RE: Returning to Tech Writing

["Victoria Wroblewski" <victoria -dot- wroblewski -at- eagletest -dot- com>]

-----Original Message-----
From: Barry Baldwin
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2008 2:25 PM
Subject: Re: Returning to Tech Writing

>The job listings I've seen generally get very specific with the tool
skills
>that they're looking for (XML, DITA, FrameMaker, etc.), some of which I
>don't have experience with, even though I do have experience with very
>similar tools (XHTML, CSS, PageMaker, InDesign, etc.). Do you think
>employers and recruiters get hung up on these, maybe not considering
how
>similar various markup languages and DTP softwares are?

Yes, some do.  At the last salt mine, we had to work hard to convince
the documentation manager while interviewing to expand the team that it
wasn't so important for people to have recent skills in the tools we
used (Frame and Dreamweaver), but be sure they understood how to use
whatever tools they had used to produce quality docs.  You'd be
downright surprised at how many people consider "all in-line formatting"
to be a standard and acceptable practice.

At my current place, we use a tool I didn't have any prior experience
with (Ventura) but during the interview I was able to get it across that
I understand the concepts of well-done documentation, and I had some
learning to do when I started but I was off and running pretty quickly.

But, a bigger issue can be that the words just are not on the resume...
there are a lot of places where a resume will only get a glance if it's
without the right keywords that the automated search tool is looking
for.  One way to beef up your resume, and your skill set, is to try and
find some formal training on those tools so you can officially put it
down.

- V

**This transmission may contain information that is privileged, confidential and/or exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution, or use of the information contained herein (including any reliance thereon) is STRICTLY PROHIBITED. If you received this transmission in error, please immediately contact the sender and destroy the material in its entirety, whether in electronic or hard copy format. Thank you.**
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.