The way companies communicate to their clients and customers nowadays is mainly online and through email.  That is why being a proficient writer is one of the most desired skills from employers, yet highly overlooked by those looking for employment.  The way you write not only gives a reflection of you, but most importantly the company or work place that you represent. Writing eloquently is a skill that is hard to come by.  It takes practice, patience, and constant improvement.  Fortunately, there are some rules you can apply to your writing today that will not only improve the quality of your writing, but also will instantly make you sound more professional.

Do Not Use Contractions

In everyday conversation and texting, people try to get their point across in the fastest way possible.  One of the results of this is the combining of words into one word.  These words that are a combination of two words are commonly known as contractions.  The best known examples of contractions are words like “I’m”, “don’t”, “wasn’t”, “haven’t”, and “isn’t”.  Even though the use of contractions are totally acceptable in everyday conversation, it should not be used in both academic and professional writing.  This is because contractions are technically a form of informal language.  If you are in the middle of a cover letter or writing an email for work purposes, it would be smart to look over your writing and write out the contracted words.  An example of writing out contractions would be changing a word like “don’t” to “do not”.  By doing so, you will instantly sound more formal in your writing.

Avoid Slangs and Cliches

Along with contractions, using slangs and cliches are a form of informal writing and should not be used in work related emails or letters.  Even if you are familiar with the client or colleague from work, it is safest to avoid loose language in your writing.

Organization

One of the greatest signs of a skilled writer is their ability to organize and express their thoughts.  Organization is something that takes preparatory work.  It is something that could separate a good professional email from a poor one.  Try outlining the points you want to make in your email before you start writing.  This will not only make it easier to write your letter or email, but will also help your reader follow along with what you have to say.  Professional writing should not be treated as a free-write, but instead something that deserves preparation.

Use descriptive words

Vocabulary is a powerfully persuasive weapon.  It can inflict both emotion and emphasis.  Knowing this, it is important as a writer and a representation of a company to use this weapon of vocabulary to your advantage.  Avoid using vague adjectives and adverbs like “very”, “a lot”, and “so” . Instead, use words like “extremely” and “immensely”.  This will improve the quality of your writing and give your audience something enjoyable to read.