#22034
Your resume must persuasively answer at least four key questions to win the interview.
#22052
Brainstorming and Storyboarding
The whole idea of “brainstorming” is to get ideas on paper. No particular order or structure, just get them ideas down. All you need is a quiet room, a clock, and pencil and paper. The procedure is simple: think about the subject and write down every idea that pops into your head within a set time.
#22041
A template to describe a company's business plan, in Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat formats.
Tech-Writer. Resources>Business Communication>Management>Writing
#22032
Dealing With Staffing and Consulting Firms
If you welcome and appreciate the freedom of a consulting or contract position be prepared to d the homework. You’ll need to have current information about the job market, rates, staffing firms, benefits, and all the thing that are a part of living that independent life. As you are working an assignment you’ll want to be preparing for the next one, monitor the jobs out there, basically look for the next assignment.
#22051
Developing the Specification for a Document
Between 25-30 percent of the overall writing time is typically devoted to developing the document specification, meaning how the document will be formatted and actually present the information. This is true even when the organization has a style guide with a prescribed format, but no “standard” for documentation overall. Although this may seem an inordinate amount of time and effort on the front end, before getting any information onto the paper, it is far more cost-effective than spending unplanned time rewriting and reformatting the document late in the production process.
Tech-Writer. Articles>Writing>Project Management>Technical Writing
#22055
If you’ve done any writing at all, you’ve experienced the dilemma of selecting the right “level” for the project. In academic and technical writing there tends to be less concern about this, though there should be. In my opinion, given two cents, the more natural my writing seems, meaning more as it would be spoken, the more comfortable it will be to the reader. It’s unclear to me whether it takes more time and effort to write at this level, but it serves readers well and that’s the key. Edit and revision is the key to excellence.
#22027
The essential equipment and software include a current PC -- should be a Pentium II or better -- and licensed software. Ideally, the PC should have at least 128 MB of RAM, a 19-inch monitor (min.), a high performance video card with a minimum of 64 MB of video RAM, and adequate storage for graphics and photos – at least an 80 GB hard disk. These are general specifications. Your requirements may be different depending upon what area you specialize in and to what extent you work on your own.
Tech-Writer (1996). Articles>Computing>Writing>Technical Writing
#22031
One of the more challenging parts of being a contractor or managing a writing project is developing an estimate of the fee or costs. Sure, there are various techniques out there, some more accurate than others, but generally no hard and fast rules applicable across the spectrum of potential assignments. Therein rest at least part of the key to doing a viable estimate, i.e., what kind of document development are you doing.
#22029
Job search websites for technical writers.
#22028
The essentials for the budding tech writer including reference, style manuals, optional recommendations, and other various books on Technical Writing.
#22049
This is an example of a typical agreement used for freelance writing assignments. Not that there is specific limitation of rights granted to the “buyer.” In no case do you want to sell blanket rights to your writing. It may be necessary to do it, but make every effort to negotiate a first national rights condition. If the clients wants more, get them to pay more.
#22056
Freelance, Independent, Contractor, Consultant...
If getting into the technical writing business is a challenge, and it assuredly is, defining our employment status often poses a few questions too. Naturally, there’s the common full-time employee status we all know and understand fairly well, but when we find ourselves dealing with a technical services or technical consulting firm there can be some murky waters, and more than a few aberrations of the “traditional” understanding of the term. So, we need to define some “terms” of employment since the majority of technical writers will ultimately encounter variations.
#22054
Any document has three distinct parts: front matter; text; and back matter and reference material.
#22040
A template for technical writers developing new personal resumes.
#22044
Generating a site plan is an optimal approach to starting your site.
Tech-Writer (2001). Design>Web Design>Information Design>Project Management
#22045
Four things support your actual site implementation -- getting your pages 'out there': your site design, collection and preparation of the content material, selecting a hosting service, and registering a domain name.
#22042
There's no 'school solution' to designing Web pages, as you can easily tell with one visit to the Internet.
#22030
As you might expect, salaries vary considerably based on location. I’ve looked over various surveys and believe the following are representative of salaries currently being offered.
#22050
The Power of Word Templates and Styles
One of the more powerful features of Microsoft Word rests in the capability for the user to develop specialized document templates. I have found it beneficial, as you will see in the Template Library area of this site, to develop a “library” of specialized templates I rely on to speed document production for my clients. The templates allow me to get through that difficult document design phase. Much time and effort has been devoted to defining effective documentation formats and I have integrated those features in the templates. I overcome any “design” debate by presenting a proposed format (sometimes with outline) for approval. This way unique requirements are identified and implemented immediately, in this early stage.
#22038
A list of verbs one should consider when writing a resume.
#22053
If there’s a single step in writing that makes the process easier, it’s right here. Ask yourself this question: Why does a writing task -- whether a memorandum or document -- seem to come together easily for one writer and not for another? Well, one answer is the successful writer spends more time planning than writing. I call this my pre-writing time, or phase, and for me the planning phase is actually pre-writing.
#22035
Resume Presentation and Mechanics
Select a high quality paper. Standard bond, office, or copy paper is not the answer here. A 100 percent cotton fiber or other high quality paper is essential.
#22033
The Resume: Keys to Write it Right
Although there may be a dozen books out there that say something to the contrary or offer 'The' correct resume format, there really is no universally accepted template. A little common sense and some wordsmithing will go a long way to making an effective resume, irrespective of what format you choose.
#22037
It’s simple…Don’t lie! Don’t embellish! It’s not only unethical, but eventually you’ll get caught. You may get away with it for a time, but it will catch up with you. Whether technical skills, training, or particular accomplishments, keep it honest. It’ll work better for you.
#22036
Resumes should be written in language that is as plain and simple to read as possible. Don’t use a lot of jargon that may or may not be understood by your prospective employer. Avoid overusing buzzwords or slang.
