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1. attend meetings with developers to understand what the product is going
to do.
2. keep a work log from the first day in which she reflects on what she is
learning and why.
3. go through a tutorial for each of the software tools she will be using.
4. begin writing help for the product even if it's not ready. It's never too
early to start the help project.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Sheldon Kohn" <Sheldon -dot- Kohn -at- onlineinsight -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 8:57 AM
Subject: A Question for Newbies and Intermediate Writers
> Hello All,
>
> I am asking for advice and perspectives based on your experience when you
> entered the tech comms field. I am working in an Internet start-up, and we
> will be adding many new developers over the summer. Management accepted my
> proposal that we hire a new technical writer now and spend some up-front
> time getting this person up to speed. After a comprehensive search, we
made
> an offer and received an acceptance from an entry-level person.
>
> I have identified some tasks that our new writer can perform immediately
to
> start being productive. As I work on developing a schedule for getting the
> writer fully functional as quickly as possible, I find myself wondering
what
> types of activities, projects, and assignments are most useful.
>
> My question to those of you who are relatively new to the field is, what
was
> most helpful in the first weeks and months of your professional life? I do
> not want (or need) to take a "sink or swim" approach, so I want to make
sure
> that we use our limited ramp-up time wisely.
>
> TIA for any and all responses.
>
> Sincerely yours,
>
> Sheldon Kohn
> Online Insight, Inc.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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