Developing Technical Curiosity: A Marketable Skill

Every technical writer should have strong writing skills. Just as important, in my judgment, is a keen sense of technical curiosity. As a hiring manager, I look for it in every job applicant I interview. If you do not have this sense naturally, you can develop it.

Harvey, Michael. Carolina Communique (2003). Careers>TC>Collaboration

Information Development at Rockwell Software – Part 1: Organizational Issues and Work Process  

Establishing and maintaining good relationships with internal customers is essential for technical writers. In our case, engineers are our internal customers and managing professional relationships with them can be challenging. At Rockwell Software, writers are matrixed into engineering organizations. This diffuses technical writing’s presence, but it gives us access to information we might not have if we were in a separate department. Given this organization, we have found that establishing personal relationships with engineers before focusing on work helps ensure our success. Finally, usability testing serves as a place where engineers and writers can focus on the success of their product as a whole.

Butler, Scott A., Eric J. Grabowski and Myron M. Shawala III. STC Proceedings (1998). Careers>TC>Collaboration

Marketing Yourself as a Technical Communicator  

No matter what your current status—employee, looking for a job, or independent consultant—marketing yourself is necessary. Marketing is determining what your customers need and then showing how whatever you are selling meets those needs, i.e., provides benefits, and does it better than the competition. When you market yourself, you are basically doing the same thing. If you are an employee, how are you developing your skills so they continue to meet the changing needs of your employer? If you are looking for a job, how does what you bring to the table make you a better candidate than everyone else? If you are an independent, how do you benefit your clients so they turn to you over and over again?

Teich, Thea. STC Proceedings (2002). Careers>TC>Collaboration

Networking Opportunities

If you have all the work you can handle, your idea of networking might be showing up late to STC meetings, sitting in the back, and leaving before the speaker finishes talking. But, for the rest of us, networking requires a bigger investment of time and energy and a wider circle of contacts. As networking expert Kathy Condon points out, networking begins in our comfort zones-our neighborhoods, our offices, our STC groups. But to be effective, we have to search for other opportunities to meet people-groups and individuals beyond our usual contacts. Condon suggests attending meetings of professional and special interest organizations. Below, we've listed some groups to get you started. We include a Web address for each organization and a quote from their site.

Riley, Erin. STC Williamette Valley (2002). Careers>Collaboration>TC

Teaming In A Publications Group   

The technical publications group of The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory was restructured to eliminate the traditional hierarchical organization in favor of multiple concurrent work teams. Every job is assigned to a work team, and people usually are on several teams at once, as leaders of some teams and members of others. We present two case studies describing teams that operated very differently. The teaming system allows us to tailor the approach to the needs of different clients.

Morris, Margaret K., Patrice H. Zurvalec and Murrie W. Burgan. STC Proceedings (1999). Careers>TC>Collaboration>Case Studies

What You Leave in Your Wake

Whether you’re a full timer or a contractor, you’ll eventually part ways with an employer. When you step out the door for the last time, what will you leave in your wake? A mess, or a way for your co-workers or replacement to quickly pick up where you left off?

DMN Communications (2008). Careers>TC>Collaboration