Reflections From A Student Writer's Desk

By Htar Myat Sandy

Every once in a while, precious opportunities come knocking at your door and when they do, you have to grasp them. For me, this came in the form of a communications placement where I worked as a writer at SIM's Brand, Marketing & Recruitment Division for over a period of three months.This is part of my curriculum at SIM-University of Birmingham Business Management with Communications to gain relevant experience in our field of study.

In reflection, I can confidently say that the skills that I've picked up during my three-month stint have been very useful in making my transition to the workforce a smoother one. I believe that I am better able to handle writing tasks as well as other responsibilities that may come my way.

For aspiring writers out there, I hope you find these tips that I picked up useful for you as well.

#Writing For An Audience
Although I've never thought of myself as a good writer, I was always intrigued by the beauty of self-expression through words. This led me to apply for the writer's position to further hone my skills. I used to think that a good writer was one who had a strong command of the English language but I've learned that it takes much more than that. When you write for an audience, you don't necessarily need big words. The best thing you can do is to get your message across in a simple and concise way in which your readers can understand with ease.

One of the things that I found challenging about writing an article is attracting your audience, especially in a social media age. With various media consumption platforms available, there is a constant need to challenge yourself on what would make your story good and what would make it stand out.

Some of the ways this can be achieved is using creativity to drive your content by developing interesting story angles, writing catchy headlines and using good visuals.

Although I struggled at first with different aspects of writing an article, my supervisor guided me on the thought process of how to frame a story and encouraged me to read more to develop my writing skills and creativity. I was also reassured not to be fearful and to pen down my thoughts and ideas as they came along while writing an article. With time, I was able to get the hang of things. I've also learned that with writing (as with many other things in life), the more your practice the better you eventually become.

# Staying On Schedule

A planned schedule helps with staying on track.

As with most jobs (if not all!), time management is a crucial factor. I had to pick this up quickly on-the-job as article assignments and deadlines come at a quick pace. One of the ways I learned to manage my responsibilities was to factor in how much time each task required- from developing ideas to mulling over the right words and phrases till eventually completing the final article. Writing a story is indeed a process where each stage takes time. Hence, with a planned schedule, it helps me stay on track. This allowed me to work at a steady pace and meet my deadlines. I believe that this simple but useful skill can be applied to different jobs no matter what your area of expertise is.

#Mindful Communication

What you say and how you say it matters.

Another important skill that I learned is to communicate effectively. As you will cross paths with many people for interviews and photoshoots, you'll have to be a good communicator and listener to get your message across. Knowing when to listen and when to speak is especially valuable during interviews.

Your tone can also help a person warm up to you and this may allow them to open up to you. Likewise, adopting the right tone is just as important when you communicate through emails and text messages. When you are respectful and courteous, the chances of people cooperating with you are better and you'll be able to get things done faster!


A quote that I'm inspired by.

This position has certainly impacted me and has not only served as a positive learning experience. I am glad to have gone beyond my comfort level to take this role up. Although I came with no job experience, I am leaving with many new experiences and lessons. May this sharing inspire you to seize the opportunities ahead of you to develop your full potential!