Writing Tips for the Engineer

When starting your job search, the first step is to have an excellent resume. But don’t forget that every bit of communication with an employer will have an impact on your chances of landing a job!

More and more job search communication is happening electronically, whether it is an online application form, an attached resume, or a prospecting email.  Electronic communication doesn’t mean that the standards of grammar are relaxed though. Employers often receive emails with typos, grammatical mistakes, and overly casual language that leave a bad impression.

What can you do about this? First, always run spell check! It’s not perfect, but it can help you catch simple errors. Another great way to avoid mistakes is to have someone else read your document before you send it. One problem with self-proofing is that YOU know what you meant to say, but sometimes it’s difficult to catch missing words or confusing sentence structures yourself. Also, give yourself some time between the writing and the reviewing of a document to gain some distance and allow you to see errors that you might have missed.

One of the best resources for ensuring that your job search documents are the best they can be is to utilize your ECS advisors! Come in for walk-in hours to have an advisor look over an email before you send it, or to proofread a cover letter. Remember, we’re not just here for resumes! 

“It is well to remember that grammar is common speech formulated." 
- William Somerset Maugham