Here are some suggestions to make your letters and memos more professional and easier to write.

Use templates.
If your supervisor gives you a letter, notice its components, wording, etc., and use that as a guide for the next letter you have to create. Most companies have templates with their letterhead already inserted so that their brand and message is consistent. As well, many word processing programs come with pre-made templates that you can customize.

Another good tip is to save letters that come to you, even junk mail letters, if their phrasing, closing, etc. work for you. Use appropriate parts when you are creating letters.

Keep memos short.
Memos should only have one subject in them. They are used for internal documentation and are not intended to be sent outside of your organization.

Check and double-check your work.
Don’t rely on spell check to find all your mistakes. Try to have somebody else read your work, or at least set it aside for a while before reading it again so that you approach it with a fresh mind later.

Have a good reference nearby and use it to check those things you are unsure of.

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Session 12: Getting Ahead