Re: Useful Lessons For New People

Subject: Re: Useful Lessons For New People
From: Kat Nagel <katnagel -at- eznet -dot- net>
To: Lisa Westcott <Lisa_Westcott -at- telus -dot- net>, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 18:27:33 -0500

I have been avoiding the university-vs-reality thread because it tends to recur frequently and attracts pompous self-righteous curmudgeons on both sides of the issue.

Lisa (and others who lurk on TECHWR-L to learn about technical communication), please don't let tussles like that scare you away from either the mailing list or the profession. They are both jam-packed with creative, generous people who avoid food fights in cafeterias and flame wars on mailing lists. These people do, however, come out of the woodwork in droves when their help is needed.

Hang in there. You are entering one of the most fascinating careers in the world---one of the few where you actually get paid to LEARN stuff as well as DO things.

/Kat Nagel, MasterWork Consulting Services katnagel -at- eznet -dot- net
"The transformation of calories into words, of words into money,
and of money into calories again are the three basic cycles in
a freelance writer's metabolism." /Mary Kittredge, _Poison Pen_


At 05:37 PM 03/12/2000 -0800, Lisa Westcott wrote:

I'd just like to say a huge thank you to Thomas Murrell for what I'm going to
take as a huge boost of confidence.

I'm currently 14½ weeks away from completing my Technical Communication
certificate and 15 weeks away from moving out of Canada and down to Silicon
Valley where my hubby-to-be is working. It is hugely (and I do mean hugely)
intimidating to be starting a new career in one of the high tech capitals of the
world, and reading along on Techwhirl since I subscribed last weekend (and
following the university-versus-reality stream in particular) has frankly scared
the crap out of me. I was starting to regret listening to the teachers who have
recommended Techwhirl as a great forum for learning. I was also starting to
rethink tech writing altogether, because so many folks seemed to be so negative
about bringing new, less-experienced people into the industry.

So thanks to Thomas Murrell for pointing out (very kindly!) that the tech world
is full of different people, different opportunities, and different types of
jobs at different levels -- even for us newbies. My faith is renewed in tech
writing (and in Techwhirl!), and I'm optimistic again that somewhere out there
is a job where I can work hard, learn tons, and contribute as part of a team,
doing something that I think I'm really going to love.

Thanks again!

Lisa
lisa_westcott -at- telus -dot- net


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