It's normal to feel unsure about how to talk about writing on your resume. Are you overstating your skills? Are they even relevant to the job you want? And how do you make sure the hiring manager sees your writing as a good thing on your resume?
The key to successfully showcasing your writing skills is keep it clear, concise, and relevant. You’ll want to mention specific writing skills that fit the job requirements, and prove that you have these skills.
Why is it important to include your writing on your resume in 2024? Whether it's crafting emails, reports, or online content, writing significantly influences how effective you’ll be in your job. Even though AI has the ability to write huge pieces of content for you, it still takes someone who knows what they’re doing to make sure the writing is easy to understand and free of errors.
Also, with remote work on the rise, written communication plays a key role in your ability to communicate with team members and get the job done. Not to mention, it often helps leave a positive first impression with potential employers.
Let’s dive into how to effectively showcase your writing skills on your resume, tailor these skills for different job applications, and avoid common pitfalls in the process.
How to put writing skills on your resume: a step by step guide
- Figure out what kind of writing is required in this job. You may moonlight as a poet, but if you’re applying for a marketing position, they’re going to be more interested in your expertise with SEO writing. Research the company and role, and use the job description as your guide for what types of writing to highlight on your resume.
- Tweak your resume. In most cases, you’ll want to highlight your writing in the “Work Experience” section. If writing is a big part of the job or if you don’t think your work experience demonstrates it plainly enough, you may want to also list it in the “Skills” section.
- Keep it short. Since you’re a writer, this shouldn’t be a problem... But make sure you edit your resume to keep it concise. Think bullet points, not paragraphs.
- Be specific. As much as you can, highlight specific projects you’ve worked on and talk about their results in concrete terms, using numbers. For example, you could say something like, “Wrote emails that increased sales by 15% among new list subscribers”
- Don’t use jargon. It may be tempting to flex your expertise by using industry-standard terms (cold traffic, anyone?), but remember the person reading your resume may get confused and push your resume aside. Unless the job description specifically uses the jargon in question, keep things easy to read.
- Include examples with your resume, whenever possible. In your application, try to link to a portfolio or personal blog that has samples of your best writing pieces. That way, you don’t have to rely solely on describing your skills— you can show the manager what an amazing writer you are!
To determine if you've effectively showcased your writing skills on your resume, upload it to the tool below. It will provide feedback on whether your document effectively highlights your specific type of writing skills.
Where to put writing skills on your resume
Writing exists in a weird middle ground between soft and hard skills— depending on the job, your writing skills may be a nice plus, or they may be essential.
Generally speaking, you want to demonstrate your writing skills with accomplishments in the bullet points of the “Work Experience” section of your resume.
Here’s an example of what that could look like:
If it’s essential to the job, consider also putting it in the skills section, like this:
It’s much more powerful to show the results of your writing than to simply say you can write. If you’re wondering how to describe your writing skills on a resume, default to giving an example with measurable results.
Now, let’s talk about the specific kinds of writing you might want to put on your resume:
Specific writing skills to put on your resume
Different jobs require different types of writing skills. Here are some you might include on your resume:
Technical writing
Technical writing is about making complex information accessible to everyone. If you’ve ever used an instruction manual, that’s an example of technical writing. So are other manuals, reports, and internal reference documents.
When listing this skill on your resume, make sure to include any specific projects you’ve worked on in the past. For example, if you created the repair manual for a specific type of engine, you could say something like, “Wrote the repair manual for the V7000 engine downloaded by 600+ readers.”
Technical writing is best included on resumes for jobs in: IT, engineering, and science.
Creative writing
If you’re a creative writer, your ability to craft compelling stories and capture the hearts of audiences is invaluable. Creative writing in business isn't just about weaving a tale; it's about connecting with your audience in a way that resonates and persuades.
So should you include your novelist aspirations on your resume? Maybe not, but if you have proof that you can write content that gets people’s attention, you should highlight that. For instance, you might say, "Conceived and wrote a viral advertising campaign that increased brand engagement by 40%."
Creative writing is best included on resumes for jobs in: marketing, advertising, and content creation.
Business writing
This may not be the first thing you think of when you’re applying for a job, but writing is a huge asset in business. Emails, reports, proposals, memos... Corporate employees do a lot of writing every single day. And companies run better when their employees understand how to write clearly and concisely.
Business writing is direct and persuasive, with a professional tone. If you have this skill, a good example to list on your resume could be, "Authored comprehensive project proposals leading to a 30% increase in client acquisition."
Business writing is best included on resumes for jobs in: administration and management, especially in corporate environments.
SEO writing
SEO writing involves creating content that ranks well on search engines and gives readers helpful information. You could illustrate this skill with a statement like, "Wrote SEO-optimized blog posts that doubled the organic traffic to the company website within six months."
SEO writing is best included on resumes for jobs in: digital marketing
Copywriting
Copywriting is the art of persuasive writing that prompts action, whether it's a purchase, a sign-up, or engagement.
If you have this skill, don’t just talk about it— show specific ways that your copy has encouraged people to take action. For example, "Crafted product descriptions that increased online sales by 25%."
Copywriting is best included on resumes for jobs in: advertising and marketing
Editing and proofreading
Editing and proofreading aren’t just about grammar and spelling. They’re about creating clarity and consistency for readers. In many jobs that require a significant amount of writing, it’s crucial that you’re able to self-edit or help your coworkers
A line such as "Edited and proofread a monthly magazine with a circulation of 50,000, maintaining a high standard of accuracy and readability" can demonstrate you know what you’re talking about when it comes to editing.
Editing and proofreading are best included on resumes for: any jobs that require a significant amount of writing.
Grant writing
Grant writing is laser-focused on creating proposals to secure funding.
If that job involves grant writing, highlighting your success rate in the past will make your resume awesome. For example you could include a bullet point that says something like: "Successfully wrote and submitted grant proposals that secured over $1 million in funding for various community projects."
Grant writing is best included on resumes for jobs in: non-profits and research.
Common mistakes to avoid
Finally, let's walk through how to avoid some common pitfalls when it comes to putting writing skills on your resume:
Avoid irrelevant skills
Tailor your writing skills to the job you're applying for. Instead of listing every writing project you've ever done, focus on ones that relate to the position.
Example: if you're eyeing a role in digital marketing, emphasize skills like SEO writing and content creation over technical writing.
Be honest about your skill level
If your experience in a particular style of writing is basic, don't oversell it as advanced. Misrepresenting your skills might mean you end up in a job that’s over your head.
However, if you are working on that skill through workshops or online courses, include this on your resume. It shows you’re willing to do what it takes to do the job right.
What to do if you have limited writing experience
If your professional writing experience isn’t what you’d like it to be, you can always draw attention to relevant skills from other areas. Research, editing, or strong organizational abilities can help you make a case for why you’d be a good fit for a job that requires writing.
Also, don't underestimate the value of personal projects. Blog posts, volunteer writing you’ve done, or freelance gigs can show potential employers you have the writing chops required for the job. And the good news is— it’s not too late to write a blog post or write something for your favorite charity so that you can mention it in your application!
If you’d like personalized feedback on your resume before you apply, check out score my resume. It’s our free AI-powered resume checker that will give you specific feedback on how to improve your resume so that recruiters and hiring managers can see what an awesome fit you are for the job!
