Community Fellows Blog Posts

As a Management Information Systems major, I never would have imagined curating blog posts at the San Jose Office of Economic Development. The task was simple enough—”walk us through the highlights of these neighborhoods with your words”—but it intimidated me. It’s a bit ironic, considering how I’m writing this blog post right now. But what would I write about? Would people be interested in reading my blogs? Do I even know enough to write about this topic? I had felt like the job was meant for someone with more marketing experience, someone who possessed more charming words. I worked on the blogs in earnest, yet they still seemed plain in comparison to my peers. So when I was informed that people were frequently interacting with my finished work, I was ecstatic. 

These writing assignments, combined with designing surveys, flyers, and brochures, have helped me to appreciate and prioritize readability. As we learned in BUSN179 (Effective Communication in Business), communication goes both ways. While the OED offers valuable guidance and resources to local businesses, these businesses are also conveying important information to us. Their response, or in some cases their lack of response, informs us whether we are effectively reaching them. Resources need to be accessible for small business owners, given that not everyone speaks English as a first language, and not everyone has the privilege of receiving higher education. It can be easy for us to get “wordy” or overly technical when we become accustomed to a specific field. I assumed that my lack of experience made my feedback less valuable. However, I discovered that a fresh pair of eyes could be of great help to my supervisor. 

Business courses at Santa Clara University teach us how to convey information in a concise and simple manner, to frame it in such a way that it sticks with people. Perhaps the “plain” nature of my writing made it easy to understand. As the OED strives to continue to serve the community, we should keep our audience in mind when designing platforms and content. I am eager to move forward with more confidence in the skills I have developed through the business program, and to contribute to the bettering of my community!