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Subject:RE: Begging for help in West Virginia From:John Posada <JPosada -at- book -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 18 Sep 2002 14:36:45 -0400
-----Original Message-----
From: Daniel Reed [mailto:faubergast -at- yahoo -dot- com]
Sent: Tuesday, September 17, 2002 10:56 AM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Begging for help in West Virginia
Hello, I graduated from college with a BA in Writing
last May, and I've been looking for a technical
writing position with no success. I've used all the
techniques listed on the TechWR-L homepage, and I've
not had any luck so far. This most likely has to do
with my lack of contacts in the writing industry; I've
talked to everyone I know about job leads, and noone
knows of anything.
-----Reply Message-----
Daniel...welcome to the real world...or better known as "Finding a Job, the
other thing they should have taught you in college".
The problem is not your lack of contacts. There is no "writing industry"
other than Fiction and Short Story writing...there are only industries that
need people who know how to write. Some of those with computers full of
contact names are having the same experience. The problem, as I see it, is
that you know how to write, but don't know enough about what you would be
writing ABOUT.
What type of companies are you approaching and what skills are you
presenting that would enable you to walk in and based on what you are
seeing, start creating useful content? Because of the number of available
experienced writers, it is no longer a case where to get writing resources
at a low cost, they would hire entry level now that they can get 6+ years
experience at the same low cost.
Do you know about any technologies? manufacturing processes? e-commerce or
CRM processes? If you do, it those skills that you should be pushing ALONG
with the fact that you can write.
John Posada
Senior Technical Writer
Barnes&Noble.com
jposada -at- book -dot- com
212-414-6656
"Be accurate...the 4am wakeup call you prevent could be your manager's"
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