Technology today makes it easy to write whatever you want and run it through an editor. Grammarly, Hemingway, and various other free and paid software programs to let you sound like you know how to write, even if you don’t have the best skills.
The lack of English writing knowledge becomes a problem in jobs like healthcare. As a physician, messed up syntax or a wrong vocabulary word can be life-threatening.
In other careers, how you write reflects back on your professionalism. Something as simple as sending out an email becomes stressful if you aren’t sure about your grammar and mechanics.
If your writing skills aren’t at the level they need to be to get the position you want, don’t give up. You’ve gotten this far, and there are methods you can use to improve your writing and land your dream job.
1. Keep an App Running
Grammarly and its alternatives run in the background as extensions. When you write an email or a memo, the program notifies you if there’s an error.
Some programs are designed to offer “suggestions.” For instance, when you need to come across as professional, you can tell the program. If it’s too friendly, you’ll be given ideas to make it more serious.
Over time, if you keep making the same mistakes, you’ll learn to watch for them. And if you miss any, the software will catch it for you.
2. Take an Online Course
It’s never too late to go back to school when you can go online. For comprehensive instruction in all things writing-related, working at your own pace online can help.
A lot of colleges and universities have added business writing classes to their course offerings. Some of their past lessons are archived for free as something called a MOOC. These “massive open online courses” allow you to access lessons from prestigious schools like MIT.
All you have to do is find the writing course you’re interested in and sign up. Not all of these courses offer credits or certificates, but the knowledge is invaluable.
3. Hire a Tutor
Tutoring sessions are one-on-one blocks of time when you can get specialized help. A knowledgeable tutor will assess you and hone in on the areas you struggle with.
You can find tutors online, at your local university, or in the local classifieds. As a professional, you might be self-conscious about admitting to the need for a tutor. But when you look for tutors who work with adults, they’re used to helping people just like you.
As an adult who wants to learn, chances are, you’ll pick up the skills you need quickly. With the right tutor and an open mind, you won’t even need apps like Grammarly much longer!
4. Use Experts for Important Documents
When you have financial or legal documents to write or review, the best thing to do is use a specialist. Even people with impeccable writing skills struggle with fine print and legalities.
With something as important as a contract or legal obligation, you don’t want to deal with them on your own. You could end up in a financially binding agreement you didn’t fully understand.
Contract specialists know what to look for and how legalese can be twisted around. Physicians Thrive explains more here about how hiring someone to review your contract before you sign anything is essential.
5. Read Similar Material
Hands down, the best way to learn how to write is to read. When you see how other people organize their content and how their words flow, you start to understand writing better.
A prime example is a job application cover letter. This document should be short and to the point. But many people use it to introduce themselves and tell their entire life stories.
Whoever sees a cover like this is probably not going to read the entire thing. A few well-put-together sentences, though, will get your main points across and be more impactful.
Look up samples of what you want to write. Read them and take notes about what you see they all have in common. This is a great way to pick up vocabulary terms used frequently in these types of documents, too.
As you notice things they don’t do, jot down those characteristics. Most professional documents don’t use emojis, for instance.
Gradually, you’ll learn what the documents you’re expected to write look like and what not to put in them.
Conclusion
English is, without a doubt, an extremely difficult language to master. There are exceptions to just about every rule.
Don’t let your struggle with writing proficiently stop you from landing a better job. Use these tips to master your next level of prose and mechanics, and keep on going!
