1 The importance of written communication
Good written communication skills are necessary at every stage of your career, whether you are a job seeker or already in work.
Watch this video, where Rebecca, a recruitment specialist, shares her thoughts on the importance of written communication in the workplace from an employer’s perspective.

Transcript: Video 2
Written communication is hugely important in conveying information in a variety of ways. Throughout your day, you may come across it in numerous forms.
Activity 1 Different forms of written communication
List at least five different forms of written communication that you have encountered this week.
Discussion
There is no right or wrong answer. Your list could include any of these, but you may have others which are specific to your work, personal circumstances or a voluntary role.
- emails (personal or professional)
- meeting agenda and/or minutes
- letters
- leaflets
- text messages
- reports
- newspapers
- websites
- application forms for jobs or loans
- CVs
- posts to social media and forums
- covering letters.
After compiling your list, were you surprised by the number of forms of written communication that you have encountered?
When communicating in writing there are a number of key elements to get right, and you’ll explore these in the next section.