http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers A listing of the most recently indexed works about Careers in the field of technical communication. en-us Copyright (c) 2005-08 by the EServer. All rights reserved. tclib-editorial@eserver.org (TC Library Editorial Board) webmaster@eserver.org (Geoffrey Sauer) http://tc.eserver.org/images/newlogo.gif http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers http://tc.eserver.org/35719.html http://tc.eserver.org/35719.html Most technical writers see outsourcing as a real threat. But, if you look at it from another angle, it’s one huge business opportunity. http://tc.eserver.org/35698.html http://tc.eserver.org/35698.html You probably know by now that LinkedIn is a powerful networking tool for personal branding and executive job search. In case you don’t, get busy immediately building your branded profile, connecting with people, expressing your executive brand, and leveraging LinkedIn to full advantage. But don’t make these 20 mistakes. http://tc.eserver.org/35630.html http://tc.eserver.org/35630.html Jane R. in Texas asks for some tips on interviewing tech writers, especially when using assessment tests. Her company is about to hire their first full-time writer and they have not done this before. I’ve worked on both sides on the fence in the past, (i.e. interviewed and been interviewed) and picked up a few tings in the process. Hopefully, these will be of some help. http://tc.eserver.org/35637.html http://tc.eserver.org/35637.html The last half century has seen enormous change impacting the way we work. The world is shrinking with advances in information technology playing a crucial role in facilitating the global expansion of organizations. International teams are now a common phenomenon with many large organizations structuring their workforce according to function rather than geography. Successful organizations do not hesitate to move their talents around the world to ensure that they have the right skills and knowledge in the right location when necessary. But what does it take to manage such a culturally diversified and geographically dispersed team? http://tc.eserver.org/35656.html http://tc.eserver.org/35656.html Not long after I went independent, a friend who works at a well-known global advertising agency asked if I would be interested in helping out on a high-profile Web site redesign project. I was pretty stoked. He suggested I come in to meet his team. After meeting with the lead developer and project manager, I was told they wanted to bring me on. All I had to do was to meet the creative director. “Can I see your portfolio?” I hadn’t brought one. “I can give you the URL,” I said. We weren’t near a computer. His glassy response: “I’m not sure what we have to discuss if I can’t see your work.” http://tc.eserver.org/35614.html http://tc.eserver.org/35614.html For about Five years I worked for AT&T as a full time Instructional Designer and my worked involved the creation of training videos for the employees at AT&T. I loved it. It was creative, challenging and not stressful at all. http://tc.eserver.org/35541.html http://tc.eserver.org/35541.html There are no rules or absolutes in finding a tech writer. For example, I look for the following when hiring a candidate. http://tc.eserver.org/35542.html http://tc.eserver.org/35542.html Nobody graduates from high school and says, I want to grow up and become a tech writer. http://tc.eserver.org/35516.html http://tc.eserver.org/35516.html Following up on his article in the September/October issue, Hart explores how to avoid “rats” in office politics and offers advice on combating coworkers who might not have your best interests in mind. http://tc.eserver.org/35521.html http://tc.eserver.org/35521.html Munger, Pennington, and Brooks offer suggestions and advice on how to best acclimate a new intern to your organization for best results for both the company and the intern. http://tc.eserver.org/35492.html http://tc.eserver.org/35492.html Is it really true that a freelancer shouldn’t bother with a business plan? There are thousands of freelancers, after all, who started taking on clients without even thinking about writing a business plan. Nobody seems to have suffered from that approach. However, there are a few steps along the way that are significantly easier when you have a business plan in hand. http://tc.eserver.org/35453.html http://tc.eserver.org/35453.html Drafting a contract that covers you, and doesn’t just enumerate information, is more than important: it is a must. Freelancers do not have the benefit of a legal department dedicated to protecting their interests with a watertight contract. Nevertheless, a freelancer’s contract must be comprehensive, concise and clear. It should outline the scope of the job, scheduling demands, the expectations of both parties and more. http://tc.eserver.org/35456.html http://tc.eserver.org/35456.html In business, being able to read people and quickly get a sense of who you’re dealing with is an invaluable skill. It turns your encounter with a client into an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the upcoming project and how it will need to be handled. It is one of the building blocks of a professional relationship. In today’s digital age, the arena has shifted to the Web, and the online office space that most freelancers inhabit limits personal interaction. Though sussing out a client’s personality via online communication is difficult, it still remains an invaluable tool in your arsenal. http://tc.eserver.org/35415.html http://tc.eserver.org/35415.html You are a high-tech/Bio-tech company and your first product is nearing release. The product requires documentation and you ask your self what are our options? Before deciding you should consider these factors. http://tc.eserver.org/35428.html http://tc.eserver.org/35428.html Some folks may find it impressive that you know the ins and out of UNIX and how your last open source coding project attracted media attention, but the majority do not. Especially when acronyms start spewing forth with articulated speed. Keep in mind that executives are employed to keep you employed and need to understand your ideas to communicate them to stakeholders and customers. One way to minimize 'tech' talk is to include the following words into each technical statement: We are using [technology/programming language] to enhance [a specific part] of our business. http://tc.eserver.org/35409.html http://tc.eserver.org/35409.html Observations about freelance technical writing in Israel. http://tc.eserver.org/35405.html http://tc.eserver.org/35405.html A bad client relationship is like a bad marriage without the benefits. To avoid such relationships, or to fix the one you're in, learn the five classic signs of trouble. Recognizing the never-ending contract revisionist, the giant project team, the vanishing boss and other warning signs can help you run successful, angst-free projects. http://tc.eserver.org/35408.html http://tc.eserver.org/35408.html Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work. Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function. http://tc.eserver.org/35353.html http://tc.eserver.org/35353.html Reports on an online survey of 158 technical communication teachers who were asked about their experiences with mentoring. Finds a divergence between the academic mentor's experiences in mentoring and previously reported research on the protégée's mentoring experiences. Argues that risks are inherent in mentoring and proposes a new model that acknowledges them. http://tc.eserver.org/35349.html http://tc.eserver.org/35349.html As demand rises for digital campaigns and branded apps, shops are scouring for creative technologists: a rare breed familiar with technology and conversant with new forms of media, but also able to translate that know-how into compelling digital-branding vehicles. http://tc.eserver.org/35326.html http://tc.eserver.org/35326.html Although getting a job is the focus of the podcast, I also talk about what technical writers do, how they approach a project, how they decide what to create, and how they generate ideas for tasks. Specifically, I talk about about a project people can work on at tech.lds.org. People can start writing help for the project here. http://tc.eserver.org/35328.html http://tc.eserver.org/35328.html I worked as a technical writer many years ago and then quit to take care of my kids. Now I'd like to get back into the field. How do I get my foot in the door when all employers require experience? http://tc.eserver.org/35296.html http://tc.eserver.org/35296.html Technical writers write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, online help documentation, operating directions and maintenance instructions. Rank: 28th best job in America. http://tc.eserver.org/35294.html http://tc.eserver.org/35294.html Article describes how to enter the professional writing field of grant writing. Includes information on skill and educational requirements, and obtaining training for this career. http://tc.eserver.org/35279.html http://tc.eserver.org/35279.html My concern for US writers is that they fail to grasp the momentum that counties like India have established and the high quality of university graduates they are now producing. In the next 10-15 years, IT jobs which can be replicated offshore/offsite to lower costs will be embraced more aggressively. US companies have little choice but to do this. http://tc.eserver.org/35250.html http://tc.eserver.org/35250.html The contemporary Library and Information Services (LIS) environment employs a multifaceted group of employees who are better educated and more expensive to recruit than in previous times. In order to maximize these talents and resources available, this modern setting requires managers — at all levels — who are versatile and fitted out with the right skills and knowledge to maintain group cohesion and to propel this dynamic environment to continuously move in unison with the society. This article identifies and discusses the required skills and knowledge of the contemporary manager. In doing so, the concepts of skill and knowledge are defined and their interrelationship is highlighted. http://tc.eserver.org/35223.html http://tc.eserver.org/35223.html Like most people who entered the technical communication profession in India in the mid to late 1990s, I too became a technical writer more by accident than by design. I enjoyed my technical writing career thoroughly, but slowly moved away, and a decade later, I now find myself heading the Quality Management function at a multi-national clinical research and technology company in India. The career paths of no two individuals are similar. And yet, there are always some common themes in successful transitions from one career path to another. http://tc.eserver.org/35156.html http://tc.eserver.org/35156.html Many people are mistaken by what a freelancer actually is and how they use their time. There are many myths that clients think about freelancers, freelance work, or becoming a freelancer. I have made a short list of freelance myths, and what the reality of the myth actually is. http://tc.eserver.org/35157.html http://tc.eserver.org/35157.html Christmas and the holiday season are often the time of the year where people spend the most amount of money. So if your outgoings overtake your freelance in-comings, then you may need to take a look at re-branding your business for the holiday season. Here is WebdesignDev’s short guide on how freelancers can make a bit of extra money on the side during the holiday season when times are tough on the wallet. http://tc.eserver.org/35133.html http://tc.eserver.org/35133.html In today's marketplace, a premium is placed on corporate image and business attire. The rationale is that appearance reflects on the employer. We tell students that first impressions, made within the first 60 seconds of meeting, are critical to their future success. As professors of management and marketing, we are routinely engaged in preparing students for professional occupations inclusive of an awareness that business attire is often reflective of a willingness to conform to workplace norms. We have known for quite some time that appearance can be indicative of conformity. Countless stories and lawsuits reveal lost career opportunities because employees failed to “look the part.” This reality is exemplified in the sitcom Ugly Betty, which provides weekly challenges encouraging us to consider the value of conformity as reflected by our appearance. Betty is an aspiring editor of a major fashion magazine. Raised in a blue-collar, working-class family, Betty does not conform to contemporary notions of style. Clothes in her world have a practical application that should not overshadow the individual's inner beauty. Betty functions with the utmost integrity in a world of competition and greed as her counterparts claw their way up the corporate ladder. Interestingly, they, unlike Betty, remain under the radar as their fashionable sense of style provides a veneer of honesty, fair play, and an unquestionable willingness to conform to the company dress code. http://tc.eserver.org/35134.html http://tc.eserver.org/35134.html Now that job security with one organization is a relic of the past and companies are outsourcing training and other 'nonessential' functions, I suggest in my career communication classes that students develop the same inventive strategies to plan their employ- ment futures that management consultants use to market themselves in the 21st century. The most important of these skills is networking: the use of person-to-person, print, and electronic communication tools to alert potential employers that, as candidates, they are the confident, cooperative, uniquely qualified experts that companies seek. http://tc.eserver.org/35136.html http://tc.eserver.org/35136.html Can job references play an active role in shaping your career plans? Would you consider your references as part of your personal and professional network? Although most professionals may respond with a resounding 'Yes, of course!' to these questions, I realized that many of my students were skeptical about job references. To counter this, and to help improve their chances in the job market, I designed a multistep assignment that expanded students' understanding of job references and required them to identify persons who were potential job references and members of their career network. This article provides the details for the assignment. http://tc.eserver.org/35137.html http://tc.eserver.org/35137.html This article briefly reports on my very preliminary attempt to explore consulting by business academics. I began with a simple question: What lessons might BC instructors draw from the consulting practices of business academics? I interviewed three professors at the business college of a large Midwestern university who also consult on the side: Erin Dawson (a pseudonym), an associate professor of