Living with Terror: Empowering Ourselves in a Time of Stress

Advice about managing stress in the workplace.

Ziff, Joel D. Usability Professionals Association (2002). Careers>Workplace>Usability

LOA 101: Intro to Letters of Agreement  

Answers some common questions about Letters of Agreement, documents used by independent contractors to define the specifics of particular projects.

Frick, Elizabeth A. 'Betsy'. Intercom (2002). Careers>Freelance>Contracts

Location, Location, Location—Not!

One of the traditional signs of corporate success has been the corner office. Yet today some of the most successful communication executives don't have an office at all. They work from home, the airport, a visitor’s cubicle at headquarters, the back of a cab, a corner Starbucks or a beachfront cottage. If you’re setting up a corporate communication department today, it’s time to think outside the box—or the cubicle—when it comes to locating yourself and your coworkers.

Whitworth, Brad. Communication World Bulletin (2008). Careers>Workplace>Collaboration

The Lone Writer  

A discussion of the issues for a lone technical writer employed in an organization.

Alroy, Faye. Intercom (2003). Careers>TC

A Look at the Next Generation of Measurement

In boom times, companies can be pressured into spending lavishly to please their employees, providing a variety of perks in the belief that happy employees are productive employees. While this may be true, when leaner times come and businesses struggle to grow, the goal of employee satisfaction is put under greater scrutiny. Today, investments in employee-related plans and programmes must do more than satisfy employees. They must be able to provide a measurable return on investment.

Fralicx, Rod. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Careers>Management>Financial

Look Outside Conventional Techniques to Manage 'Geeks'  

Traditional approaches to management won't work with knowledge workers, who are brilliant yet notoriously resistant to being managed.

Bowers, Toni. TechRepublic (2003). Careers>Management>Collaboration

Looking for Work as a Scientific Communicator?

Many technical writers recently found themselves looking for work in the wake of September 11th and the dotcom meltdown.

Hart, Geoffrey J.S. Writing World (2002). Careers>Scientific Communication

Looking in the Mirror and Seeing a "Bad Boss"

I never had trouble spotting a bad boss—until I would look in a mirror. My hair might have been combed, and my teeth nice and clean, but something was still wrong on the inside—and I didn't see it. In other areas of my professional development, I've been able to treat mistakes and bad decisions as "learning opportunities." The mistakes and bad decisions that I've made as a supervisor or manager haven't been as easy for me to forgive—because it really hurts to hurt people.

Keefe, Tom. Communication World Bulletin (2007). Careers>Management

Make Networking Work for You

Did you know that every person you encounter has at least 250 people in his or her personal network? Imagine the possibilities if you were connected to a small percentage of those individuals. Multiply that by the number of friends you have, and you've expanded your networking opportunities exponentially.

Capps Powell, Joy. Communication World Bulletin (2007). Careers>Collaboration>Community Building

Make Yourself More Than Just an "Entry-Level" Tech Writer

To make the most of limited opportunities, you have to distinguish yourself from the crowd of other technical writers who'll be vying for the same positions you're after. In other words, you have to go into that job market armed with more than just a bachelor's degree and some classroom writing samples. Following are some suggestions that can help you acquire some professional technical writing experience, broaden your skills and knowledge of the technical writing field, and get you over the entry-level hump.

Monahan, Jim. Boston Broadside (1991). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing

Making a Big Business out of Technical Writing  

Leveraging on the success of my business, DocuStar, this paper describes some of the strategies I have used to grow my one-person freelance gig into a business employing over 65 employees on our own premises and servicing over 200 hi-tech companies per year. While the profit margin may not match that of the up-and-coming dotcoms, the needs of the market foretell a solid and ever-growing future within the technical documentation niche. With a strong commitment to hard work, an adventurous excitement for conquest and a paramount and obsessive commitment to quality and integrity, technical writing can certainly be grown into a big business venture.

Sher, Barbara J. STC Proceedings (2001). Careers>Management>Writing>Technical Writing

Making a Big Business Out of Technical Writing  

Leveraging on the success of my business, DocuStar, this paper describes some of the strategies I have used to grow my one-person freelance gig into a business employing over 65 employees on our own premises and servicing over 200 hi-tech companies per year. While the profit margin may not match that of the up-and-coming dotcoms, the needs of the market foretell a solid and ever-growing future within the technical documentation niche. With a strong commitment to hard work, an adventurous excitement for conquest and a paramount and obsessive commitment to quality and integrity, technical writing can certainly be grown into a big business venture.

