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Will Grega asked for "green grass" stories in response to Anonymous'
"meatball technical writing" story. Well, I think I have one.
I've worked in all of those same places everyone else has--inadequate
resources, bizarre notions of how long it really takes to produce a
manual, deadlines that make you laugh out loud in a status meeting,
pointy-haired bosses with no clue about what you do as a writer. Then
I got sick and tired of coming home everyday feeling beaten down by
this whole situation.
I posted my resume everywhere that I could and seriously looked for a
better work environment where I could be a technical writer: applying
audience and needs analysis feedback to projects, conducting usability
testing, actually having the time and resources to redesign documents
and document distribution methods, real editing and revision
opportunities.
I found just such an environment. I actually enjoy getting up to go to
work now. I'm learning new things about how a tech writing team can
work when proper support and resources are provided. My company
expects me to work my forty hours a week and then go home to have a
life. I get interesting projects and get to write about geewhiz neato
technology. If this sounds like greener grass to Anonymous or any
other experienced tech writers in search of a reprieve from tech
writing hell, following is our job posting. We have 1-2 open positions
and may have more later this year.
A Technical Publications team within the Information Technology
Department of Capital One Financial Services has immediate openings
for experienced technical writers in Richmond, Virginia. This is a
great opportunity to join a fast-growing company that ranked in the
top half of Fortune magazine's second annual list of "100 Best
Companies to Work for in America." Capital One's innovative use of
information technology fuels its worldwide expansion and its
diversification of services.
Join a well-rounded Technical Publications team that uses current best
practices to produce usable, technically accurate, and well-written
publications. We develop internal technical documentation describing
Capital One's telephony and middleware architecture for technical
analysts, developers, and systems support staff. We publish
information in various media for every phase of the system development
life cycle--including functional design specifications, operation and
administration guides, and troubleshooting guides. We are looking for
additional team members who will bring their professional commitment,
flexibility, and sense of humor to our team.
***************Requirements***************
Our new team members must have:
- A Bachelor's degree in Technical Communication, English, or a
related field.
- Three or more years of technical writing experience.
- A fundamental understanding of client/server technology.
Our new team members must be able to:
- Demonstrate excellent writing and editing skills. - Demonstrate
advanced Microsoft Word skills.
- Receive constructive feedback from peers and apply it to
documentation projects.
- Evaluate documentation requirements.
- Select the appropriate media for documentation projects.
- Work well with developers and technical staff.
- Translate technical concepts into plain English.
- Apply information design and usability principles to all
documentation projects.
***************Optional Experience***************
We would like to find team members who also have:
- Worked with Macromedia Dreamweaver and Adobe Acrobat Exchange.
- Worked extensively with desktop publishing tools.
- Participated in every aspect of web site development or have
start-up web site experience.
- Created flow charts and other information graphics.
- Created online help systems.
Among the factors that differentiate Capital One from other employers
are outstanding benefits such as performance-based salary and bonus
packages, generous company 401(k) plan contributions, an employee
stock purchase plan, three weeks of vacation during the first year of
employment, excellent medical and dental coverage, educational
assistance, help locating and paying for child and elder care, and a
wide range of company-sponsored community service opportunities.
Please submit your resume to:
Mark Fignar
Capital One, Human Resources Department
Fax: (804) 967-1483
E-mail: mark -dot- fignar -at- capitalone -dot- com (Please use "Resume" as your
subject line. Please submit your resume as ASCII text in the message
body, not as an e-mail attachment.)
