Lily Garcia’s twice-monthly online discussion with The Washington Post

Writing Sample

Order Description
Adapted from Lily Garcia’s twice-monthly online discussion with The Washington Post
Baltimore: Many of the job openings I’m interested in ask for a writing sample. Can you give me a few standard guidelines, such as how long writing samples should be and what most employers are looking for?

 

First, request guidelines from your workplace. If not, do the following:
The following guidelines should be followed when submitting a writing sample: • Aim for approximately 500 words (i.e., two to three pages double spaced); • Don’t violate confidentiality (i.e., make client names anonymous); • Make it relevant to the job (i.e., if you’re applying for a legal job, submit a legal writing sample); • Make sure your work is error-free; • Try to choose a sample that demonstrates intelligence, personality, and strong analytical skills;

Regarding writing samples, could you polish yours to better showcase your abilities? Can you alter the sample if it’s a released clip?
• You cannot alter something after it has been published to use it as a writing sample.

 

First, request guidelines from your workplace. If not, do the following:
The following guidelines should be followed when submitting a writing sample: • Aim for approximately 500 words (i.e., two to three pages double spaced); • Don’t violate confidentiality (i.e., make client names anonymous); • Make it relevant to the job (i.e., if you’re applying for a legal job, submit a legal writing sample); • Make sure your work is error-free; • Try to choose a sample that demonstrates intelligence, personality, and strong analytical skills;

Regarding writing samples, could you polish yours to better showcase your abilities? Can you alter the sample if it’s a released clip?
• You cannot alter something after it has been published to use it as a writing sample.