marketing; Thomas Chacko, a professor of management; and Sri Nilakanta, an associate professor of management information systems (MIS). Additionally, I leafed through the marketing plan Erin had written for her client, a local boat manufacturer. Below, I briefly discuss my main preliminary findings. http://tc.eserver.org/35142.html http://tc.eserver.org/35142.html In this article, we describe ongoing research about the professional characteristics projected by formal versus casual workplace attire. We also describe our research about preferences for company norms and standards regarding typical workplace attire. http://tc.eserver.org/35148.html http://tc.eserver.org/35148.html If you’re a college student looking to become a technical writer after you graduate, you face a formidable challenge: you can’t get a job without experience, and you can’t get experience without a job. Especially in a competitive job market, getting a job as a technical writer directly after you graduate — without a foundation of previous jobs, experience with a handful of tools, and an impressive portfolio — can be especially difficult. However, if you follow these seven steps, which are not easy, not something you can do overnight, you will find a job. http://tc.eserver.org/35110.html http://tc.eserver.org/35110.html Most designers, for most of their education and careers, have been trained to think of themselves as problem solvers. True. But that doesn't mean we can't seek out the problems we want to solve too; there's no law that says that you have to be part of an organization to take on a cause you're passionate about. http://tc.eserver.org/35023.html http://tc.eserver.org/35023.html Putting Pedersen’s advice to practice, step one is to make a place for everything in our lives. Figure out where it belongs. Just as you can’t organize a house if you have no where to put things, you can’t organize your life if you have no way space for the activities. If something doesn’t fit, it’s time for a trip to the figurative Salvation Army (we call them Deseret Industries here). In other words, simplify. http://tc.eserver.org/34992.html http://tc.eserver.org/34992.html This article questions how professional communication genres already well established in print form have been changing as they are transplanted into digital media like the Web. Whereas some technology-oriented genre research has sought how a new medium provides genres with new technological features, this article argues that a more insightful approach would seek how a new medium, together with its users, provides genres with new rhetorical situations. To operationally define rhetorical situations, I adapt Lloyd Bitzer's three situational dimensions of exigence, audience, and constraints. Then, to illustrate how the new rhetorical situations of the Web can influence a genre, I explore the genre of the résumé. Drawing on a survey of 100 Web résumé authors and an analysis of their sites, I show that as each of the three dimensions of the résumé's traditional rhetorical situation has opened itself to greater diversity on the Web, the Web version of the résumé genre has correspondingly reoriented itself. Hence, genres change in response not just to the new medium's technology per se but to the new rhetorical situations that the medium hosts. http://tc.eserver.org/34980.html http://tc.eserver.org/34980.html Social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are transforming the job search process, enabling more and more people to connect with potential employers, promote their own skills, set up support groups and search for job leads and contacts. http://tc.eserver.org/34976.html http://tc.eserver.org/34976.html Skills. For the technical communicator, skills should go beyond the tools and techniques of the trade. This blog post looks at four skills that will be of use to any technical communicator. http://tc.eserver.org/34977.html http://tc.eserver.org/34977.html For the freelance writer on the go, there are some items that are essential for what they're doing. This post looks at the gear that one writer uses when working away from the home office. http://tc.eserver.org/34862.html http://tc.eserver.org/34862.html Once you take an interest in technical communication and documentation you’ll quickly discover that’s it’s an “endless country,” really. There is so much to learn and track since both the market and the technology changes constantly. But this does not mean that you can learn things randomly and become a successful technical communicator. Actually there’s a better way that I call the “Learning Pyramid” which requires you establish a wide base of learning first and keep on building the upper layers on top of such a strong foundation. Each layer of this pyramid supports the more specialized layer established on top it. http://tc.eserver.org/34812.html http://tc.eserver.org/34812.html Years of experience with far-flung organizations have taught me more about the limits of telecommuting than about its advantages. I firmly believe that you should expect employees to show up for work, whenever possible, no matter what kind of company. The reasons for this have nothing to do with checking that people are actually working. It's about efficient communications, building company culture and camaraderie, and sharing the daily bits of work and personal experiences that create a shared sense of purpose. http://tc.eserver.org/34813.html http://tc.eserver.org/34813.html In the year 2007, higher-ups and bigwigs in Corporate America still believe that telecommuting is not a good activity for their workers' long-term career plans. Trends@Work data revealed that 61 percent of surveyed execs believe that telecommuters are less likely to advance in their careers when compared with employees who work in the traditional office setting. That's almost two-thirds of the 1,320 respondents. http://tc.eserver.org/34814.html http://tc.eserver.org/34814.html Sure, telecommuting is great. Until you realize you've got nothing but moldy cheese in the refrigerator for lunch, you're way out of the gossip loop and you never get the Friday afternoon back-slaps. http://tc.eserver.org/34815.html http://tc.eserver.org/34815.html To date, business communication scholars and textbook writers have encouraged résumé rhetoric that accommodates technology, for example, recommending keyword-enhancing techniques to attract the attention of searchbots: customized search engines that allow companies to automatically scan résumés for relevant keywords. However, few scholars have discussed the ethical implications of adjusting résumé keywords for the sole purpose of increasing searchbot hits. As the résumé genre has evolved over the past century, strategies of résumé “padding” have likewise evolved, at each stage violating one of four maxims of the Cooperative Principle. Direct factual misrepresentation violates the maxim of quality and is of course discouraged, but résumé writers have turned in succession to violations of manner (formatting tricks) and then more recently to violations of quantity and/or relevance with deceptive keywording techniques. The authors conclude by suggesting several techniques to business communication instructors that may encourage students to create more ethically sound résumés. http://tc.eserver.org/34818.html http://tc.eserver.org/34818.html Employers have legitimate business interests in monitoring workplace Internet use: to minimize legal exposure, to increase productivity, and to avoid proprietary