Success Skills: Background You’ll Need

  • Understand why writing skills are important

The Importance of Writing

Recent surveys highlight that employers highly value strong communication skills in potential hires. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook 2024 survey[1], more than 70% of employers seek candidates with strong written communication skills, and about 68% value verbal communication abilities.

Similarly, a 2023 survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U)[2] found that 64% of employers consider oral communication skills very important for new hires, yet only 34% believe recent graduates are well-prepared in this area.

In addition, several of the other valued skills are grounded in written communication:

  • Critical Thinking and Analytical Reasoning: 60% of employers rate these skills as very important.
  • Problem-Solving Abilities: Approximately 54% of employers prioritize complex problem-solving skills.
  • Teamwork: 62% of employers value the ability to work effectively in teams.

This emphasis on communication probably reflects the changing reality of work. Employers also reported that employees will have to “take on more responsibilities,” “use a broader set of skills,” “work harder to coordinate with other departments,” face “more complex” challenges, and mobilize “higher levels of learning and knowledge.”[3]. Emphasizing these skills in educational curricula can better prepare graduates for the expectations of today’s employers.

The pay-off from improving your writing comes much sooner than graduation and entering the workforce. Suppose you complete about 40 classes for a 120-credit bachelors’ degree, and—averaging across writing-intensive and non-writing-intensive courses—you produce about 2,500 words of formal writing per class. Even with that low estimate, you’ll write 100,000 words during your college career. That’s roughly equivalent to a 330-page book. Spending a few hours sharpening your writing skills will make those 100,000 words much easier and more rewarding to write. Even your non-English professors care about and appreciate good writing.

This video explains why those writing skills are so sought after in the workplace, and their importance especially in remote work environments.

You can view the transcript for “Why Are Writing Skills Important in the Workplace? – The Language Library” here (opens in new window).