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-- should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?
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"Good writing" falls into many categories and can be highly subjective.

Creatively, yes, "good writing" involves more than the formalities a resume, cover letter, etc. would have.

In this context, though, I'd say "good writing" is the ability to produce one of those without having the aforementioned errors in them.

quote:

Originally posted by SYSTEM-J should have no complaints if they appear ill-educated and incompetent.

Yes, but what do they have left if you take complaining away from them?

It depends on the job, naturally. But, with few exceptions, no.

quote:

Originally posted by OrangestO "Good writing" falls into many categories and can be highly subjective. Creatively, yes, "good writing" involves more than the formalities a resume, cover letter, etc. would have. In this context, though, I'd say "good writing" is the ability to produce one of those without having the aforementioned errors in them.

For me, "good writing" carries implication that getting the basics right is some sort of achievement.

Yes, it would be dealbreaker, because it would affect their communication skills. I think one would have to distinguish between poor grammar and a typo. Even if it is a 'factory' job (i'm not sure if your implying low-skilled, because many factory jobs are high-skilled jobs these days) , it would still matter. Add to this, poor mathematical skills and you have a disaster waiting to happen. Imagine you have a $300,000 machine, would you trust anyone to maintain it, much less run it?

Re: Re: Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

quote:

Originally posted by ziptnf You forgot a closing parenthesis. Also, you shouldn't have put a period inside the quotations. That should have gone outside the closing parenthesis that wasn't there. Edit: And what is the purpose of the semi-colon after "In addition"? In addition can't be its own complete sentence.

good job!

That's actually wrong.

"In addition," which is a conjunctive adverb, cannot be its own complete sentence.

You use a comma afterward, unless following it up with "to" as in "In addition to...,"

EDIT: I read that as "can" instead of "can't," for some reason. Carry on.

Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

Spelling correctly and constructing clear, readable, understandable sentences should be a basic skill. Especially if you're presenting your resume to prospective employers. Make a fucking effort.

quote:

Originally posted by OrangestO When you read other people's posts on here, do you take how well they write into consideration in deciding whether to take them seriously?

With a few exceptions (I'm looking at you, Craig) Yes. Especially if English is their first language. There is really no excuse for poor grammar and spelling. By disregarding punctuation, capitalization, and basic rules (i.e. mixing up "their", "they're", and "there", or "then", "than", etc.. which nobody should still be doing after 5th grade), a person willingly labels him or herself as a lazy, incompetent turd, which shows complete lack of respect for their audience and the language, so I tend to think less of them.

Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

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Originally posted by Intellekshual With a few exceptions (I'm looking at you, Craig) Yes. Especially if English is their first language. There is really no excuse for poor grammar and spelling. By disregarding punctuation, capitalization, and basic rules (i.e. mixing up "their", "they're", and "there", or "then", "than", etc.. which nobody should still be doing after 5th grade), a person willingly labels him or herself as a lazy, incompetent turd, which shows complete lack of respect for their audience and the language, so I tend to think less of them.

First sentence should have read "With a few exceptions, (I'm looking at you, Craig), yes.

Re: Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

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Originally posted by srussell0018 First sentence should have read "With a few exceptions, (I'm looking at you, Craig), yes.

With a few exceptions, - I'm looking at you, Craig - yes.

Either way works.

quote:

Originally posted by srussell0018 Either way works.

No, it doesn't.

Yes it does.

Re: Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

quote:

Originally posted by srussell0018 First sentence should have read "With a few exceptions, (I'm looking at you, Craig), yes.

Thanks.

Your command of the English language despite it not being your first, (I'm guessing third), is quite impressive to say the least.

Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

quote:

Originally posted by Intellekshual (I'm looking at you, Craig)

Both him and pkc are extremely bright guys who definitely know better, but can't be arsed to format things in the least. It's fine, as they're so very far from illegible, but every time I read something by Paul, I want to tell him how many commas he missed. Though I don't want him to PM me any more pictures of his penis, so I try to keep the peace.

Re: Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

quote:

Originally posted by srussell0018 First sentence should have read "With a few exceptions, (I'm looking at you, Craig), yes.

With a few exceptions (I'm looking at you, Craig), yes.

