getting that first job

[Heather Ross <Heather -dot- Louise -dot- Ross -at- THEMUTUALGROUP -dot- COM>]

This is in reply to the person who wondered how to go about getting that
first job with no experience - I accidentally deleted the post, sorry.

I'd say the way to get the job is to apply to anything that interests you,
no matter what the requirements are. I'm currently 2 months into my very
first TW job - in fact, my first job after graduating from university with
a journalism degree. I had never done any tech writing before. The job I
ended up getting listed "2-3 years experience in writing documentation for
business processes and application" as an "essential requirement".

My argument was that since I didn't know anything about the field or have
an investments background (I work in the Investments I/T area of a large
company) I would be looking at things with a fresh eye and be able to
explain them better because I'm just learning about them myself. I wouldn't
use jargon, because I wouldn't be familiar with the inside terminology to
begin with. I wouldn't make assumptions about what the users already know
and don't know.

I was able to show them through some contract work and freelancing I'd done
in school that I'm a good writer. Turns out that's what they really wanted.

So if you see a job that sounds neat but you don't think you're qualified,
apply anyway. You never know.

Heather Ross
The Mutual Group
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.


 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=