information loss. Since employees arguably have no expectation of privacy in their work on employers' computers, there are few grounds for complaint if they are disciplined for straying from corporate policy on such use. In this heavily scrutinized work environment, it is no small wonder that employees crave a place to unwind and play “electronically” after hours. In unprecedented numbers, America's workers are visiting online social networking sites (OSNs) and posting tidbits that might not be considered job-appropriate by their employer. Here, many postulate they do have an expectation of and indeed a right to privacy, especially in arenas used to express personal freedoms and exercise individualism that has no bearing on their workplace. http://tc.eserver.org/34820.html http://tc.eserver.org/34820.html Employment recruiters often maintain that business-oriented social networking Web sites offer a fertile source of information concerning “passive” jobseekers. These individuals, according to placement specialists, are persons who are currently employed and not seeking a career change. Many human resources professionals maintain that passive jobseekers are especially desirable because they represent an untapped pool of potential candidates who are not already associated with placement agencies or other recruiting professionals. Also, many passive candidates are considered to be especially stable employees. Although special effort may be required to convince the passive jobseeker to seek employment elsewhere, this effort is worthwhile because of the quality of the individual and the ultimate payoff to the recruiter who successfully places the candidate . The managers of business-oriented social networking sites do not dispute the notion that their services are oriented toward passive jobseekers. Indeed, some of these sites, such as LinkedIn and Power Search, explicitly promote their networks as providing vast databases of passive candidates accessible to recruiters. However, the assumption that members of business-oriented social networking Web sites are passive jobseekers has never been validated. The purpose of this study is to examine the accuracy of this assumption. http://tc.eserver.org/34830.html http://tc.eserver.org/34830.html This article reports the results of a survey of employers' preferences for résumé style, résumé delivery method, and cover letters. Employers still widely prefer the standard chronological résumé, with only 3% desiring a scannable résumé. The vast majority of employers prefer electronic delivery, either by email (46%) or at the company's Web site (38%), with only 7% preferring a paper copy. Cover letters are preferred by a majority (56%). Preferences regarding résumé style and cover letters were independent of national (USA) vs. multinational geographic range, company size, type of industry, or respondent's job function. Smaller companies prefer résumé delivery by email, and human resources workers prefer delivery using the company's Web site. http://tc.eserver.org/34837.html http://tc.eserver.org/34837.html Much of the theory guiding career development research is grounded in studies of men's careers in professional positions. In addition to largely ignoring the career experiences of women, the career literature pays little attention to overcoming barriers to career advancement in organizations—a challenge many women and men both face over the course of their career development. Using survey data, analyses of in-depth interviews, and a focus group discussion with female executives in the high-tech industry, this study finds variations of three responses: exit, voice, and rationalizing to remain are used by women in response to career barriers. These responses form the foundation of a career barrier sensemaking and response framework presented in the study. Findings indicate that perceived organizational sanctioning of career barriers and the organization's commitment to the career advancement of other women also influence participants' responses to barriers and their strategies for sensemaking, respectively. http://tc.eserver.org/34847.html http://tc.eserver.org/34847.html Work—life research tends to privilege the organization—employee relationship, with the family's role largely relegated to providing emotional and material support to the employee and adapting to organizational requirements. Systems oriented research, however, points toward a larger role for the family, including mediating the employee's relationship with the organization as well as direct organizational interactions. This study uses Weick's model of organizational sensemaking to examine, through the analysis of employee and family interview accounts, how a global high-tech organization and its employees' families enact one another as environments. Three dynamics of mutual enactments— two cooperative and one competitive—were identified, along with implications for work—life integration research and practice, for more traditionally programmatic work—life accommodations, and for families' management of their relationships to employing organizations. http://tc.eserver.org/34786.html http://tc.eserver.org/34786.html It’s not easy to estimate how long a copy writing job will take due to the many factors involved in the estimation. http://tc.eserver.org/34771.html http://tc.eserver.org/34771.html People are unabashed about asking for web advice and help related to blogs, social media, networking and other web work because they don’t regard it as a specialized service the way they do with medical and legal expertise. I’m not saying giving away freebies is always a definite no-no, but I do think that as web workers we need to start reinforcing the value of our work by drawing a line between friendly advice and working for free. Here’s how I’m trying to create that demarcation. http://tc.eserver.org/34734.html http://tc.eserver.org/34734.html Professionalism is a word embraced by many, but in all honesty demonstrated by far fewer individuals. Its Latin’s origins come from the word profess which means, “to avow before.” So the question is who are these individuals that believe themselves to be true professionals avowing before? Possibly the answer may be found within the word professional. http://tc.eserver.org/34708.html http://tc.eserver.org/34708.html Have you figured out where you want your writing income to come from? Fiction or non fiction? Long or short pieces? What is your area of expertise or are you a generalist? There are two schools of thought when it comes to specializing or generalizing. Proponents have strong opinions on both sides. http://tc.eserver.org/34697.html http://tc.eserver.org/34697.html A reluctance to learn new skills holds you back and complaining about potential employers raising the bar hurts us all. http://tc.eserver.org/34698.html http://tc.eserver.org/34698.html It’s often useful to look at the economic and technological pressures in other industries, to see if the trends emerging there are relevant to the technical communications/publications sector. In recent Blogs, we’ve covered the issues emerging in education, but the telecommunications industry might also provide some useful insights. http://tc.eserver.org/34683.html http://tc.eserver.org/34683.html Technical writing is sort of a jack-of-all-trades profession. It requires diverse skills, so a lot of people stumble into technical writing by chance. I've personally met technical writers who used to be lawyers, educators, and published fiction