Looking to be a bid writer at ThePensters? This is a great career to get into if you have strong writing skills. However, like many others, it can be a bit of a competitive field. That’s why it’s important to have some extra knowledge and talents on your side to set yourself apart.
There are some of the skills that would be beneficial for you to obtain.
1. Writing Skills
This is essential. True, even if you’re not a talented writer, you can develop your skills over time throughout your career. The problem is, this takes time, making it much more difficult to distinguish yourself and move up in your industry. The more quickly you can get your work done, the more efficient employee you’ll be. Your supervisors will take notice.
2. Strong Communication
When writing bids or proposals, you’re essentially trying to make an argument in favor of your supervisor or company. This means you should possess strong, effective communication skills. Of course, your grammar and vocabulary should be correct and professional, but if you’re looking for this type of work, odds are good that this won’t be a problem for you. Clear communication isn’t merely about writing in proper English. It’s also about ensuring that your points come across with the right balance of concision and persuasiveness.
As such, if you’re a student, it’s a good idea to take classes that teach you the fundamentals of strong communication. If you’re out of school, read books on the particular subject to boost your skills.
3. Business Knowledge
Writing bids generally requires some rudimentary business knowledge. Granted, you can familiarize yourself with the topics you’re writing about after your work is assigned, but you’d be better off if you walked into a job with that knowledge right away. Employers are always looking for job candidates who need as little training as possible. If they see that you already have at least some basic familiarity with their industry, they’ll be much more likely to hire you and give you more positive attention as an employee.
4. Classical Argument Strategies
There have been many, many books written on the topic of persuasion over the course of history, and they’re worth brushing up on if you want to get into the work of writing bids. That said, not everyone has time to read all those books. As such, it pays to take a little bit of time learning about the classical argument strategies outlined by figures like Aristotle. They knew that making an effective argument requires the following traits: ethos, logos, and pathos.
Ethos is the authority of the person making the argument. If you come across as educated and qualified, your bid writing work will be taken more seriously. Logos refers to the simple need to use logic while making an argument. Pathos involves incorporating emotional appeals into your claims.
If you’re planning on getting a job in the bid writing field – at ThePensters in particular – take a look at these skills and be honest about whether or not these are your strengths. To make yourself more attractive to potential employers, develop any of the talents you’re missing.
