The "Write" Stuff

Jason Fertig

I applaud my university's monthly magazine for stressing how employers are dissatisfied with many graduates' writing skills (see page 18).  Yet, while I have no interest in biting the hand that feeds me, I do have to call attention to a few quotes from the article that are quite disconcerting. 

While commenting on employers' expectations, one professional stressed the need for students who can "construct a coherent email to the rest of the company."  Another requested that graduates should "be able to write what you mean, and in a format that is understandable and grammatically correct."   Hence, after 16+ years of schooling, students not only cannot write at the college level -  a fair portion of graduates also cannot write coherently. 

That is scary.  Still, every time I hear employers slamming graduates' writing, my instinct is to ask, "why did you hire them?"

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