The Importance of Written Communication Skills

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We live in the Communication Age with so many communication devices – Blackberries, iPhones, Droids, and more! But have we lost the art of actual communication? Let's explore this topic as it relates to career advancement and career management.

Writing Habits. Recently I had an experience of the impact of a habit. In working with many people applying for my employer, I witnessed a pattern. People who do a lot of text messaging, who are in the habit of abbreviating words and using lower case letters, are using this writing style in their resumes in business communications! Not a good habit! In my company, report writing is a key duty of the job and my department has implemented a grammar assessment in screening for positions. So how believable is it when we articulate the level of our writing skills with: i demonstrate excellent written skills in communicating with u. The person reading it might be LOL and saying to themselves UNBLEFBLE!

Competencies. The Dreamfedjob.com is a rich resource for employees seeking promotions. Under the Careers Page Information, there are lengthy job descriptions for almost every field position, with the core competencies needed to be successful in these jobs. Written communication is indicated as a competency in just about every position.

Career Development / Career Advancement. If you are seeking to advance into positions that require writing skills and you don't currently use these skills in your current positions, what should you do?

• First, in composing your resume and essays, be sure to include content regarding the written communication skills that you used in your previous positions, if applicable.
• Second, take  courses on topics that relate to writing, grammar, MS Word, MS PowerPoint, etc.
• Third, volunteer / seek out collateral assignments where you can use and develop your writing skills (newsletters, assisting at your church, keeping meeting minutes, etc.).
• Fourth, talk with your manager and let him/her know of your availability to contribute in this area.
• Fifth, read books on writing and grammar that are available for free on the web.
• Sixth, consider developing your foreign language skills with the resources available on Rosetta Stone.

Conclusion / KSA possible demise. I know many people are eagerly waiting to learn the fate of KSAs after President Obama issued the Executive Order recently to eliminate them from the initial screening process. However, KSAs or some other type of written documentation may be required on a 2nd or 3rd round of candidate evaluation. If a position calls for strong written communication skills, it is safe to assume that we will be screened for that competency at some point in the hiring or promotion process.

Regardless of how the KSAs evolve or disappear, The New Federal KSA is available to help you improve your written communication skills, create applications that demonstrate your qualifications, approach interviewing with confidence and much more.