Most people think that when applying for a job, you just need to fill out a form and check the boxes on the right. However, this is far from true. You need to do so much more than that if you want to stand a chance of being hired. One of the major tasks that you need to do is to write an excellent cover letter. In this article, you’ll discover the purpose behind the writing sample request on job applications.
It Tells The Employer That You Have The Ability To Communicate Effectively
A plain text cover letter does not indicate that you have the ability to write an excellent letter. Your text should not just be there, it should be informative and convincing enough for the person reading it. In order to do that, you need to prove to them that you can communicate effectively. Nowadays, there are many different formats in which you can show your writing skills. For instance, you can write a short story, an article or even a novel. All of these can be good writing samples and they will prove to the employer that you have the ability to communicate effectively. The more you can show, the better. This is especially important if you want to be considered for a position that requires a lot of writing. In such a case, your lack of writing experience may come back to haunt you. Your writing sample should be concise, yet comprehensive enough to make a good impression. This is a rare skill, and few people possess it. Therefore, having a good sample is something highly valued by most employers.
It Gives You An Opportunity To Practice
If you’re applying for a job that you’ve never done before, then you’re naturally going to be a little bit worried about whether or not you can do it well. One way of easing your fears is by giving you an opportunity to practice. When you write a short story, you get to experience what it’s like to put your thoughts down on paper. You don’t have to worry about how the piece turns out because you’ve already shown what you can do. This can be a good way of getting used to the idea of writing something for publication. For some people, this may be enough of a sample to convince them that you can do the job well enough. In more cases than not, employers will happily take into consideration your previous experience, whether or not you’ve got any experience at all. As long as you can prove that you’ve got the ability to communicate, your previous work experience is usually more than enough to land you the job you want.
It Provides A Record Of Your Achievements
Throughout your education, you’ve undoubtedly been asked to write lots of essays, reports and even exams. You’ve no doubt also participated in various writing activities, such as journal articles, briefing notes and even business plans. If you’ve got a good amount of these, then you can use them to make yourself stand out above the rest of the applicants. To do this, you need to show that you’ve got the ability to write concisely and accurately. In today’s world, having a good sample is more important than ever before. If you want to stand out above the rest, then you’ll need to do things differently. In order to do that, you must prove to the employer that you’re worth taking a chance on. One way of doing this is by giving them a brief summary of your previous achievements. If you can, then include a link to some of your previous work. This will make it easier for the employer to find your previous work and read it. If they like what they see, then great! You’ve got yourself a job, otherwise, you’ll have to keep on searching.
And Last But Not Least
As a graduate, you no doubt possess numerous skills that would be valuable to most employers. If you’re applying for a job that requires someone with specialized skills, then you can bet that you’ll be asked to write something demonstrating your capabilities. At this point, you’d be wise to include a little blurb about what sets you apart from other candidates. Include some relevant examples of your previous work and include a link to more information about you. As a last resort, you can always include a small sample of your work. However, if you do so, then make sure that it’s something representative of what you’ve produced previously. The more you can include, the better. This way, you’ll have something substantial to refer to when questioned about your previous work experience. If you can include links to previous work, then all the better. In today’s world, specialized skills are highly valued by employers. As a graduate, you’ll be able to offer these in abundance. Therefore, don’t be afraid to prove it.