Whether you work for a government agency or a private business, at some point you may be required to justify your contributions to a senior manager—or risk losing your job.
On the surface, this doesn’t seem like an unreasonable request. After all, everyone should be able to write a basic justification email explaining what they do and how their work contributes to the organization’s mission and goals. In fact, several CEOs at technology companies have utilized similar strategies in recent years.
But creating a persuasive argument can be tricky. What should the email include and not include? How can you select examples of your work that demonstrate the value you bring to the company? Here are some tips for composing a concise but effective email justifying your job.
Consider the Audience, Purpose and Context
Before you start writing, take a few moments to consider who will be reading your email, what they want to know and how they will respond to what you write.
Your content needs to address the organization’s current situation, whether that includes workforce restructuring, potential cuts to programs, or a change in the strategic roadmap, as well as the needs of your supervisors and managers, explained David Barnes, founder of Dbarnes431 Communications and a federal resume writer.
The audience isn’t just about who you are writing to—it’s also about when and why you are writing. Understanding these elements will help you make good choices about language, content and structure.
“Check with your direct manager,” suggested Carolyn Owens, executive and leadership coach. See if they can offer some guidance or insight into what the reader will be looking for and some sort of suggested format or template for organizing and presenting the information.
Barnes says executives will most likely be looking for answers to the following questions:
- What do you do?
- Why do we need you in this position?
- How does your role align with or support the organization’s mission?
- What do you have in terms of skills or knowledge that others do not?
- Why does your work warrant continued investment?
Use the Inverted Pyramid Structure
To help the reader quickly grasp the main idea, use an inverted pyramid structure, where you communicate essential facts like who you are, what you do and why your work matters at the beginning of your email, followed by supporting details or bullet points.
Think of your opening lines as a slightly expanded elevator pitch.
To create a clear and concise summary of about 50 to 200 words, start by carefully reviewing your position description (PD) if you work for the federal government, or your job description if you work in the private sector. Condense the information down into a few sentences that explain your role and key objectives, then tie your work back to the achievement of the organization’s mission and goals.
Here's an example:
“As an Infrastructure Operations Lead, I am responsible for maintaining operational security controls and supporting processes that protect mission-critical networks, systems and applications throughout the VA enterprise. By applying my certified skills, knowledge and over 10 years’ experience with our infrastructure, our teams have been successful in providing high quality solutions that increase access to care through virtual appointments, mobile scheduling and telehealth services.
My role on the team is critical because we save lives, improve the patient experience and help fulfill President Lincoln’s promise to care for those who have served in our nation’s military. In 2024, the VA delivered more than 127.5 million health care appointments, representing a six percent increase over last year’s record. Wait times decreased and VA healthcare out-performed non-VA care on independent reviews for patient satisfaction and care quality.”
Support Your Argument
After explaining who you are and how your work adds value, offer a short list of bullet points highlighting your most impactful and relevant actions, projects and achievements. In short, you want to justify or back up your claims with facts and examples.
The key message you want to get across through your data points is simple: “You need to retain me because I know this or I know how this works,” Barnes said. Differentiate yourself by highlighting skills and knowledge you have that others don’t.
If you haven’t been keeping a list of your activities and achievements, your performance review or appraisal should outline key expectations and performance goals that align with the department’s strategic plan or the organization’s objectives.
Much like writing the task, responsibility and accomplishment bullets for resumes and cover letters, start with an action verb, describe the task, project or activity and its purpose, and then quantify the outcome or result of your work using specific metrics and data points whenever possible.
If you are responding to a request to document things you accomplished during a short timeframe, such as the past week, always connect a smaller task along the lines of attending a meeting, creating a new process or reading a report to a broader, more significant objective or purpose Owens noted.
For instance, if you attended a meeting to gather requirements for a sprint, provide a brief explanation of what the team plans to achieve over the course of the sprint.
The key is to focus on how your position adds value, even if your role is primarily focused on support. The best way to justify your job is to prove that you have provided value in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
