http://tc.eserver.org/dir/Careers/Advice A listing of the most recently indexed works about Careers and Advice 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/Advice 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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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/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. http://tc.eserver.org/33811.html http://tc.eserver.org/33811.html The second part of a series on making the move to freelance technical writing. This installment discusses how to gigs and get paid. http://tc.eserver.org/33286.html http://tc.eserver.org/33286.html A 250 page manual for a complicated product may be more difficult to write than a master’s thesis. It may require a massive amount of deductive and inductive logic, as you try to figure out how the product works. You may spend months interviewing subject matter experts, asking them hundreds of questions about how the product functions, and then hundreds more to clarify their cryptic answers. http://tc.eserver.org/32781.html http://tc.eserver.org/32781.html My key point in this column is that we need to support, defend, and promote our artisans, or artists, and we need to eliminate the assholes from our organizations. In practice, I see a lot of managers who do not support their artisans—their greatest performers—but hold onto and even reward their assholes. In the end, an organization that rewards the wrong people can destroy its effectiveness and drive the most talented people out. http://tc.eserver.org/31826.html http://tc.eserver.org/31826.html At $4.14 a gallon in the United States, $5.29 a gallon in Canada, and $8.70 a gallon in the U.K., the price of gas is just one reason many web workers now commute from the bed to the basement as part of a conscious choice to work from home. http://tc.eserver.org/31824.html http://tc.eserver.org/31824.html Working from home, whether as a freelance contractor or remote employee, can be a great thing, particularly if you live alone. But what if you have a spouse and/or children at home with you while you work? Every work environment offers distractions, but those who work from home with their families face a unique set of issues—and need equally unique ways of dealing with them. http://tc.eserver.org/31706.html http://tc.eserver.org/31706.html Professional burnout can strike anyone regardless of their profession - tech writer, corporate trainer, freelance writer, website marketing specialist, butcher, baker, candlestick maker - but it's not always easy to detect until the damage has been done. This article looks at the signs of professional burnout and dealing with them head on - alone and with the help of others. It also provides resources you can use to break out of your rut. http://tc.eserver.org/31722.html http://tc.eserver.org/31722.html This article defines the tasks and responsibilities for up to seven levels of information engineers, plus two levels of management, because the author found that many companies do not provide formal position descriptions for their technical writers and other communication specialists. http://tc.eserver.org/31616.html http://tc.eserver.org/31616.html Remembering why you were hired—and identifying whether or not you belong—is just as important as getting the gig. To sustain career and mental health, you must work within your means and know how to navigate ambiguous workplace situations. Using client and project management techniques is one part of the solution. Using your talent is the other. http://tc.eserver.org/31261.html http://tc.eserver.org/31261.html When you're going on a journey, it helps to have a good map because it will save time and help you make the right decisions along the way. Your career is a journey, and it's useful to have a clear picture of where you want to go with it. http://tc.eserver.org/31111.html http://tc.eserver.org/31111.html Technical writing is one of those jobs in which you're constantly learning. New tools, new techniques, new methodologies. No one knows it all. That's especially true for the new technical communicator. If you've graduated from a writing and rhetoric course or a technical writing course, you have a pretty good grounding in craft. But you're really only at the base of the mountain. There's still a lot to learn, and if you keep your eyes and ears and mind open then you can quickly pick up what you need to know. http://tc.eserver.org/31106.html http://tc.eserver.org/31106.html Passion, though, is a funny thing. It's easy to become passionate about something. But the fire of that passion can also be easily dimmed or extinguished, often due to circumstances that are beyond your control. Throughout your career, you'll definitely find your passion waxing and waning. But holding on to that passion and nurturing it will make you a better technical communicator. http://tc.eserver.org/31105.html http://tc.eserver.org/31105.html So you've just started out as a technical communicator, or you've been on the job for a year or two. And you've decided that maybe, just maybe, technical communication is the career for you and you're in it for the long haul. Now what? Think about the future and how you want your career to develop. http://tc.eserver.org/31110.html http://tc.eserver.org/31110.html Thoughts on how a contract technical communicator can become part of a development team, and set the tone for the writers who follow. http://tc.eserver.org/30363.html http://tc.eserver.org/30363.html I did a presentation recently at a local college, and the students had a lot of questions about resumes and cover letters. Below are some helpful tips. http://tc.eserver.org/29938.html http://tc.eserver.org/29938.html In this column, we are going to talk about why some technical communicators just plain hate their jobs. The bottom line is not to just stay in that unhappy place. Make up your mind to do something about it. Make your job into what you want it to be. http://tc.eserver.org/28927.html http://tc.eserver.org/28927.html To succeed as a creative professional, you need more than talent. Chanpory Rith offers us a list of seven habits that can help put a junior designer's career on the path to success. http://tc.eserver.org/25386.html http://tc.eserver.org/25386.html If you want your online career center to attract good resumes or really