Re: Writing samples: what to look for

Subject: Re: Writing samples: what to look for
From: Elna Tymes <etymes -at- LTS -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 1998 10:39:56 -0800

Rebecca-
> What do you look for when you review portfolios of job candidates?
> What things are musts and what are nice-to-haves? What makes alarms go off
> immediately to tell you someone is not qualified?

I look for the following in anyone submitting a writing sample:

1. Clear, concise writing.
2. Simple presentation.
3. Depending on the designated audience, simple and easy-to-understand
instructions and examples.

We hire a lot of interns, so our standards vary some. With interns, we
look for:

1. Spellchecked work.You'd be absolutely amazed at what recent college
grads think is acceptable work.
2. Evidence of ability to learn on their own.
3. Previous pursuit of some intellectual area with a passion -
demonstration of an "I want to know more" attitude.

In both interns and more experienced folks, I look for the following:

1. Ability to work as part of a team.
2. An understanding of the concept of audience.
3. Demonstrated willingness to learn new tools as the need arises.

I recently interviewed a persistent applicant for an internship. He
showed up the first time without an appointment and without a resume or
writing sample though the job order specified both, practically begging
me to give him the job immediately. He then disappeared from sight, only
to resurface last week, again without an appointment or even a call or
email that he would be dropping by. Despite the fact that I'd told him
I needed a resume AND a writing sample, he came with only the resume.
He said he'd return later with the writing sample. I went out on an
errand, and returned to find him in our lobby - he'd gone to the Taco
Bell up the street and hand-written an example, complete with spelling
errors and great leaps in logic - expecting me to be there when he
returned. It'd be a rather serious stretch for me to find enough
qualifying factors in his material and behavior that I'd want to hire
him as an intern.

Elna Tymes
Los Trancos Systems




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