Re: an electronic portfolio question

[Sarah Lee Hauslinger <slhauslinger -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Becca, here's another idea: you might also find docs in need of re-do
that belong to the many open-source freeware utilities out there. Most
have help that's minimal, so re-doing the docs for that type of
product would be even more directly relevant, and would also give you
a chance to show off your Help generation and design skills. Given
that you only have class assignments, I think you might want to
consider re-doing both a DVD/VCR manual and a freeware software tool.

Anyone know of a freeware tool with atrocious docs and help in need of
improvement?


Sarah Lee Hauslinger
slhauslinger -at- gmail -dot- com

On Wed, Feb 22, 2012 at 4:11 AM, Becca <becca_price -at- yahoo -dot- com> wrote:
>
>
>>________________________________
>
>>Becca, as a hiring manager, I'd wonder why you were showing
>>20-year-old work that wasn't directly relevant to technical
>>communication when you'd just completed a techcomm degree. I don't
>>recommend that you use the tearsheets as portfolio samples.
>
> good point.
>
> A lot of my samples are old because it's been maybe 8 years since I last worked in the field.
>
>
>
>
>>
>>Here are some ideas for you: in any of your class assignments, did you
>>produce clearly written and well-laid-out documents? If so, I'd say
>>those are prime material for your portfolio. To demonstrate those
>>skills further, you could find some utterly badly written and laid-out
>>docs (a VCR or DVD player manual might be just the thing) and re-do
>>them with clear writing and good layout, then show the "before and
>>after". If you were a candidate for a spot on my team and showed me
>>that sort of sample, I'd be impressed, and you'd stand out in my mind
>>as not only a good writer, but also an innovative one
>
>
> I do have some class materials I'm showing.  I need to play with some help files, too, and add some of that to my portfolio.
>
>
> Right now, other than the scanned material that's 10 or more years old, all I have is class material. Iike the idea of doing procedures for the VCR/DVD player. Thank you for the idea!
>
> -becca

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