Page 44 - How to write effective business English your guide to excellent professional communication by Fiona Talbot

Writing across generations – for colleagues as well as clients 33

that organizations aren’t consistently communicating the values
they say they’re committed to.
I’d say business writing is ineffective and actually unhelpful if it
doesn’t lead to action, reaction or results. Now more than ever,
generations need to work together in the challenging balancing act
of getting writing to work. The rewards of sharing perspectives
positively via generational diversity are high.
So here are some suggested steps to help, set out to match the
stages in a typical career path.

Write to get that job

This is the first step in your career cycle. Research and get a feel for
the brand of the organization you’re applying to. Then use the
#wordpowerskills writing system I’ve shown you earlier in the
book, to help you promote ‘brand you’. There’s also more help on
CVs/résumés later on. But here, let’s focus on: What can you best
deliver? What will you be passionate about in the job you seek?
Why that organization?
In any written interaction with a prospective employer, cover
these aspects. Don’t then overlook the equally important bits such as:

● ● matching your answers to all the questions asked;
● ● vetting for mistakes;
● ● caring about presentation.

Write to recruit

Attraction and retention
Growing organizations hire. Once in, you may have to help to re-
cruit others to join too.