Pay Attention in your Writing Classes

Very few students think writing is an important skill to develop. You’ve probably taken a writing class in the past. Where did it rank in your list of priorities? I bet not high. 

Outside of your writing classes, university application essay (which you probably got help with) and resume, you had little need to focus on writing as a skill. Writing is very underrated, and is timeless for your career, both for searching for a job and for succeeding in your job, particularly in the U.S.

Like many international students, I didn't focus on my English classes, essay classes or even the technical writing classes during my engineering degree. I focused on core classes like C++, Statistics, Applied Math, etc. I saw these writing classes as a means to an end (I just need to pass and get them over with), and my parents did too (so they never pressured me to focus here). They were right. For that particular point of time, my grades in core classes mattered more to progress and to get accepted to a good university. But to find a job, what you need becomes very different. You need to network, and you need to present yourself well on paper and in person. It’s all about how you are perceived, and first impressions are important (they are hard to change once someone has made up their mind about you). 

First impressions are usually developed in the first 90 seconds of meeting someone. However, most of the networking and first impression opportunities during your job search will not be in person. They will be via your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn messages and emails and you want to put your best foot forward in each. Your career advisor, even your mentor (if you have one), can’t possibly help you review each instance of your writing. You have no choice but to write for yourself. So, when you are seriously considering applying for an internship, co-op, or full-time role, take this as an opportunity to really hone your writing skills. 

Meet with your career advisor and learn from their feedback. Many students just want to spend time with an advisor to get their resume written, so they can start applying. Don’t be that person. Spend time, ask questions, understand the resume writing framework, and then write your resume knowing you will need to do this over and over again (now, and later in your career). When you network, a lot of contacts you will be interested in connecting with will be alumni (whom your university has advised you to connect with) and people who work in your target companies. The initial communication you send them will likely be via email or LinkedIn. What should you say? How should you say it? How should you write it? Will the person you are reaching out to understand what you meant when they read what you wrote, or will it get lost in translation? Your writing must be good, so your point is clear. This is especially true in the U.S., where extreme clarity in communication and the meaning you are trying to convey is the norm. Now is a good time to get good at this skill and searching for a job is a great way to practice. 

When you start working, your writing skills will make or break you. You must write well-structured performance reviews, emails to your clients, or to your boss’s boss. You must pitch an idea on paper, internally or if you work for a startup, to investors. There is no escaping writing, it’s a key part of communication. 

For me, the first time it hit me that I was not confident about my writing skills but needed to be, was way too late in my career (I wish I was advised to focus on it earlier). I had already been working in the U.S. for 8 years and was preparing my application to INSEAD for a full-time MBA. I had to write ten essays! I also needed to prepare a resume in INSEAD’s format (I hadn’t updated my resume in a very long time at that point). The stakes were high for me. I really wanted a change, and in all my attempts prior to applying for an MBA, the only options I could find was to move to a different company but in a similar role and industry. When I searched for roles I thought I wanted, at companies that attracted me, it was clear they would not accept me without relevant past experience OR an MBA. So, I focused on the MBA. I wanted to get into a good school to increase my chances of changing the industry I worked in, to one I was more excited about. But ten essays, a resume and a great GMAT score were in my way. I was overwhelmed. And GMAT was the least of my worries. I ended up finding a consultant I liked to coach me through the application process and help me write . . . and spent $4,000 USD for their service! I convinced myself, this would increase my chances of getting accepted, and at the least, would improve my writing skills (which I finally realized were important).

I got accepted, and during my MBA, I applied to and was hired for a role and company that were just right for me. What I didn't realize then, was that MBA roles are all about communication. You are managing people, managing projects, managing external partners and clients.

I had good experience managing people and external clients (mostly via oral communication), but my written skills were extremely poor (by the standards expected of an MBA graduate). I had to highlight my team’s progress in a monthly report and present it to the leadership team. I had to organize a strategy document for the vertical I managed, and gain alignment on the plan. My challenge wasn’t a lack of ideas or plan, it was to get it on paper in a way that can be consumed easily and captures all the key points. But I kept thinking that all the points were important! How was I supposed to condense all this material to a more easily consumable format? I didn't want to leave out details that made the plan make sense. While this is true, my boss and boss’s boss don’t have all the time in the world to read my plan. I need to be able to present something concise.

Ever heard of an elevator pitch? An elevator pitch is based on the premise that if you had 60-90 secs to pitch an idea to someone important, that you happen to bump into in an elevator, what would you say? I had to have an elevator pitch for my plan as well as a 5 min pitch, a 5 min read document, a 1-page summary, a deep dive document, etc.

I struggled to say the least. But I am 10X more effective at my job now than I ever was in the past. I can get my ideas across to others, regardless of who they are, and what circumstance I am under to present. I am forever grateful at the opportunity to focus on honing this skill. It’s worth noting that leaders in Engineering, Data Science and Marketing are in the same boat and have to lean on this skill to move their agendas forward.

A Data Science Director with strong communication skills is often significantly more effective at their job than a Director with the same technical skill set but lacks communication strengths. It doesn't matter what field you are in, as you progress into management positions, your job will become more about communication than anything else. You will lean on your team to figure out the details, you will guide them, and you will make sure the rest of the company feels good about your team’s path forward. 

My Challenge to You

Lots of job hunting advice out there about building your brand on LinkedIn. It can start with your first post. If you have ever had an inkling to post something on LinkedIn, I want to make another push for you to do so:

1. Think about something you want to say, that would give you energy and make you feel proud if you end up saying it the way you meant it
2. Write it down. Keep writing until all your ideas on this point are out
3. Select the most important points and re-organize your words so people will want to follow
4. Write a First sentence that details the subject you want to talk about in a compelling way
5. In the body, include an interesting statistic, a broad generalization, and a personal story as it relates to the subject
6. Conclude with a call to action
7. Show your note to a few people for feedback (this can include your career advisor)
8. Make the note as concise as possible without it losing its meaning or punch (posts need to be < 1300 characters) 
9. Go for it!

Remember that your perception or interpretation on the topic you choose is unique to you. Someone out there has never thought of this topic the way you would describe it … and if they read your post and benefit from it … that is more than good enough :)

Let us know how you did by using #InternationalStudentHandbook #challenge28 #InternationalStudents.

Keep a lookout for more communication advice by following us on LinkedIn, or by checking out our International Student Handbook

Good luck with your job hunt!