Here’s a sample of my work:
Business Writing
Predictable Shift Laws Spread to More Cities, States
My story for Workforce Magazine is the most comprehensive analysis to date of laws passed in San Francisco, New York City, Seattle and elsewhere that give mainly low-wage workers more reliable schedules.
Feds Say Truckers Over-Counted, Autonomous Tech Threat Overstated
In this Trucks.com story, I broke news of a government report that found a widely accepted industry estimate of U. S. heavy and tractor-trailer truck driver jobs could be over-stated by as much as 40 percent.
Ghostwriting
All In: Why the Best Leaders Involve Key Stakeholders in Strategy Development
I wrote this whitepaper for Coraggio Group, a Portland-based strategic planning firm that works with clients in various public and private sectors, including Travel Oregon, Portland State University, Adidas. To write the report and related case studies, I did extensive background research and interviewed principles and clients.
I was one of two writers on a team at The Boston Consulting Group that produced a multi-part report on willingness to move abroad for work. I wrote 6 country-specific articles in the series, including a UK report that got 200 media mentions. Work included analyzing data from a 366,000-person global survey, follow-up interviews, writing, and helping compile data for charts.
I provided editorial assistance for this 2018 book on building a workplace that supports all employees at all levels, from the consulting firm behind the annual Fortune Best Companies to Work For lists. I ghostwrote Chapter 7, Leading to a Great Place to Work for All, outlining key leadership behaviors and what managers have to do if they want to be for-all leaders.
Editing
Out of the Comfort Zone: How women and men size up stretch assignments and why leaders should care
I edited this research report on stretch opportunities for Be Leaderly, a two-person consulting firm that helps Fortune 500 companies promote more women into management. I reorganized the structure, interpreted research results to make sure data was presented accurately, did line edits of the rough draft, and edited charts and graphs.
Boomtown: Think Like a Startup
I edited this American Express Open multimedia series on lessons that small businesses can learn from startup incubators and accelerators. I helped the Open coms team coordinate freelance writers and photographers for the project; assigned and edited copy and made sure the photographers’ work matched the text. I also ghostwrote blog posts that appeared in the series under incubator experts’ bylines.
Find other recent work on the following portfolio sites:
Michelle Rafter LinkedIn profile
Michelle Rafter portfolio on Contently
Additional samples, including .pdfs of other ghostwriting, editing and content strategy work, are available upon request.