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Subject:Re: TechComm Portfolio From:Mpschiesl -at- ra -dot- rockwell -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 9 Nov 1999 16:44:55 -0600
I am not an expert at getting jobs (I have the references to prove it), but I do
have a few comments.
Without stripping out my personal passions or career goals, I would gear the
title, portfolio, and marketing stance to match the job description. If they
are
looking for a tech writer, and I am qualified and interested, then POW!, I'm a
tech writer ($ where's my paycheck $). If they are looking for a info designer,
and I am qualified/interested in the position, then PRESTO!, I'm an info dsgnr
($ ching-ching $). [This should be pretty straightforward to a marketing-type
such as yourself.]
I would have the portfolio and self-marketing pkg geared for what they are
looking for while also displaying my career passions (graphics, particular
industry, online exp., etc.), just so they know where I'm coming from
(Milwaukee, WI).
Personally, I think you would be safest with 'technical writer'. It's pretty
established
and you won't be flaking anyone out (unless that's your goal).
Have a day, (and have another one tomorrow),
Michael Schiesl
Rockwell Automation Product Documentation
(keeping parentheses in style)
Shelley Hoose wrote:
I am a newbie transitioning from marketing communications to tech
communications, and am creating a portfolio so I can get a job. (I do have
some tech writing samples to put in it.) I am wondering, however, what is
an appropriate term to call myself.
My generic resume says that I'm a "writer, editor, designer * print and
web." My tech comm resume inserts the word technical before "writer."
But is the word "design" appropriate for the tech field? I have not seen
it often used. Or would "information design" be better? Actually now that I
think about it, why don't technical communicators refer to themselves more
often as information designers -- I think it is a more descriptive term.
Does it sound too high-falutin? Not able to be understood by an average
reader? Because "technical communicator" also does not tell the story.
In any case, for those of us (and I gather it's most of us) designing our
docs as well as writing them, is there a common descriptive term?
And, another question: is an instructional designer a sub-category of an
information designer?