writers, and I've heard stories of many other professionals drifting into the field. Their past careers required writing, teaching, or technical abilities, and these skills helped them segue into a technical writing job. http://tc.eserver.org/34670.html http://tc.eserver.org/34670.html Most people change jobs more than they change mates. But no matter how many times you do it, looking for a new position can be tricky. http://tc.eserver.org/34547.html http://tc.eserver.org/34547.html It's easy enough to fall into the trap of identifying yourself with what you do for a living. This blog post looks at why you shouldn't do that. http://tc.eserver.org/34553.html http://tc.eserver.org/34553.html A list of hiring opportunities in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas. http://tc.eserver.org/34488.html http://tc.eserver.org/34488.html It's time for the 4-day work week--at least for the next year. Businesses save 20% on their payroll, keep their talent, and workers keep their jobs. What's not to like? http://tc.eserver.org/34434.html http://tc.eserver.org/34434.html A technical writer is a professional writer who designs, writes, creates, maintains and updates technical documentation including online help, user guidance, white papers, design specifications, system manuals and other documents. A technical writer should possess good research techniques, good sound of language and excellent writing skills. Apart from this one needs to have the following five skills. http://tc.eserver.org/34440.html http://tc.eserver.org/34440.html This article examines the need for continuous learning and the challenges that working professionals must overcome to invest in learning. It also explores how experience makes us better learners, and analyzes the relative effectiveness of various learning techniques. http://tc.eserver.org/34431.html http://tc.eserver.org/34431.html This short guide gathers a collection of questions evaluators can ask about a project, a check list of what to look for in a project, and some ideas about how to find experts for evaluators who are assessing digital work for promotion and tenure. http://tc.eserver.org/34386.html http://tc.eserver.org/34386.html When seeking freelance copywriters, many buyers specify that their only interest is in writers who speak English as a native language. Frequently buyers will request writers from a particular country such as the USA, the UK, Canada or Australia. This overlooks the fact that English is spoken as a first or second language in many countries. In fact, except for Mandarin Chinese, English is the most spoken language in the world. http://tc.eserver.org/34387.html http://tc.eserver.org/34387.html The most effective and powerful resumes provide analytical, precise detail about your background and achievements. In fact, resume writing has a strong correlation to technical writing in that both styles demand extreme precision. In fact, most readers of your resume will assume that what you show on paper correlates strongly to what you can do for your next employer. http://tc.eserver.org/34372.html http://tc.eserver.org/34372.html When a company adds or removes a job from their site, we update ours — automatically. All jobs are collected directly from company websites, not 'pay-for' job boards. http://tc.eserver.org/34345.html http://tc.eserver.org/34345.html Potsus provides twelve tips on how to maintain your mental, spiritual, professional, and physical health in order to ensure you grow and flourish in your career, instead of wither away. http://tc.eserver.org/34346.html http://tc.eserver.org/34346.html Cooper discusses her unique approach to career planning and longevity: essentially, do what you enjoy doing and find people and companies that interest you. http://tc.eserver.org/34347.html http://tc.eserver.org/34347.html Set aside your job title and current responsibilities when considering a related career field to move into. Ost uses charts and matrices to illustrate how thinking about skills, interests, duties, and other aspects of your professional life can open up a world of opportunities. http://tc.eserver.org/34348.html http://tc.eserver.org/34348.html Looking for a way to demonstrate your value to management? Pao’s advice is to become as involved in your organization as possible by volunteering for assignments and being proactive in project planning. http://tc.eserver.org/34349.html http://tc.eserver.org/34349.html Thomas asked the Technical Editing SIG listserve what they would expect from a technical editing new hire. Their answers show that expectations extend well beyond proper grammar knowledge and good spelling skills. http://tc.eserver.org/34353.html http://tc.eserver.org/34353.html “Telescoping,” or extending and adding to the range of services you provide, is one way to survive this recession, according to Frick. http://tc.eserver.org/34366.html http://tc.eserver.org/34366.html Zur Einschränkung der Liste auf für Sie interessante Positionen nutzen Sie bitte die Suchfunktion. Für Details zum Stellenangebot klicken Sie bitte auf die Stellenbezeichnung. http://tc.eserver.org/34338.html http://tc.eserver.org/34338.html Lost your technical communicator job? Wondering what to do? Wondering where to go? Here are some key actions to take when you find out you don't have a job to return to the next day. http://tc.eserver.org/34341.html http://tc.eserver.org/34341.html Here are some suggestions to make better use of LinkedIn so that your professional network works for you. http://tc.eserver.org/34296.html http://tc.eserver.org/34296.html Ryan Dougherty made a video résumé and decided whenever he applied for a job online that he would upload a cover letter with a link to the video instead of a standard resume. Bingo! Not only did employers start calling, but he ended up landing a job as budget manager and assistant to the dean of the University of San Francisco’s nursing school in March. He believes the video resume set him apart. http://tc.eserver.org/34301.html http://tc.eserver.org/34301.html Most of management theory is inane, writes our correspondent, the founder of a consulting firm. If you want to succeed in business, don’t get an M.B.A. Study philosophy instead. http://tc.eserver.org/34303.html http://tc.eserver.org/34303.html Whether you are a web designer or a copy writer, if you’re going to freelance, you need to learn how to look your best on a job application. Having worked on both sides of job applications, I’ve seen enough to recognize what gets a person through to the interview and what gets their applications tossed. http://tc.eserver.org/34306.html http://tc.eserver.org/34306.html The immediate challenge for smaller web design companies is how to attract new business and keep old clients in a downturn economy. Customers are falling off of maintenance contracts and smaller businesses may not be looking to start a website right away. Enterprise level clients are becoming more price-conscious. What can we do to make sure our collective heads stay above water in this tough climate? http://tc.eserver.org/34311.html http://tc.eserver.org/34311.html Efficiency and organization are critical for freelance web designers. Managing finances and tracking down payments is not what drew most freelancers into this line of work. Fortunately, while handling finances is a necessary part of the business of freelancing, there are many tools and resources to that can help to simplify things. These tools can be critical to keeping your business running smoothly