometimes, when you take a second look at something after you’ve taken your mind off of it, you’ll notice or begin to think about things you never did before, and you’ll get a fresh take on that same document that will help you succeed in all of your communications.
Use a Template, But Make it Your Own
There are hundreds of templates available online, which are a huge lifesaver if you’re writing a document you’ve never done before, or if it’s the first document you’ve written for a company at a new job. However, be sure to incorporate your own take on it and tailor it to your specific situation so that it isn’t obvious you didn’t create it yourself.
Read the Instructions Carefully
This is especially important if you’re writing a proposal or an important document that plays a major role in your company’s future. Sometimes, when companies put out contracted projects, they look for their contractors’ ability to meet instructions and follow their requests specifically. Even if you aren’t applying for a contract, make sure you are within the details, such as word limits and page counts. Not following instructions is an easy way to get in the wrong books at work. If the instructions aren’t clear, don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Know Your Audience
Make sure you know who you’re writing to and that you speak to that specific audience tone. For example, you’re not going to speak to your boss in the same way you’d speak to your friendly coworker when they ask you about your lunch plans.
Proofread and Check For Errors
Never hand in anything to your boss without looking it over. Even if your spell checker didn’t catch something, that doesn’t mean you didn’t throw in a typo. When you let errors slide, your boss will not be impressed and you’ll come across as extremely unprofessional, which can put a serious damper on your career.
Trust a Writer That Already Knows The Secrets
If you haven’t nailed down your professional writing technique just yet, trust the professionals that know exactly what to do to help you succeed in your career. We’ve done this many times before, and we can provide you with the perfect, custom-written solution to your sticky situation. Trust our team to provide you with a detailed statistical analysis, report, or even a custom-tailored resume to land you the job in the first place.
Get a quote now and check out all of the amazing ways we can help you!
References:
Harris, P. (2014). Perfect your texts: How to write error-free documents that sound great every time. Workopolis. Retrieved from https://careers.workopolis.com/advice/perfect-your-texts-how-to-write-error-free-documents-that-sound-great-every-time/