MightyRecruiterWriters create content to be published through a variety of outlets, such as online, in magazines and newspapers, in books (both fiction and nonfiction), in advertising materials and as television, radio and movie scripts. Before they can write, however, they must research their subject matter through research and interviews.
As you compose your writer job description, emphasize traits like research, editing and critical thinking skills in addition to basic writing and creative skills. Adaptability is another important attribute of a successful writer, because he or she will need to be able to take direction and make changes to work when requested.
Perseverance and social perceptiveness are vital for writers. These qualities help them to keep at a project until it is completed and to learn how an audience reacts to content. To find out more about what to include in your writer job description, see the example below.
Writer Job Summary
Do you have a way with words? Can you explain complex technical or scientific concepts in plain English? Do you notice spelling and grammatical errors on the internet and on signs around town (and point them out to your friends)? Our company is searching for a talented writer who can make our products and services understandable and accessible to the general population through blog posts, social media and advertising copy. As the newest member of our marketing division, you will be joining a team of professionals who understand what the writing life is like. You will have access to our vast research library, and you will enjoy creative freedom within our clearly defined parameters.
Job Responsibilities
- Interview sources, including on-site engineers, programmers and product developers, to gain an in-depth understanding of our products, services and business solutions
- Create, edit and revise customer-facing materials, in-house correspondence and technical documentation
- Create press releases to coincide with each new product or service release, as well as company milestones and special events
- Contribute articles to local and regional publications on a weekly basis, on a variety of topics related to our industry, current events and local business developments
- Assist with script-writing for brief television and radio spots, supplying technical details and verifying that our products and services are accurately represented
- Collaborate with other teams, including management, product design and engineering, to ensure cohesive branding and public relations
- Consult on public relations projects, creation of marketing materials and product user guides
- Develop original content and revise previously published business materials, including product and service guides, direct mail campaign materials and business-to-business presentation materials
Job Skills & Qualifications
Reqiured:
- Bachelor’s degree and three years’ experience as a technical writer or copywriter, or equivalent education and experience
- Familiarity with AP style
- Published clips or letters of reference from previous employers
Preferred:
- Familiarity with basic coding and programming
- Skill in Microsoft Office
Writer Job Responsibilities
The success of finding a new excellent employee for your organization ultimately comes down to the quality of each section in your writer job description. A poor list of job responsibilities can flood your email inbox with applications from unqualified individuals. However, an outstanding responsibilities section can encourage the right people to apply, so you end up with your pick of the litter. You can be more successful in your employee search by describing the tasks of the job in a way that actually inspires people.
An easy way to inspire jobseekers is to focus on the most important and relevant writer job responsibilities. A bulleted list, consisting of no more than eight points, can actively show people what they will be doing on a daily basis. Jobseekers should be able to actually see themselves in this role. You also benefit because it may not take as long to fill an open position.
The following responsibilities are typically expected of creative writers, and you may want to put them in your own writer job description.
- Prepare written works and format them according to company guidelines
- Proofread and revise other people’s materials to ensure they meet company guidelines
- Conduct research online to find relevant information about current projects
- Collaborate with publishers, editors and clients to determine how to make certain works better
Writer Job Specifications
Your writer job description also needs to contain lists of the position’s necessary skills and qualifications. This can include educational and certification requirements that you must see in an applicant to bring him or her onto the team.
One trick a lot of hiring managers use is dividing the writer job specifications into required skills and preferred skills. The required qualifications should be the ones that are mandatory to be successful in this job. The preferred ones are skills that would be nice for a candidate to have but are not ultimately essential in being successful in the position. By dividing the specifications in this manner, you avoid a situation where qualified candidates do not apply because you have too many skills listed as required. Although you want to attract the best, you do not want to scare off too many jobseekers.
What follows is a list of skills and qualifications that would be perfectly suited for a writer job description.
- Bachelor’s degree in English, creative writing or a related field
- Thorough understanding of the English language
- Willingness to adapt and change writing style
- Familiarity with word processing software
- Ability to communicate effectively with others
- Excellent time management and organizational skills
