Business Writing For Dummies, 2nd Edition

Chapter 15

Ten Ways to Advance Your Career with Writing

IN THIS CHAPTER

Using writing to improve relationships

Elevating your value to employers, present and future

Inspiring yourself with clearer goals and pathways

Good writing helps you succeed. Despite the business world’s growing need for effective communications, good writers are ever more difficult to find. So, use writing to stand out and build the professional image you want. When you write every message well, over time you are seen as authoritative, reliable, and resourceful. Draft, review, edit, proofread. This chapter gives you ten specific ways to use your skill to your advantage. And all the ideas presented here are fully covered in the relevant chapters of this book.

Write to Build Relationships

Many written messages today help you interact with people you don’t yet know — and may never meet. Consciously use business email and correspondence to personalize your messages, as appropriate.

Get friendly gradually. A first message should be fairly formal. If your correspondent mentions a vacation or a personal milestone, perhaps inquire about that in subsequent correspondence. Or fall back on the weather or vacation time, ...