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Subject:Re: What is a "techie" technical writer? From:Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- progeny -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 19 Jan 2001 12:21:59 -0800
"Thompson, Carole" wrote:
> No you are right Bruce. I don't want to go there. I am unfortunately
> inarticulate today. And the archives are full of eloquent defenses of both
> types. I guess I was really wondering what hiring managers look for on a
> resume when they want a "techie". Are there a lot of ex-programmers (or
> other technical fields) doing technical writing these days?
I'm not sure that hirers have any clear idea of what they need in a
writer. Some seem to be looking for someone with programming
knowledge, but I think that's more of a wish than a reality.
So far as I can see, the vast majority of tech-writers aren't
programmers or even technically oriented at all. They seem more
likely to be Arts majors grateful to learn that they're actually
employable. Since that's my background, I suppose that I can't say
much against it. But I do think that, if you don't have a technical
background when you start, you have to be willing to acquire one.
Otherwise, that ceiling that everyone's been talking about is going
to be lower.
--
Bruce Byfield, Progeny Linux Systems
Contributing Editor, Maximum Linux
604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- progeny -dot- com
"I met my love by the gasworks wall
Dreamed a dream by the old canal,
I kissed my love by the factory wall,
Dirty old town, dirty old town."
-Ewan McColl, "Dirty Old Town"
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