How long writing sample

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For Employers. Butler Pavilion, Room 5th Floor on a map. Back to top. Whether you are applying for a job, internship, or to graduate schools, you may be asked to provide a writing sample.

Writing samples allow an employer or graduate program to judge your ability to convey a written message and should be taken seriously. When choosing a sample, consider the writing style that you will be using at your job, internship, or graduate program. For example, if you are applying for a position as an executive assistant to the CEO of a Fortune company, and they will need you to write some of their correspondence, your writing skills are key.

The employer's goal is to determine whether you have the writing skills they are seeking. Your writing sample may be read for tone and style, as well as for content, grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Employer requirements vary as to what is asked for, and when during the application process applicants are asked to submit their sample.

So remember, what you will be asked for depends entirely on the job and the company. The most important consideration when choosing a writing sample should be quality. Make sure the writing is your very best and have it reviewed for content, spelling, and grammar before submitting; carefully proofread your sample.

If you don't have professional writing experience, you may have other options. For example, an academic paper that was well-received by a faculty member will suffice as a sample if you're applying for a job at a university.

A published article, either in print or online, is another good option. If you have a blog, feel free to submit your best blog post. If you've written posts on LinkedIn with content that relates to the job, go ahead and use that. If you're lucky enough to have published articles, especially for media jobs, that will bolster your credentials as a candidate. Another important factor is relevance.

Whenever possible, you should always match the type of writing in your sample to the kind of writing required in your target job. For example, a journalistically styled piece or a press release that tells a story is most suitable for media-related jobs, while an academic paper works best for a research job.

It can also be helpful to supply a sample with content similar to the topics you might be writing about. For example, an analysis of the use of social media to promote products might be useful for a job with a public relations or marketing firm.

Don't be intimidated if you don't have a writing sample to submit. How to choose a writing sample Make sure that your samples match the type of the writing that the position would involve. For research positions, submit an in-depth analysis of an issue or a topic. For PR positions, submit a press release you have written from a previous internship or as the marketing chair of a campus group.

Submit your best writing Here are some tips if you are deciding between two papers you have written: Always choose the better written paper, even if the weaker paper is topically more relevant You could also consider rewriting the relevant paper to be stronger before you submit it.