and efficiently. In this post we’ll look at 15 online tools and services that can offer freelancers some help in the area of finances and billing. Most of these tools are paid, but limited free plans or free trials are available in most cases. http://tc.eserver.org/34314.html http://tc.eserver.org/34314.html In portfolio web pages, especially in the field of design, one of the first things that you will notice is an introductory text consisting of a few words about the company or the designer behind the site. This can be extremely useful for readers, as it provides quick and direct information about the designer, or the company behind the site. These introductions are generally highlighted by the use of large text, positioned at the top of the site, and always catch the visitor’s eye. They give a more personal feeling to the site and tend to replace the traditional taglines under a logo for example. In this article, we list 50 examples of excellent web page introductions used in portfolio websites that you can use as inspiration for your own designs. http://tc.eserver.org/34318.html http://tc.eserver.org/34318.html When you’re working with clients remotely it can sometimes be difficult to keep everyone happy and your project on track. Without the benefit of face-to-face meetings, it’s easy for a client to feel neglected or out of the loop. The key to successful remote work relationships is frequent and honest communication and trust between both parties. The tips below will help improve your everyday interactions with clients, no matter how far away they may be. http://tc.eserver.org/34319.html http://tc.eserver.org/34319.html Collaborating with clients you never meet face-to-face has become normal for most web workers. Ours is an industry where working remotely poses very few real obstacles — nearly every part of the web design process can be done from the comfort of a home office or coffee shop. We’re lucky to have this flexibility, especially in tough economic times when a swanky office doesn’t fit in the business budget. Even if you do have an office, chances are you will land a few clients who aren’t located around the block. But you quickly discover that working remotely has its downsides. Without face-to-face interaction it’s easy for major communication issues to develop… often without you knowing until it’s too late. Avoid a major meltdown with these simple tips. http://tc.eserver.org/34282.html http://tc.eserver.org/34282.html The current economic downturn seems to have impacted almost every industry within the United States and many abroad. It has already had a direct impact on the employment status of an increasing number of individuals, including technical communicators. STC will assist with an economic recovery plan for those technical communicators who have already been laid off or expect to be soon. These only work for Internet Explorer users on Microsoft Windows computers. http://tc.eserver.org/34250.html http://tc.eserver.org/34250.html Almost everyone should forget about making money directly from blogging. It's so unlikely that it's a total waste of your time trying. I am actually shocked at how ubiquitous the idea is that blogging is a get-rich-quick scheme. Or even a get-rich-slowly scheme. It's not. Blogging is a great career tool for creating opportunities for yourself. But here are eight reasons you should stop thinking about money from blogging. http://tc.eserver.org/34251.html http://tc.eserver.org/34251.html What I think my life is about is figuring out how to find success at the intersection of work and life—one happy, synchronized adventure. It's a difficult task, and I don't want to do it alone. So my blog is a community where we all do it together. http://tc.eserver.org/34249.html http://tc.eserver.org/34249.html A job board managed by Web Designer Wall where creative professionals come to find job opportunities. When you post your job here, it will be instantly featured on Web Designer Wall and our network sites where designers will see it. http://tc.eserver.org/34224.html http://tc.eserver.org/34224.html What is it that certain people say or do during a job interview that makes them stand out? Why do some people struggle to find work, while others land a job in no time? http://tc.eserver.org/34215.html http://tc.eserver.org/34215.html If you avoid these all-too-common mistakes that can be found in résumés for all kinds of IT positions, you'll boost your chance of landing the job. http://tc.eserver.org/34217.html http://tc.eserver.org/34217.html Much of today's news is bad, so much of it can adversely affect your career, and so much of it is maddeningly beyond your control. But there are things you can control, starting with your own behavior. Now more than ever, it's essential to ensure that idiosyncrasies and personal peccadillos don't undermine your career. Here are five cautionary tales of real CIOs whose tragic flaws did them in. http://tc.eserver.org/34199.html http://tc.eserver.org/34199.html Provides a framework of experiences and skills employers call for in job postings. Shows that potential employers are seeking very technical or domain-specific knowledge from technical writers. Shows that specific technology tool skills are less important to employers than more basic technical writing skills. http://tc.eserver.org/34157.html http://tc.eserver.org/34157.html This article offers tips on breaking into the field of freelance writing—some from Alice Osborn herself, some from two of the books she recommends: "Secrets of a Freelance Writer" by Robert W. Bly; and "The Renegade Writer" by Linda Formichelli and Diana Burrell. http://tc.eserver.org/34158.html http://tc.eserver.org/34158.html If we, the people who make websites, want the world to know who we are and what we do, it’s up to each of us to stand up and represent. Last year, 30,055 of you did just that, taking time out of your busy day to answer the sometimes detailed and often thought-provoking questions in the second A List Apart Survey. This year’s findings paint a clearer picture of the distinctions between full-time and freelance web professionals: how you work, what you earn, and what you love about the job. Interestingly, too, despite the brutality of a global recession that was already in full swing (like an axe) when we offered the survey, most respondents revealed a surprisingly high level of job security, satisfaction, and confidence in the future. http://tc.eserver.org/34134.html http://tc.eserver.org/34134.html Savita Taylor talks about her journey from textile engineering to technical communication and beyond. http://tc.eserver.org/34115.html http://tc.eserver.org/34115.html So you’ve labored with sweat and tears writing your résumé, and now you’re all set to turn it into a magnificently designed creation. Unfortunately, with the freedom of modern computers and fancy software, comes huge opportunities for abuse. When it comes to résumés, both non-designers and professional designers commit some almost unforgivable sins. Here are the 7 deadly sins of résumé design and how to repent. http://tc.eserver.org/34103.html http://tc.eserver.org/34103.html Part of the promise of working independently is to able to live and work where ever you choose. Getting away from the big city sounds great, but can you really work remotely from a small town? Can the technology support it? http://tc.eserver.org/34092.html http://tc.eserver.org/34092.html A lot of cliches apply to freelancers — wearing many hats, fingers in many