There are various ways to show employers you are a good writer, but what will make your sample stand out? The answer may lie in your ability to form a cohesive paragraph, properly use transitional words, and properly use conjunctions.
Let’s take a look at each one in detail.
Active Voice
The active voice is used for verbs and nouns. Active voice is relatively easy to identify, as it uses the verb “to be” instead of “was” or “were.” For example:
“I am an active person.”
“This is an active hobby.”
“These are active ingredients.”
“The activity level is high.”
In general, you should strive to use the active voice as much as possible. It makes writing more natural and easy to understand. Additionally, it shows that you can be active and can engage in the conversation.
Cohesive Paragraph
A coherent paragraph is one that flows naturally and logically from one idea to the next. To test your ability to write a coherent paragraph, ask yourself the following questions:
• Can I follow the order of the sentences?
• Can I start a new sentence with the same word as the one I ended?
• Can I rearrange the sentences to fit the rhythm of the speaker?
Good writing is generally characterized by its cohesiveness. To give a clear example, consider the following statements:
“The dog ate the cat.”
“The dog ate the cat, causing the cat to flee in horror.”
“The cat ate the dog, and the dog leaped in delight.””
Each one of these statements is complete and makes a complete sense. However, if we were to combine the first two statements, it would be nonsensical:
“The dog ate the cat, causing the cat to flee in horror. The dog ate the cat, causing the cat to flee in horror.”
If you can write a cohesive paragraph in your native tongue, your English is good enough to do the same. Just make sure that the transitions are smooth and natural, and that you use the correct verb tense.
Correct English
Many individuals think that English is easy, but native speakers know otherwise. Good writers make the language easy for everyone to understand. In order to do so, they need to make sure that their usage of English is correct, so they can accurately convey their message. To help you out, here are a few tips:
“Write with an English accent.”
“Write the simplest sentences you can.”
“Avoid slang and colloquialisms.”
“Spell check your work.”
These things will help you achieve perfect English, and in turn, make you stand out among the crowd.
Sensible Reasoning
Whether you are an engineer, chemist, or another professional, you will need to be able to think quickly and logically while following complex instructions. To write something that makes sense, you need to follow a logical sequence of thinking, while considering all the options. To illustrate this point, consider the following example:
“You are to design a device that is capable of detecting cancer in its early stages. You have access to a 3D printer, and you have studied the issue recently. What would you design first?”
“I would design a blood test, which is faster and cheaper than a CT scan, and can identify more types of cancer.”
“I would design a test that checks for HER2/neu, as it is the most common type of cancer in women.”
“I would design an ELISA test, as it is the most common method of detection.”
Each option made complete sense, and in turn, showed that you had considered the question thoroughly. If you can come up with a good answer to this question, consider yourself a step ahead in the game.
What is a Good Writing Sample for a Job Application?
In general, a good writing sample for a job application is a description of your work history. However, the way you write about your past experiences will depend on the field you are applying for. If you are applying for a social work position, your writing sample should reflect your ability to work with clients. For physicians, you should write about your medical training and experience. For teachers, you should include samples of your classroom teaching experience. The list of possible job applications can be found here:
- Health Care Industry
- Educational Institutions
- Human Resources
- Accounting
- Finance
- Management
- Sales
- Research
- Writing
- Other
As you can see, there are numerous fields that you can apply to, so make sure that you choose a job that matches your skillset and interests. This way, you can ensure that you will be able to use your writing sample effectively.
To put it simply, your writing sample is like your resume, but for writing. In order to make the most out of it, be sure that you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve, and then work backwards to create an ideal piece. Consider each part of your sample as a small story, which when combined, make up the whole. Last but not least, make sure to have fun with it! After all, this is supposed to be a creative outlet for you.