Stories by Andrew Hindes

Having graduated college—and perhaps even embarked on a successful professional career—you may have thought your test-taking days were safely behind you. But in today’s highly competitive job market, agencies and corporate PR departments expect candidates to possess a wide range of skills, including the ability to churn out basic press materials. That’s where the dreaded pre-employment writing assessment comes in.

Good grammar is like wearing nice clothes for a job interview. Sure, it’s important, and failing to do so can be a deal-breaker, but just showing up in a suit and tie is not going to land you a job. Similarly, poor writing can be a turn-off for journalists, but merely demonstrating your ability to use a semicolon properly isn’t going to generate press coverage.

A professional bio is a bit like an auto club card, you may not need it very often, but when you do, you’ll be really glad you have one. All professionals and business leaders, from athletes to CFOs to pediatricians to DJs, should have at their disposal a few well-written paragraphs recounting career accomplishments. A brief bio is indispensable for use in social media profiles, websites, press releases, event programs, brochures, book jackets and more.

In today’s crowded media environment, simply avoiding grammatical mistakes isn’t enough to make your PR content stand out.

As a PR professional you’re probably aware that client testimonials are an extremely powerful marketing tool. The reason they can be so effective is simple: While it’s fine for a business to tell customers and prospects how great its products or services are, it’s much more persuasive when people who have used those products or services sing the company’s praises.

A boring description of an interesting play or TV show will not have the desired effect on journalists—or their readers, viewers or listeners.

Managing a freelance writer, if done correctly, can be a cost-effective way to develop high-quality press materials in a hurry.

Whether you’re entering the job market or you’re a seasoned vet considering a career move, here are five ways to nail any pre-employment writing assessment.

The key to writing a great tech press release is explaining the benefits of a piece of hardware or software.

The In-House Writers’ Andrew Hindes says that while proper grammar is always a must, there are seven other essential elements of good PR writing that help make press materials clearer.