Does Better English Equal More Pay?
Grammarly (the world’s leading automated grammar checker) recently conducted a study with over 400 freelancers to figure out how English skills affect income. Analyzing data from Elance, Grammarly found that there is a correlation between writing skills and hireability. In simpler terms, better writers tend to make more. Read the Huffington Post article and study the infographic below for further details:
Of course, causation cannot be established, but it makes sense that better communication results in being more valued at work. I’ve had some first-hand experience in seeing how English skills influence jobs. Here are three career-related areas where I’ve seen English make a big difference:
Formatting Resumes:
I used to work in a university’s career office and critiqued resumes for graduating seniors. There’s an art to presenting your work experience. This involves the right amount of white space, along with lining up paragraphs in a neat order. For those who are using a functional resume, it involves highlighting transferable skills that would be attractive to any company.One of the other key elements is the actual writing. I always urged students to write in the active voice. It’s amazing how starting phrases with verbs instills excitement into accomplishments. Precise description also helps in creating vivid imagery (e.g. “supervised 50 employees” and “managed a $800,000 budget”).
Applying for Jobs:
For a time, I also worked at a non-profit. We specialized in job training for low-income women. Some of the participants were looking for their first job, while others were transitioning positions. Before we allowed them into our program, we interviewed each applicant. One of our main requirements was that they had the appropriate language skills. Without adequate English in place, we wouldn’t be able to teach them the skill set to connect them with willing employers.
Busting the English Major Myth:
I always hear about the friend of a friend who majored in English. This poor soul was unable to secure a job for decades. In reality, the people I know who majored in English went on to pretty good jobs. A majority of them are teachers or professors, but others have gone into other productive fields as well.
Do stronger English skills yield better pay? Share your opinion.