pies, juggling multiple tasks. In order to do everything that you need to do, you need the right tools. Aside from the usual suspects — productivity and publishing software, Web sites, and blogs — there are a number of essential tools that all freelancers should have at their disposal. http://tc.eserver.org/34082.html http://tc.eserver.org/34082.html I’ve been fascinated by businesses popping up around major metropolitan areas that create a shared workspace for independent workers. Imran Ali wrote about the trend of co-working spaces back in April, and I’ll be exploring the trend further as I look to set up a co-working space in my town. http://tc.eserver.org/34083.html http://tc.eserver.org/34083.html It’s interesting to see coworking snowballing as a phenomenon, but like many trends originating in dotcom culture, what’ll be most interesting is how these shifts begin to affect larger companies and more traditional employers. http://tc.eserver.org/34084.html http://tc.eserver.org/34084.html Recently a member of the global coworking mailing list, Joseph Holsten) recently created what’s essentially a recipe book of ‘how to’ guides for those seeking to setup a coworking community, coworking space or simply better operate the communities and spaces they’re already running. http://tc.eserver.org/34085.html http://tc.eserver.org/34085.html An exploration of the downsides to telecommuting and coworking, focusing on the experiences of a coworking community founder. http://tc.eserver.org/34086.html http://tc.eserver.org/34086.html An interesting discussion on the potential of providing childcare facilities to coworkers – with the coworkers themselves dedicating a portion of their time to caring for the children of other community members. http://tc.eserver.org/34087.html http://tc.eserver.org/34087.html This post speculates on the potential to revitalize decaying and vacant urban centers with new creative areas, by replacing discount stores, vacant properties and unused public libraries with coworking facilities. http://tc.eserver.org/34088.html http://tc.eserver.org/34088.html A look at the underlying value structure of coworking communities, how they’re evolving in different countries, and the issues existing coworking communities face as they outgrow the space available. http://tc.eserver.org/34078.html http://tc.eserver.org/34078.html The first step in developing as a business analyst is to understand the competency required of a business analyst in your organization. This should include an assessment both the current and the future competencies required. The HR department provides an outline definition of the competencies required of the business analyst in the organization. Future competencies are more difficult to assess and depends on the factors such as projects that may develop in future, business issues and technological developments. http://tc.eserver.org/34066.html http://tc.eserver.org/34066.html Is taking on a side project or three actually worth the time and money? It depends. http://tc.eserver.org/34069.html http://tc.eserver.org/34069.html Is it possible for a technical writer to switch niches and write something different? Here's an example of one person who's done just that. http://tc.eserver.org/34046.html http://tc.eserver.org/34046.html Using a self-designation with a certain amount of specificity sacrifices practicality to accuracy. Individuals who have been hired as a single-function specialist may have the luxury of presenting as a “usability engineer” or “information architect”. For the independent consultant, this strategy can have definite negative consequences. http://tc.eserver.org/34054.html http://tc.eserver.org/34054.html What Qualities Do We Look For? Enthusiasm for writing -willingness to go the extra mile. Ability to gather, synthesize and critically analyze large amounts of data. Express ideas succinctly –not “academic” documents. http://tc.eserver.org/34055.html http://tc.eserver.org/34055.html The most important skills or previous experience in securing present job: medical/scientific knowledge/understanding; writing skills/experience; ability to meet deadlines. http://tc.eserver.org/34057.html http://tc.eserver.org/34057.html The term "medical writing" encompasses different kinds of work for clients in media, government, and industry. Pharmaceutical companies, medical-device manufacturers, and clinical-research organizations (CROs) all employ writers to prepare regulatory documents used to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for drugs and devices. Medical writers help doctors write research articles, monographs, and reviews on medical topics. Continuing medical education (CME) companies employ medical writers to produce educational materials and slide kits that doctors and nurses use to prepare for license renewals. Medical writers produce sales training materials, press releases for industry, and fact sheets or Web site materials for government organizations. Medical writers also write about research discoveries for medical journals, Web sites, newsletters, magazines, newspapers, and any other medium that includes coverage of health and medical issues. http://tc.eserver.org/34030.html http://tc.eserver.org/34030.html Most hiring managers, and I am no exception, take a couple of passes when reviewing résumés. The first pass eliminates people who are clearly not what I am looking for. I try to answer two questions: first, are this person’s qualifications even in the ballpark for the job, and second, can he or she write at least well enough to create a competent résumé? Answering the first of these questions is not hard, but it does require that you understand the job requirements thoroughly and read the résumé closely. http://tc.eserver.org/34031.html http://tc.eserver.org/34031.html Medical writing is a career that is often not predetermined but decided upon en route. Medical writers are well-rounded in terms of having both communicative and scientific knowledge, and this also means that a wide range of academic backgrounds and job experiences are welcome in the field. Medical writing allows for acquisition of various necessary skills through whichever means most suits the individual. http://tc.eserver.org/34033.html http://tc.eserver.org/34033.html Information about average technical writer salaries in the United States. http://tc.eserver.org/34035.html http://tc.eserver.org/34035.html You might perhaps be considering whether to become a technical writer or not. You might be wondering: “What kind of a job technical writing is exactly and what does the future hold?” I can tell you right away that, at its most fundamental level, technical writing is safe and comfortable office work. http://tc.eserver.org/33970.html http://tc.eserver.org/33970.html If you are offered career transition support as part of your severance, do yourself a favour and opt out of the collective program, but find out how much has been set aside for the outplacement program. Then, ask your HR department to hold those funds for you until you can find an independent career consultant to work with, on an individual, tailored-to-your-needs, custom program. Independent career consultants like myself can work with you for a much longer period of time for the same budget the company is prepared to allocate to the big firm. When you find your independent, personal career consultant or coach, they can invoice your former company, and your ex-employer’s conscience can rest easy. And you can then arrange with your