When someone writes for their own profession, the general idea is to convince the company or organization they’re applying for that they are the person meant for the job. That means the person must provide information relative to the job as well as any special skills which make the individual seem well rounded and adaptable to various situations. However the more I think about it, writing for your profession is really just an indirect approach to something that many people fear to do. That being public speaking.
Public speaking requires many of the qualities needed for writing in your profession. For one thing both require a professional outline and format. When someone speaks in front of a professional crowd, they have to look presentable and speak in a very adult and professional dialect. If you present yourself like you got dressed at the last minute or use vulgar and inappropriate language, then the crowd won’t take you seriously and feel they have no reason to listen to your advice. The same goes for writing since using a sloppy font and format, inappropriate wording, and/or bad grammar would cause the reader to think what your saying is not important, or even not worth their time.
Another thing to point out is that both speaking and writing require you to stay focused on your topic and make it sound appealing. For instance, when you speak to the public about how to run a company, you should talk about what the company does, what tools and skills are needed to build up the company, and so forth. When writing to a company about becoming an engineer, you need to state your previous work experiences related to engineering, your basic skills relative to what an engineer does, your degrees in engineering, and so forth. Although a person can put some general information like leadership skills and contact information, getting off topic with things like a random sports update or your random likes and dislikes will confuse and loose the attention of the reader or listener.
It is true that writing for your profession is easier for people than public speaking. After all, writing doesn’t require face to face contact at first and its easy to edit what you write before publishing. Public speaking requires contact in front of several people and you need to make a good first impression without making mistakes. I just wanted to point out that both require a professional image, a strong focus/outlook, and determination to get your point across.
This was a very interesting post! I hadn’t thought about writing that way and it’s very true how it relates to public speaking.
I find your take on viewing professional writing as a solidified form of public speaking as rather interesting. This is definitely a valid viewpoint and in many ways, the tenets of quality writing share a link with public speaking. It is not very often that people consider the way that their writing will sound when addressed to a larger audience. Often times, we are even too used to writing for a smaller, more private audience. Gaining the ability to write in a way that actively engages the reader is highly significant, especially in the realm of professional writing. When a certain quality threshold is held, being able to produce writing that does more than just ramble on is more than just a skill; it’s a necessity.
The comparison between writing for a profession and public speaking highlights some crucial similarities, such as the need for professionalism, focus, and clarity. Both writing and speaking require an individual to present themselves in a polished, organized way, whether it’s through proper grammar in writing or a formal tone in public speaking. In addition, just as it’s important to stay on topic in both cases, offering irrelevant or off-topic information can detract from the effectiveness of the message. When applying for a position or promoting a company, it’s vital to focus on relevant skills and experience, much like a company might emphasize the importance of workplace safety and drug testing kits, which can be key elements in maintaining a professional and safe environment.