According to Writing: A Powerful Message from State Government (2005), providing writing training costs taxpayers nearly a quarter of a billion dollars annually, according to an estimate based on a survey released by the National Commission on Writing. Key findings:
- More than two-thirds of professional state employees have some responsibility for writing, as do 60 percent of clerical employees. "Is writing an important skill in government?" asked one respondent. "Of course. If there are tax policy directives or guidelines that the filers don't quite get-and the tax staff don't get right either-that creates a financial mess."
- More than 75 percent of respondents report taking writing into account in hiring and promoting state employees. "I'd say there's a premium placed on well-developed writing skills," said one human resources director.
- Ninety-one percent of the states that "almost always" take writing into account when hiring report that they also require writing samples from applicants for professional positions. "Oral and writing skills are absolutely essential in a service- and knowledge-based economy. This is a very different economy from one based on agriculture or industry," noted a respondent.
- Poorly written application materials are likely to doom the job-seeker's chances of state employment. More than 80 percent of respondents agree that poorly written applications count against professional applicants. "Managers notice written submissions around the application process," commented one.
- More than two-thirds of responding officials say they routinely offer writing training for professional employees with deficient skills. "We might have up to 300 employees each year [both professional and clerical] with some need for training in writing and composition," reported one personnel director.
- Approximately one-third of respondents indicate that, at most, one-third of professional employees possess the writing skills valued in government.
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