TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
>You show me a newbie with FrameMaker experience and I'll show you someone
>who *THINKS* they know FrameMaker. I've used it for years, and I'm STILL
>learning new things along the way.
Agreed. I am constantly finding out new things about FM...And Word still has the power to surprise me (but then, that's not really a revelation, is it?).
>
>No, a new writer, a newbie, should NOT be expected to have any substantial
>real-world knowledge. Any company looking for an entry-level writer with
>specific experience, whether tool or industry, is either delusional or
>cheap.
In an ideal world, true. We don't live the ideal, though. Try a search on Monster or Dice, and you'll be surprised at how few TW jobs there are out there that don't explicitly list FM as a required skill.
What also surprises me is that these same jobs require 2-3 years experience in the field. It's the old catch-22: no job because of no experience; no experience because no job.
This is why I tell students repeatedly to build up their portfolios while in school, even if they have to give away their services at first.
_____________________________________________________________
Jeff Hanvey: http://www.jewahe.net
*** Deva(tm) Tools for Dreamweaver and Deva(tm) Search ***
Build Contents, Indexes, and Search for Web Sites and Help Systems
Available now at http://www.devahelp.com or info -at- devahelp -dot- com
Sponsored by Information Mapping, Inc., a professional services firm
specializing in Knowledge Management and e-content solutions. See http://www.infomap.com or 800-463-6627 for more about our solutions.
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