personal career coach when you want to start and how fast you want to go. At your convenience, not theirs. http://tc.eserver.org/33972.html http://tc.eserver.org/33972.html Also known as ’The Wizard of Oz Syndrome‘ - this management style is similar to Management by Avoidance, except the ‘thing’ being avoided is corrective or disciplinary actions - or any kind of confrontation with staff, basically. The main theme is: get someone else to deliver the (unpleasant) message, whether it be about cost reductions, getting a slipping schedule back on track, or a lay-off, or resolving a simmering conflict. Why? When the Boss has a strong need to be liked - or feared - (rather than respected), the risk of any direct confrontation is that people might get upset and react emotionally. Especially for hyper-rational “geek” bosses - originally (software) engineers or accounting types - the messy gray area of human interaction is a scary place. http://tc.eserver.org/33943.html http://tc.eserver.org/33943.html The worsening economy will adversely affect our industry, at least in the short term. However, our skills and products are suited to ride out hard economic times. Marketers can easily measure return on investment for electronic media. Likewise a web address—such as an online shop—provides a wider audience and lower overhead than a street address, and could therefore be a better investment. So how do you ensure your company isn’t a wallflower? Keeping your dance card full is about making a truly positive contribution. Here are seven steps to help get you into the rhythm. http://tc.eserver.org/33918.html http://tc.eserver.org/33918.html The France Chapter Job Bank has been providing a link between employers and technical communication professionals since 1992. The success of the Job Bank is made possible by employers submitting job announcements whenever they’re available. http://tc.eserver.org/33919.html http://tc.eserver.org/33919.html The STC France Chapter has conducted several salary surveys among its members and non-members living and working in France. The most recent STC France salary survey was conducted in 2006. While these surveys cannot be considered statistically representative of the technical communication job market in France, they may be useful in exploring the value of experience, responsibilities, and skills and their influence on pay scales across the industry. http://tc.eserver.org/33916.html http://tc.eserver.org/33916.html Members of Generation X are now at the midpoint of their careers and are increasingly being placed in management and supervisory positions. Xers are realizing that today's newly hired employees are no longer members of their generation but of a different and younger generation. This new generation of employees entering the workforce has been given such labels as Generation Next, Generation Y, Echo Boomers, and Digital Natives. Members of Generation X who not long ago were shaking their heads at the attitudes and viewpoints of the older employees are now finding their own perspectives being questioned by a new and younger generation, Generation Next. Nexters and Xers, like previous generations before them, are finding at times difficulty to work side by side because their experiences, goals, and expectations differ. http://tc.eserver.org/33889.html http://tc.eserver.org/33889.html Social networking once meant going to a social function such as a cocktail party, conference, or business luncheon. Today, much social networking is achieved through Web sites such as MySpace, FaceBook, or LinkedIn. Many individuals use these sites to meet new friends, make connections, and upload personal infor- mation. On social networking Web sites (SNWs) that focus more on business connections, such as LinkedIn, individuals upload job qualifi- cations and application information. These SNWs are now being used as reference checks by human resource (HR) personnel. For this reason, SNW users, particularly university students and other soon-to-be job applicants, should ask the following questions: Am I loading information that I want the world to see? Is this really a picture that shows me in the best light? What impression would another person have of me if he or she went through my site? Although SNWs are a great way to be connected with friends, family, and friends-to-be, they can present problems when potential employers begin to search through them for information concerning job applicants. Many potential employees would be mortified to learn that employers could potentially read the personal information posted on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, or other SNWs. Searches on SNWs allow employers to look into what is done 'after hours,' socially or privately, by the applicant. A résumé may be just a snapshot of a job applicant, while other personal information may be found online. Many job applicants have learned the hard way that what they post may come back to haunt them (Rodriquez, 2006). Human Resources and SNWs Many companies that recruit on college campuses look up applicants on MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, and other SNWs. What they find on these sites presents a dilemma for the recruiters. Students post comments that they may think are private but can be read by many. These posts can be provocative comments on any subject from drinking to recreational drugs to sexual exploits. Although they may seem innocent enough to the students who have posted them, college recruiters or graduate admission officers may look at these postings as immature and unprofessional. Recruiters are warning universities' career resource centers that they are looking at SNWs and that it would be best to work with students about how they are presenting themselves on these sites. The lifestyle the students are presenting online may not be what corporate recruiters or graduate school admission officers want in potential applicants. http://tc.eserver.org/33879.html http://tc.eserver.org/33879.html Within hours of Tweeting “Who do I have to schmooze to get a job in this joint?” Chelsea Winkel received three direct messages, a much better (and as it would turn out, more substantial) turnout than anything else she’d tried so far. The key to making Twitter work for you is being proactive. http://tc.eserver.org/33875.html http://tc.eserver.org/33875.html If we don’t learn, we wither. New trends, new tools and technologies, new techniques. Even just new skills for the job. Continuous education is a key to longevity in the world of technical communication. As a freelancer, though, getting educated can be a bit of a problem. While many full-time employees have access to at least some job-specific training paid for by their employers, freelancers must shoulder the costs themselves. And training isn’t always cheap. So, how do freelancers stay current and stay sharp? Here are a few suggestions. http://tc.eserver.org/33848.html http://tc.eserver.org/33848.html After you have narrowed the pool of applicants down to those with the skills, experience, and knowledge to do the job, ask each candidate one question: What do you do in your spare time? http://tc.eserver.org/33810.html http://tc.eserver.org/33810.html So, you’re seriously considering making the jump into the world of freelance technical writing. It’s a big step, and one there’s a lot more to it than just giving up your day job and hanging out a shingle. This post details a number of things that are important to consider before making the jump.