Want to Land a Great Job? Learn How to Write

I was talking to one of our talented college-student employees earlier today, and she mentioned that she was taking a research methods class that was going to require a lot of writing - she’s not opposed to it, but was viewing it with a spoonful of dread.  Now, I’m a little biased - I majored in writing in college (and, yes, this is about the only place besides our job ads that I actually make use of that expensive four year investment - oof).  That said, I made sure to let her know that if someone applies and can’t write, there’s a serious chance we won’t hire them.  Not that we expect someone who spends the bulk of their time working with algorithms to be a closet Hemingway, but they should possess the ability to communicate an idea clearly.

If I receive a cover letter and/ or resume that’s riddled with spelling/ grammar errors, it’s an immediate deal-killer.