Re: Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

quote:

Originally posted by srussell0018 Your command of the English language despite it not being your first, (I'm guessing third), is quite impressive to say the least.

Thank you kindly.
It is my third language.

quote:

Originally posted by Halcyon+On+On Both him and pkc are extremely bright guys who definitely know better, but can't be arsed to format things in the least. It's fine, as they're so very far from illegible, but every time I read something by Paul, I want to tell him how many commas he missed. Though I don't want him to PM me any more pictures of his penis, so I try to keep the peace.

I had to complete two verbal reasoning tests and write an essay during the interview process for my current job. My other tests were numerical, psychometric, a presentation and case studies...... as well as 2 competency based interviews.

Anyway, if I had to guess how much of my 'score' was attributed to the English aspect, I would probably say about 20-30%.

So yeah, quite important..... as expected. Although, I don't believe it should be the deciding factor. Unless you're applying to be a journalist or something.

Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

quote:

Originally posted by Intellekshual There is really no excuse for poor grammar and spelling.

Actually, there is

• English spelling is disastrous: It's full of silent letters that never existed in the language (such as the "s" in "island"), archaic spellings (why is there still an "h" in archaic anyway?!), and the long vowels are all messed up due to the Great Vowel Shift (I know why "food", "good", and "blood" don't rhyme, and I can trace back the steps in order to memorise the spellings, but there's no reason a non-linguist shouldn't get away with "fude", "good", and "blud").
  
  An error of design (albeit with no one designer) shouldn't have to be paid by the users. That is, writers shouldn't have to be punished for the lousy work of previous grammarians, scribes, etymologists, wankers of all calibres, and educators.
  
  
• There's no single "grammar": Do you lot speak the same way? Please have a think before you answer.
  
  Well, no, you don't. And claiming "some people don't know grammar" is about as ignorant as saying people don't know how to eat (they may not have the table manners you cherish, but if they didn't know how to eat, they'd have starved themselves to death before their first birthday). Some of the "rules" are just clueless, such as "two negatives make a positive". Oh, really!? If someone truly thinks "I didn't do nothing" means "I did do something", then they're either retarded or grammarians. Possibly both, because this happens in countless other languages (including my mother tongue) and this interpretation is, more often than not, just plain absurd.
  
  There are different dialects, some more prestigious than others, and unless you can't understand your interlocutor and communication is truly impaired (i.e. you can't make head or tails of what is being said/written), there's no reason you should have them speak the variety you like the most.
  
  
• Linguistic pettiness: Sometimes no matter how good the content is, some people seem to cling to minor "mistakes" in order to depreciate the speaker and/or what's being said. Irregardless is, from a lofty viewpoint, just as redundant as "I'm going to go" or "I will want". There is something called semantic bleaching, and I'm willing to bet that the people who value good grammar the most, are usually the ones who know languages the least.

Yea but you can still come across as a total toolbag...

From a ban thread in a gaming community I am involved with:

quote:

i wood like to no why i have been ban i play on your server for so long then when i talk during berfing one time i get banned i said sry and i told them it would happen again ts3 name =4id=2lt.corbin.c

Re: Re: Re: should your ability to write well be the deciding factor in getting a job?

quote:

Originally posted by Lira In short, don't blame the player, blame the game.

The game is to blame the player. You can blame the game all that you like, but you still have to play.

if writing is a part of the job, then sure. People with asperger tend to have trouble communicating their ideas. There is an abnormally high number of people with aspergers in high tech industry. They were not hired for the linguistic prowess. To attribute a skill that has little pertinence to the job is illogical. Not completely irrelevant but it shouldn't be the overriding factor when it is not what you are being paid to do. I do think the better you communicate, the better off you are. So one should strive to excel at it as it will give you an edge in any field when added to your other set of skills.

And given a job where writing does count and 2 candidates where one individual is much better at writing but the other is just a better team player, i would pick the individual with the better attitude. When the quality of your writing is not the actual output of your work, i think most would also pick the individual that is easier to get along with. As System J said, there is a base level. When grammar mistakes affect people's lives such as law, sure. But for the most part, adequate is good enough. Being better is also good but i think there are other attributes that might be more important depending on the job.

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