interesting candidates, usability is a key factor. If you are committed to attracting the most qualified candidates, be prepared to invest time and effort to improve the content and quality, and conduct tests to assess usability. http://tc.eserver.org/25317.html http://tc.eserver.org/25317.html A sure way to find new work opportunities is to expand the range of skills you offer your employer or clients. http://tc.eserver.org/24987.html http://tc.eserver.org/24987.html Rule number one for a contractor is to never panic about what happens your first day. First days are naturally chaotic, and often companies are not fully prepared for you. Because contractors are usually brought in to solve a particular problem, the people are anxious to get you started, but companies, especially large ones, are not geared for quick action. http://tc.eserver.org/24701.html http://tc.eserver.org/24701.html This workshop is designed to help independent contractors write their own contracts. Before attending the workshop, think about your current approach to the topics listed in the Workshop Outline. http://tc.eserver.org/24266.html http://tc.eserver.org/24266.html Today’s marketing advantage is specialization. To focus on a specialty is one of the many challenges a freelance writer must face. You must balance the amount of time spent on marketing, versus focusing on existing projects. To gain more time to focus on your specialty, use employment agencies as a marketing resource. Send your resume to two to three agencies to increase your opportunities. Use the time formerly spent marketing to increase your income by working on the additional contracts the agencies send you. To help your agencies, your resume should include keywords representing the documents written, software used, and your background or expertise. http://tc.eserver.org/23716.html http://tc.eserver.org/23716.html I've trained for and run three marathons. My marathon experiences taught me lessons that can be applied to going the distance in a technical communication career. Going the distance requires a willingness to “get going,” continually work on the basics, cross- train, avoid being distracted by what was and what could be, and learn from experience. http://tc.eserver.org/23720.html http://tc.eserver.org/23720.html When your life is out of balance, make a separation between your job and your work. Your job is what you're paid to do; your work fulfills your life's purpose. You can discover your work by paying close attention to the things that attract and motivate you. While you search, use your job to build up 'Working Capital' to support your work. Working Capital is created by using good money management and investing skills. http://tc.eserver.org/23027.html http://tc.eserver.org/23027.html To compare and evaluate expertise within a group of technical communicators, we developed a Competencies/Career Phases Matrix. This matrix breaks down soft and hard skills in 12 categories, such as technical depth, skill acquisition, and teamwork/leadership. The matrix also evaluates each category in four levels of mastery: Apprentice, Experienced, Master, and Expert. Through this evaluation process, the leader is able to obtain a clear picture of an individual’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. In addition, it gives the technical communicator a way to evaluate him/herself and provides a clear image of what is expected of them, should they choose to improve their performance in the different categories. http://tc.eserver.org/21188.html http://tc.eserver.org/21188.html Advice to students preparing to become technical communicators. http://tc.eserver.org/20271.html http://tc.eserver.org/20271.html An observation can be made about success—everybody talks about it, but far too few do anything definite to ensure their own personal success. To be successful, you must know how to set and achieve goals, build a personal success plan, and develop self-motivation. Tapping into your unlimited potential allows you to progress, grow, and change. Powerful tools can be used to achieve your personal and professional goals. Understanding the role of visualization and how to formulate and use affirmations will help you become more successful! http://tc.eserver.org/19704.html http://tc.eserver.org/19704.html No new offers are coming in, and you don’t have any potential projects brewing on the back burner. Your clients have no plans to hire independent contractors for the time being. Now what? http://tc.eserver.org/18590.html http://tc.eserver.org/18590.html A brief handout about what a technical writer does, prepared for a school careers fair. http://tc.eserver.org/18244.html http://tc.eserver.org/18244.html Technical writers are made up of complex individual personae. As a writer, you are expected to have knowledge of your subject. The more subjects you write about, the more knowledge you gain. (Supposedly.) Not every writer is like that, but most are, and they deserve to be congratulated for going the extra mile and actually learning a product they are going to write about. Most writers maintain knowledge about many systems and subjects, thus becoming an 'expert' in the technical writing field. http://tc.eserver.org/15200.html http://tc.eserver.org/15200.html Suggests ways technical communicators can cope with the often-conflicting demands of work and family. http://tc.eserver.org/15219.html http://tc.eserver.org/15219.html Describes four stages of career development. http://tc.eserver.org/15230.html http://tc.eserver.org/15230.html As a professional recruiter and the owner of an agency that places technical writers, I have heard horror stories about some candidates’ experiences with employment agencies. Just as there are trustworthy car mechanics and those who are out to steal your money, there are reputable agencies and agencies that are, let us say, less than reputable. If an agency misrepresents you, you could lose a great job. Do the benefits of working with agencies outweigh the risks? I think so, especially if you are an independent contractor: Many companies will hire contractors only through agencies because of current tax laws. http://tc.eserver.org/14953.html http://tc.eserver.org/14953.html Condon encourages people to search for networking opportunities. She suggests reading the technology section of The Oregonian on