Write Well, Make More Money

You already know that people who care about their writing demonstrate more professionalism at work. But, did you know that people with better grammar skills progress further in their careers?

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New research suggests that dotting your I’s and crossing your T’s may actually be the best way to succeed at work. Clear writing can be a significant predictor of professional success, and people looking to improve their career prospects can start by improving their grammar.

Grammarly reviewed 100 LinkedIn profiles of native English speakers in the consumer packaged goods industry, and learned the following:

• Professionals with fewer grammar errors achieve higher positions. Those who failed to progress to a director-level position over the first ten years of their career made 2.5 times more grammar mistakes than their director-level colleagues.
• Fewer grammar errors correlate with more promotions. Professionals with one to four promotions over their 10-year careers made 45 percent more grammar errors than those with six to nine promotions in the same timeframe.

While this data set is small, it clearly supports the hypothesis that good grammar is a predictor of professional success. The writing you include in your emails, memos, partner presentations and job applications influences others’ perceptions of your attention to detail, critical thinking and intellect. It also increases your effectiveness by helping you to more clearly convey your ideas, win support and build strong professional relationships.

So, if you’re looking for ways to get a raise or promotion, start by improving your writing. According to this data set, the money will follow.

Brad Hoover joined Grammarly as CEO in 2011, with the goal of improving communication among the world’s 2 billion English writers. Connect with Brad, the Grammarly team, and more than 640,000 Grammarly Facebook fans at www.facebook.com/grammarly.

Lifehacker’s Mind Your Language column offers bossy advice on improving your writing.