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.
I took the approach, back in 1987 when tech writers were hard to come by, of
getting hired in a lesser position within the user ed department and then
dazzling them with my brilliance. :-) Within 6 months, I was an editor and
it has been uphill ever since.
One problem an entry-level tech writer is facing now is the number of tech
writers out there who have lots of experience and degrees. As a hiring
manager from 1994 through 1999, I expected people to have training and
experience. If they did not have one or the other, but seemed bright and
hard-working, I would hire then as lowly copyeditors or online documentation
testers and then let them show what they could do working on internal
documentation and other projects.
I suspect that coming into the field without a degree is going to become
more and more difficult. Do you have a special expertise in some subject
area you could play on? Can you find a mentor at a company you would like to
work for? Are you willing to do an internship (low-pay, some scut work) in
order to add to your experience? I would also do some volunteer writing for
a non-profit.
In my opinion, having a Web site is not going to convince me to hire a
novice writer. Their writing is what will convince me. I can teach them to
do HTML or Frame or whatever, but teaching them to write, to interview
effectively, to manager their time, to be familiar with tech writing
conventions -- those are the hard things to learn. And I still believe they
are best learned on the job.
Mary Deaton
Deaton Information Design
News, opinion, and comment on the job market at: http://www.mmdeaton.com
-----Original Message-----
Behalf Of Paul
Strickberger
Hi all,
I'm looking for that first break into the tech writing field. I've taken a
tech com class, learned HTML, Framemaker (I already know Word very well),
Acrobat, and
WebWorks Publisher. I've designed a web site (www.primeimpression.com) and
written a brief software user manual. I am also active in my local STC
chapter. Most jobs advertised
specify at least 3 years of experience. I would be interested to hear
people's stories about how they got into the field and any resources that
might pertain to Junior Tech Writers. Any and all tips, ideas, and
suggestions are welcome!
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