Adding to Your Tool Box

You've applied and interviewed for a position, but you don't get it because you don't have a particular skill set that the employer needs. You want to learn a new tool, but the software is expensive and you can't afford to spend a lot of money on software at this time. Do either of these scenarios sound familiar to you? If they do, you have some options for learning new tools and can add to your portfolio at the same time.This article looks at the options that you have for learning software -- teaching yourself, taking classes, volunteering, and on-the-job training.

Puffer, Paula. STC Northeast Ohio (2001). Articles>Education>Software

Conducting a Postmortem

A postmortem is a meeting of all members of the project team at the end of the project to identify what went well and should be repeated on future projects; and what did not go well and how to avoid these situations on future projects. In addition, the postmortem should provide time for the members of the project team to thank one another for their contributions. Often during the course of a project, team members become so comfortable working with one another that they do not thank each other for their contributions or acknowledge exceptional work. As a result, team members might not realize that their colleagues appreciate their contributions. The postmortem provides a formal opportunity for team members to offer one another such recognition.

Carliner, Saul. STC Northeast Ohio (2002). Articles>Project Management>TC

Estimating Editorial Tasks: A Five-Step Method

Accurate time estimates are essential to projecting the costs of doing work, whether it's for external clients or other departments within an organization. In the olden days, it didn't seem to matter how many hours were spent editing, as long as all the errors were caught. Now, managers everywhere are looking for ways to cut costs; they want to know in advance how long things will take so they can monitor their increasingly strained budgets. Publications are often a prime target for cost cuts.

Cormier, Robin A. STC Northeast Ohio (2001). Careers>Editing>Pricing>Estimating

Guerilla WriteFare™: Nice Work If You Can Get it -- Here's How

My experience in the corporate environment has been that larger companies don't go out of their way to hire home-based freelancers. That's not to say that they never do -- it simply hasn't been my experience with them. I run into this problem all the time. Finding off-site work is a challenge. I scour the top 20 or so job search engines and other places for work and, while there really are quite a few contract positions out there, nearly all of them require on-site work. That's the bad news. Here's the good news: I have figured this thing out, believe it or not. In fact, I'm working on a book and a seminar about it. To locate good work that allows you to work out of the home office, you must know three things: How to look. Where to look. Hw to build trusting relationships with your customers.

Knowles, Michael. STC Northeast Ohio (2003). Careers>Freelance>TC

Re-Evaluating Your Skills

Given our current economic conditions, it is proving very difficult for a lot of technical communicators to find new positions as either contractors or full-time employees. It is important now, more than ever, to look closely at the core skills we have and can offer our future employers. Almost all of you that I have talked to are technical communicators who develop online help and hardcopy documentation. You are writers, editors, and managers. Many of you understand the intricacies of the tools of the trade like Adobe FrameMaker and RoboHelp from eHelp. You understand the products so well that you can troubleshoot the problems faster than the product support teams.

Bates, Michael P. STC Northeast Ohio (2001). Careers>TC>Assessment

Remember Your First Meeting?

I walked into my first meeting in Northeast Ohio and didnï¿t know anyone. I no sooner stuck my name badge to my shirt and someone was there to introduce themselves to me. From there, the person took me around the room and introduced me to others. I left that night feeling as though I had met 20 new professionals in my field. I couldnï¿t wait to go to the next meeting. This fall, many of you and your chapter leaders will be running formal membership drives. You will be looking for new members and trying to identify ways to retain your current membership. You donï¿t have to be the Membership Drive Chairperson or on the committee to help. Here are a few suggestions.

Bates, Michael P. STC Northeast Ohio (2002). Articles>TC>Collaboration