Why you should hire good writers

In his no-nonsense book about how to succeed in business, Jason Fried devotes an entire chapter to why businesses should hire great writers. The founder and CEO of the successful Web application company 37signals clearly values the skills good writers bring to a job – and it’s not just about their way with words:

“If you are trying to decide among a few people to fill a position, hire the best writer. It doesn’t matter if that person is a marketer, salesperson, designer, programmer, or whatever; their writing skills will pay off.

That’s because being a good writer is about more than writing. Clear writing is a sign of clear thinking. Great writers know how to communicate. They make things easy to understand. They can put themselves in someone else’s shoes. They know what to omit. And those are qualities you want in any candidate.

Writing is making a comeback, all over our society. Look at how much people email and text message now rather than talk on the phone. Look at how much communication happens via instant messaging and blogging. Writing is today’s currency for good ideas.”  Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, Rework: Change The Way You Work Forever

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