Editor's Note: This is a guest post from one of our dear friends, Pat Smith. Pat is the co-founder and chief executive officer at Serve Denton, which partners with other nonprofits to maximize their community impact on people in need through shared space and resources. He is also the board chair of Serve Lewisville, a Serve Denton affiliate. Pat appreciates quality writing and was nice enough to share his thoughts on effective writing in the workplace and how he and his team incorporated a writing skills assessment into their hiring process.
By Pat Smith
Guest Blogger
A friend and I were recently discussing the importance of writing in our jobs. As we dove deeper into the topic, I shared that the ability to write well was so important to me that we made a writing skills assessment a part of our hiring process at Serve Denton.
He asked why we place such a priority on writing skills, and I shared several reasons:
Clear communication is essential in every role – Employees need to convey ideas, instructions, and information accurately. A writing skills test ensures candidates can express themselves coherently, thus avoiding miscommunication.
Our organization worked hard to build a professional brand – Poorly written emails, reports, or customer communications negatively affect that brand. Candidates with solid writing skills contribute to a professional image internally and externally.
We value high customer satisfaction – We often write to our customers through leases, manuals, and emails. Poorly written content can lead to unhappy customers, while precise and concise communication ensures positive interactions. Furthermore, miscommunication can result in lost business opportunities or legal issues.
Proficient writers complete tasks more efficiently – Our staff spends a significant portion of its time writing emails, reports, and documentation. Proficient writers save time and resources every step of the way.
Quality writing shows attention to detail – Writing skills reveal a candidate’s attention to detail. Conversely, typos, grammar errors, and unclear sentences indicate carelessness. Attention to detail is crucial in all facets of a business, including but not limited to data entry, quality control, and compliance.
Strong writers save the organization money – Hiring candidates with solid writing skills prevents costly mistakes. According to a 2023 report, miscommunication costs U.S. businesses approximately $1.2 trillion annually.
In designing a practical writing skills assessment, we consider three things.
First, we want to evaluate the person’s core writing skills: grammar, vocabulary, and clarity. Second, we make sure the assessment is relevant to the job.
For example, a prospective development staff hire would write a thank-you note to a mock donor to help us evaluate their handwriting and creativity. For a marketing and communications director, we have them review our website for 15 minutes and explain (in writing) what they see as its strengths and weaknesses and what they would change to address them. This approach gives us a glimpse into their technical and persuasive writing.
Finally, we ensure the evaluation is fair by providing precise time requirements and the scope of the assessment. A well-designed writing skills assessment helps identify top-quality candidates and contributes to a successful hiring process.
So, the next time you advertise a position as a hiring manager, consider adding a simple but effective writing test to the process. The results may not tell you who to hire, but they may help you figure out who not to bring into your company.
Call Edit This® in Denton, TX, for All Your Writing and Editing Needs.
We hope you enjoyed Pat's guest post. We couldn't agree more that effective writing, editing, and communicating are critical at all levels of an organization. What are you doing to ensure your company puts its best foot forward in these areas?
If you want to have Edit This® handle your company's content writing and editing needs, call us today! We like to say we handle anything involving the written word – from newsletters and website copy to book editing, ghostwriting, blog writing, and everything in between. If it involves the written word, we've probably worked with it.
Whether you need us to write content from scratch or put a better spin on something you've written, Edit This is the local writing and editing partner every business owner needs. The last thing you want are mistakes in grammar or an important message that doesn't come across the way you hoped it would. Our writing and editing services cover clients nationwide but are local to anyone in Denton, Corinth, Lake Dallas, Shady Shores, Hickory Creek, Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village, Argyle, and the rest of DFW.
STEVE GAMEL is the President & Owner of Edit This®, a writing and editing services company in Denton, TX. He is also a consultant, writing coach, and the author of Write Like You Mean It: Mastering Your Passion for the Written Word. Steve handles anything involving the written word. Give him a call today to help give your business a clear voice.