“Give me some examples of business writing skills.”
I was in the middle of doing some training on the first cluster in the Five Soft Skills Clusters framework, Communication: the ability to send and receive clear messages. Business writing is a huge part of that cluster.
Responses started popping up in the chat:
Attention to detail
Grammar
Succinctness, conciseness, concision
“Great answers. Now give me some types of business writing.” I continued, “I’ll give you one: emails.”
A memo
Report
Proposals
A strategic plan
Prospectus
Those are all great examples that are worth billions of dollars to organizations and any of them could have a big impact on your career. Below is the list I shared during that training and a few more examples I have started including in our business writing sessions.
1. Emails
As of 2023, an estimated 347.3 billion emails are sent each day globally and this number is expected to increase to 392.5 billion by 2026. Do you know all of the common terms and functions involved in sending an email? To find out, read A Quick Lesson on Email Terms for Students & Young Professionals
2. Texts, chats, and messages
Personal brands are made and destroyed with these simple pieces of communication. In fact, they are so valuable that they are frequently subpoenaed in lawsuits and criminal investigations. Remember that the next time you need to respond to someone. Think before you send.
3. Resumes
Your resume is part of the marketing materials for your personal brand. It is not designed to get you a job, its main purpose is to get you an interview that leads to a job.
4. Cover letters
Like your resume, your cover letter is part of the marketing materials for your personal brand. Together they create a powerful two-punch combo that makes it easier for the employer to see how your experience and interests make you an ideal candidate for the position.
5. Job listings and descriptions
A job listing, also known as a job posting, is a written advertisement that informs job seekers about available positions at an organization. A job description is a document that outlines the responsibilities, duties, and qualifications for a specific job role.
The market size of the Online Recruitment Sites in the United States is $16.5b in 2024. Sites like Indeed, Monster, and Robert Half list tens of thousands of job listings and job descriptions.
6. Technical Reports
A technical report is a document that describes the process, progress, and results of scientific or technical research. If you are a STEM professional there is a good chance you will be writing and/or reading plenty of these.
7. Memos
A memo (or memorandum, meaning “reminder”) is a concise message typically used to communicate policies, procedures, short reports, or related official business within a group.
8. Meeting agendas
For as long and boring as meetings can be, it’s even worse with out an agenda—a structured outline of the topics, activities, and timeline for the meeting.
9. Meeting minutes
Agendas are what was supposed to happen. Meeting minutes are what actually happened. Meeting minutes serve as an official and oftentimes legal record.
10. Performance evaluations, reviews, or appraisals
Sometimes these terms are used interchangeably or they may be slightly different depending on the size of your organization. Either way, there will be a written record of them. A written performance evaluation typically includes the following:
- An overview or summary of the previous review and objectives
- Actionable feedback from the supervisor and employee input
- Key strengths and weaknesses/areas for improvement
- Recommended future goals
- Performance elements including major assignments and accomplishments as well as contributions to the team, department, and organization
- An employee rating or concluding statement
11. Stand operating procedures (S0Ps)
A SOP is a written set of instructions that outline how to complete a specific task or process. SOPs are used to provide quality control by ensuring that, tasks and procedures are performed consistently.
12. Statement of work (SOW)
A SOW is a working agreement between two parties—usually a customer and a supplier. It includes details and logistics necessary for the completion of the work including (but not limited to):
- Purpose of the work
- Scope
- Deliverables
- Timeline
- Cost
- Payment terms
13. Presentation
Many presentations are accompanied by written materials such as handouts and PowerPoint slides. The accuracy, clarity, conciseness, and persuasiveness of the writing will have a big impact on how the message and presenter are received.
14. Promotion request letter
So, you are ready for a promotion, huh? A promotion requestion letter is a formal document that you write to your manager or supervisor to request a higher position. The letter should explain why you feel as if you have earned a promotion. Remember to describe how you will add value in a more challenging role.
15. Reference letter
You have probably already requested a few of these, right? And if you haven’t been asked yet, sooner or later you might be asked to write one for someone else. A reference letter, also known as a recommendation letter, is a document that provides a personal assessment of an individual’s skills, experience, and character traits. Typically, it’s written by someone familiar with the person, such as a former employer, colleague, mentor, or teacher.
16. Logbook entries
A logbook entry is a record of an event, activity, observation, or data related to a specific subject or task. Logbooks are used for many purposes and can come in different forms, such as digital databases or handwritten notebooks.
17. Strategic plan
If are applying for a senior management position don’t be surprised if you are asked to provide a sample strategic plan for the organization or your division. A strategic plan outlines organizational goals and the actions needed to achieve them. It’s a framework that helps align an organization’s mission, vision, and values with strategies to deal with challenges and capitalize on opportunities.
18. Prospectus
Since this list is focused on business writing, I am not including a dissertation prospectus. That’s academic. I’m talking about a prospectus that advertises or describes a school, commercial enterprise, forthcoming book, or investment opportunity in order to attract and inform clients, buyers, members, or investors.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
- What are 3-5 types of business writing that you have dealt with or written. How do they impact your success? If you didn’t have to deal with them at all would that increase or decrease your chances of being successful in your career?
- Do you consider business writing to be a strength or weakness for you? If it is a strength, how will you leverage it gain a competitive advantage? If it is a weakness, how will you manage it so that it doesn’t get in the way of your success?
- In your opinion, why do many professionals lack effective written communication skills? How would you go about solving this problem? How would your solution help you right now?