TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Beth,
Your summer job at the software company gives you a leg up on other recent English grads as you seek a tech writing job, but many jobs will be harder to get until you prove your technical aptitude, accumulate some work samples, and establish a track record of good service to employers (with the references to back it up).
Did you take technical or scientific classes in college? Do you like to read magazines and books about science, technology, and business, just for fun? Are you able to gather technical information from a variety of sources in a variety of formats, identify the key components, and then organize the information logically and present it in a way that your readers can understand it? Does your writing read smoothly and give the reader the feeling of being skillfully guided through the material? When you encounter a new machine, a process, or a piece of software, are you fascinated with how it works? Will you not rest until you figure it out? Can you work cooperatively and collaboratively with a wide variety of different types of people, some of whom may be arrogant, unfriendly, or neurotic?
If you possess most or all of these traits, maybe you would make a good technical writer.
I say this not to scare you off, but to let you know that breaking in to the field may be no small challenge. You will need to be persistent, and you may need to relocate to find that entry-level job you want.
Definitely read all the stories at http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/feature.html if you haven't already done so. Just reading about all the different paths that these 19 people took to become technical writers is enlightening.
You may also find it useful to work on a technical trade magazine somewhere for a while. That's one of the jobs in my background. There are an incredible number of these publications, and yes, the pay is generally lower than for technical writing, BUT the technical requirements may be less stringent and you can get exposed to writing and editing moderately technical material. Thus you could get valuable experience and clips, get a better idea of whether you like working with technical subject matter, and possibly open doors to other kinds of writing jobs you don't know about yet. The apprenticeship may be long and slow, and you may even discover something better for you along the way.
At the same time, see if you can do some freelance writing, maybe for a local weekly newspaper, or for a startup magazine in a subject area (technical or not) that interests you. You can get some extra cash that way, and at the same time polish your writing skills, get good at meeting deadlines, accumulate clips, and learn more about subjects that interest you.
One last thing: Don't listen to anyone who suggests you're at a disadvantage because of your gender, your cultural background, your pigmentation, your accent, your shoe style, or any other such silliness. If you're willing to work for it, you can be a technical writer.
---
Tom Campbell
-------------------------------------------------------
"Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great."
--Mark Twain
-------------------------------------------------------
Join 18 million Eudora users by signing up for a free Eudora Web-Mail account at http://www.eudoramail.com
