Re: expectations of an entry-level writer

[Jason Huntington <JasonH -at- CAPTURA -dot- COM>]

Requirements for an entry-level tech writer:

1.  Breath
2.  Pulse

Requirements for a tech writing manager:

1.  Working knowledge of CPR
2.  Breath
3.  Pulse

        Jason R Huntington
       Senior Technical Writer
              (425) 487.9484 x146

      Captura Software, Inc.
You may be losing money by waiting.

        -----Original Message-----
        From:   Anne Halsey [SMTP:JMH42 -at- AOL -dot- COM]
        Sent:   Monday, October 27, 1997 5:29 PM
        To:     TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
        Subject:        expectations of an entry-level writer

        Bruce Byfield was frustrated by my presentation of what a
        former employer of mine required of an entry level tech writer.

        Bruce ... I understand that many students are frustrated by the
        catch-22 nature of the TC workplace in the 90s.  I'm afraid,
        however, that this is indicative of at least part of the reality
        of today's workplace (requiring a minimum skill set and
experience
        level for entry-level positions).

        Much as you and others may wish it otherwise, the reality of
        corporate life today is that many, if not most, companies do not
        hire until they have a screaming need for a warm body.
Consequently,
        companies are more and more resorting to skilled contractors
        to fill open positions.

        But if this is the reality of environment, you may ask, how can
a
        student ever expect to get a job?

        Internships.  Apply for 'em.  Take 'em even if they pay low
wages,
        or no wage at all.  Soak up knowledge.  Find a mentor.  Find out
what
        the most hated writer task is, and volunteer to help with it.

        We hired recent grads at several former companies - IF they had
        shown the initiative to get internship experience while in
school.
        I've worked for firms (including my current one) where we had
formal
        or informal internship programs; I've also worked at firms where
        establishing an internship policy was as simple as defining a
need
        and finding a school or program that sponsored internships.

        However - if a recent grad could not point to internship or coop
        experience, we usually would not consider hiring.  Why?
        Because taking that extra step to pursue an internship showed
        my colleagues and I that a student was serious about the
        profession, and virtually guaranteed that the candidate had at
        least a rudimentary exposure to the corporate environment.
        Failing to take it indicated the lack of those qualities.

        Now I'll throw in a little generalization.  As I stated above,
many
        companies do not hire until they have a screaming need for a
warm body.
        The reality is that most companies need someone who can hit the
        ground running -  or at least walking briskly.  Comapnies don't
have the
        time to teach someone how to use a styleguide, or WHY to use one
...
        employers want to be able to tell someone what styleguide they
use,
        and assume the candidate can figure out how to find her/his own
answers.
        Employers don't have the time to teach someone the difference
between first,
        second, and third person; passive versus active voice; or
past/present/future

        tense.  Employers expect a candidate to know what those things
are, and
        to be able to write in the voice/tense/person appropriate for
the
        situation.

        Employers don't have the time to teach someone what a
hierarchical
        procedure is; nor do they have the time to teach the basics of
logging on
        to a PC, copying files, creating a new (insert your favorite
publisher)
        document,
        how to import graphics into a file, what a component callout is.
Someone
        who has a year of experience (even internship experience) under
his/her
        belt shouldn't need to be taught those things.

        Employers should be able to expect an entry-level communicator
to have
        at least having a passing familiarity with the tools of the
trade.  This
        means
        not only the publishing tools (DTP programs, screen capture
programs,
        draw programs, and conversion programs like Acrobat) but  the
office tools
        as well (conference calling, voice messaging, copy machines, FAX
        machines, and the like).


          Anne Halsey
          jmh42 -at- aol -dot- com



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