Sher, Barbara J. STC Proceedings (2001). Careers>Management>Writing>Technical Writing

Making and Breaking Rules: A Manager's Viewpoint    

Contends that 'does it help communication?' is the ultimate question to ask in deciding whether to follow, bend, or break rules. States that managers need to help their staff members develop sound judgment and make defensible choices.

Zook, Lola M. Technical Communication Online (2003). Careers>Management

The Making of a Discipline: The Making of a Title

Many people who work within the design field have had a hard time assimilating the full scope of Experience Design—and a harder time accepting their niches within it. The reasons for this resistance uncover much about the state of design as well as the state of identity.

Shedroff, Nathan. Boxes and Arrows (2002). Careers>Usability>User Centered Design

Making Professional Development Work for You  

Obtaining a degree and entering the workforce is not the end of the educational experience; it is the beginning of the Life-long process of professional development. Professional development benefits employees by helping them to progress and increase their worth to the company, and it benefits management by poviding them with more skilled and knowledgeable employees, Many opportunities are available to communicators, such as professional societies, conferences, seminars, books, and journals. Communicators, then, must seek out the opportunities, devise a professional develop-merit plan, overcome the obstacles, and then implement what they have learned.

O'Brien, Charles J. III and Russell B. Stoner. STC Proceedings (1993). Careers>Education>Continuing

Making the Grade: Managers' Tips for Performing Staff Evaluations

Evaluations should be used to take a look at the overall picture, to review where an employee has been in terms of professional development, and to get an idea of where he or she is headed. By doing that, you can provide your staff with valuable advice and guidance. They will be able to grow, both professionally and personally, and you will have a much more effective member of your team. Carrying out an evaluation properly is not easy. Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of the experience.

Holland, Anton. Writer's Block (1995). Careers>Management>Writing

Making the Leap  

Increasingly, designers and publishers are finding themselves thrust into the world of 'new media.' Here's an overview of what to expect.

Larkin, James. Adobe Magazine (1995). Careers>Multimedia>TC

Making the Move to Marketing  

Making the move to marketing communication writing allows you to leverage your existing skills and requires that you gain some new ones.

Ausman, Deborah, Michele E. Davis, Kelli Gant and Laura Mulcahy. STC Proceedings (2000). Careers>TC>Marketing

Making the Transition from Student to Employee  

Advice to students preparing to become technical communicators.

Alroy, Faye. Intercom (2003). Careers>Advice>TC

Making the Transition From Techcom to Marcom

At first glance, technical communication (techcom) and technical marketing communication (marcom) appear to be very different genres. Where traditional techcom strives to help people use products, marcom seeks to make people realize they need products.

Simard, Christy. Writing Assistance (2007). Careers>TC>Technical Writing>Marketing

Making the Transition from Technical Writer to Manager

This article is a collage of ideas and experiences from some people who've made the leap from writer to manager. Although it's not a step-by-step guideline, it provides some compelling insight as to what individuals might expect as they transition into the management ranks. Even if you are an experienced manager, you might find these ideas helpful.

Capri, Steve. Writing Assistance (2007). Careers>Management>TC>Technical Writing

Making Unemployment Work for You

So that's it. You've gotten your freedom, your walking papers, your pink slip. Redundancy, dismissal, restructuring, it all amounts to the same thing: you are unemployed. So what are you going to do now? Look for another job, of course, or maybe start your own business. In either case, given today's job market, chances are you're going to have more than enough opportunity for reflection. So while you're busy rewriting your resume for the nth time and scouring the job sites, here are ten simple tips that will help you make the most of your freedom and empower you to take charge of your unemployment

Bernescut, Beatrice. Communication World Bulletin (2003). Careers>Unemployment

Making Your Old Brand New: How to Reinvigorate Your Brand With a Memorable Tagline

In the customer's mind, your brand is forever being weighed, measured, compared and tested. To ensure its continued vitality and effectiveness, refresh and reaffirm your brand on a routine basis. The question is: How can you breathe new life into your old brand without reinventing the wheel or busting your budget? Think tagline.

Swartz, Eric. Communication World Bulletin (2005). Careers>Management>Marketing

Making Yourself Part of the Team

Thoughts on how a contract technical communicator can become part of a development team, and set the tone for the writers who follow.

DMN Communications (2008). Careers>Advice>Workflow>Collaboration

Manage the Kaizen Way!  

Kaizen is a Japanese phrase that means 'continuous improvement' and has long been used by Japanese managers. Find out how to apply this style to your work as a technical communicator and how kaizen can also be used effectively when working in a team.

Gopalakrishnan, Janani. Intercom (2006). Careers>Management>Project Management