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.
> Glenn wrote:
>
> >
> > Hence, if you have a tendancy to use Word fast and loosely and are
> > quick with the Bold, Italic, and bullet buttons, hide that
> with a PDF.
> > Otherwise you'll be flamed (unknowingly).=20
>
Keith wrote:
>
> I have been in the position of needing to hire a Word expert,
> in which case I agree with those criteria. But to force those
> expectations on all applicants without Word skill being an
> actual job requirement seems unreasonable.
>
> That said, I also hasten to add that MOST job openings I'm
> seeing require a Word resume, which presents a hurdle to
> those list members who have vowed to never send a Word doc
> via e-mail. In my experience, Word is what businesses use to
> communicate with each other, so that attitude seems a bit militant.
I'm with Glenn on this one. As my father taught me, if a job's worth
doing, it's worth doing right. Any writer I hire should be able to
competently manage styles in Microsoft Word. It's a pretty basic
function that's applicable to many other tools. Your resume is your
first writing sample, and it should be treated as such.
When I was a Doc Manager, I was notorious for scrutinizing the resumes
of applicants. If everything was manually formatted in MS Word, they
certainly got several strikes against them. They weren't immediately
eliminated, but it didn't leave a good impression. Resumes directly
reflect how the writer makes decisions regarding layout and
organization. If a writer puts everything in tables to manage the
appearance, and the result looks great, then it's to their credit.
I never used an agency when hiring, but I should mention that apparently
agencies often modify or even recreate resumes. So, if you're an
MSWordPoliceman like me, first check if the agency has messed with the
resume en route. Thanks. DB.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Attention ForeHelp and Doc-to-Help Users! Upgrade your existing product to
RoboHelp for only $299, through January 31st. RoboHelp can import your
existing Help projects! Learn how else RoboHelp can benefit you. www.ehelp.com/techwr
---
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.