Mondays to find out about meetings of professional groups in addition to STC. She said she often attends events simply because the announced speaker sounds intriguing. She visits meetings of Rotary clubs, Lions, and environmental organizations. She finds out what groups her friends and neighbors belong to and asks if she can attend a meeting with them. When she goes, she doesn't attempt to meet everyone, she just tries to make two or three new contacts. She exchanges business cards, and then, the next day, she follows up with a handwritten note to one or two people saying what a pleasure it was to meet them. http://tc.eserver.org/14947.html http://tc.eserver.org/14947.html Like most technical communicators in the current economic climate, I've been considering where I've been and where I'm going. On Saturday, January 12, I had the golden opportunity to do some of that in the company of some 50 like-minded participants and a number of inspirational and practical speakers. Not incidentally, I was reminded what a tremendous reservoir of volunteer spirit the Willamette Valley Chapter of the STC holds. http://tc.eserver.org/14751.html http://tc.eserver.org/14751.html Three technical communication gurus answer the question, 'What single action or decision did more to advance your career than any other?' http://tc.eserver.org/14138.html http://tc.eserver.org/14138.html This summary provides a collection of tips and advice for getting started in the technical writing profession. The following categories are included in this summary: Finding and Getting That First Job; Types of Technical Writing; Types of Technical Writers; Degrees and Technical Writing; Transferring to Technical Writing from Other Professions: From Journalism; From Teaching; From Academia; From Marketing; From Law; Essential Skills; On Being a Technical Writer. http://tc.eserver.org/14145.html http://tc.eserver.org/14145.html This article offers five tips that can help you get off to a good start in your new job. http://tc.eserver.org/13813.html http://tc.eserver.org/13813.html This website discusses strategies for entering the job market. Whether you are looking for entry-level work or looking to move from one job to another, this site provides you with sound advice. http://tc.eserver.org/13468.html http://tc.eserver.org/13468.html Age discrimination in the workplace occurs any time one worker is treated differently from another due to age, or another worker's beliefs about age-related inabilities. Solving the problem of age discrimination in the workplace involves three things: understanding the problem and how it affects the way we work, educating ourselves and the rest of the general working public about age discrimination, and finding specific ways to address and overcome the issue. http://tc.eserver.org/13467.html http://tc.eserver.org/13467.html Today, there are many ways to practice our craft, and our main objective as technical communicators is to find a way to do just that. Those of us who are unemployed or underemployed know that we need to have the job we want in order to make the contribution we know we can. The same skills that make us good technical communicators will serve us well in our job search. With a little inspiration and a lot of perspiration, we can get the right job. http://tc.eserver.org/13223.html http://tc.eserver.org/13223.html So you want to work for an Internet start-up company. Bruce and Moyer show you the ropes. http://tc.eserver.org/10877.html http://tc.eserver.org/10877.html Technical writing doesn't always mean 'computers.' Many companies hire technical writers to document policies and procedures for auditors. This means you would actually sit with someone and write down the steps they follow to do a function. Technical writers must be excellent communicators. Verbal and written skills must be of the highest caliber. A technical writer must be methodical, organized, and succinct. http://tc.eserver.org/10834.html http://tc.eserver.org/10834.html Offers advice for anyone looking to hire a technical writer on choosing a writer and using a writer. http://tc.eserver.org/10835.html http://tc.eserver.org/10835.html Parents, teachers, and guidance counsellors sometimes tell children who are anxious about what they're going to do with their life, that they can pursue virtually any career they put their mind to. With determination and lots of hard work, anyone can become a future Prime Minister or President. As reassuring as this sounds, recent findings in the field of brain research suggest that not all people (i.e., brains) are born equal. http://tc.eserver.org/10838.html http://tc.eserver.org/10838.html Discusses many ethical issues including: taking personal responsibility for one's actions, Behaviour toward colleagues, subordinates and others,Dealing with experimental subjects, interviewees, etc, Telling the 'truth', and choosing between advocacy and objectivity. http://tc.eserver.org/10830.html http://tc.eserver.org/10830.html The most extensive training I took was in C programming. I learned C and then wrote two simple CGIs to show that I could apply that knowledge. At the same time, I practiced with Photoshop until I had several graphics of publishable quality for our Web site. Once I had done that, I was promoted to Webmaster. http://tc.eserver.org/10840.html http://tc.eserver.org/10840.html One man's career transition from academia to the technical writing. He dicusses foiled ambitions, crossing over, what is shared, Is it different, and Is it a matter of worth? http://tc.eserver.org/10841.html http://tc.eserver.org/10841.html Sooner or later, most of us work with a recruiter or two (or three or four) to look for a job or to respond to the ever-increasing abundance of employment opportunities for technical communicators in the Triangle area. In fact, due to the tendency companies have for hiring technical writers on a contract basis, recruiters often play a necessary part in our career development. This site offers some tips on dealing with recruiters and avoiding poor recruiting practices. http://tc.eserver.org/10844.html http://tc.eserver.org/10844.html A guide to job types, employers, work environment, and salaries. http://tc.eserver.org/10846.html http://tc.eserver.org/10846.html A hiring manager in a documentation firm offers some advice and tips on getting a writing job.