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As a newcomer to this list (and to the field of technical writing per se),
I've already learned a lot from many posts. This thread, though, captures an
issue that is currently frustrating me hugely, and gives me courage to invite
help on how to deal with it from the list as a whole.
I'm what I like to call a recovering academic. Yes, from a humanities field.
I'm also one of those not-so-rare-really creatures who has some pretty
substantial computer background, albeit informally acquired. I have
demonstrably good writing and teaching skills, and have already landed a
couple of free-lance jobs that apparently fall under the rubric of technical
writing, although not in the realm of software development (which is where I'd
really like to end up).
It's this experience thing that's killing me -- that, plus what seems to be an
inherent suspicion of the technical capabilities of anyone with a humanities
background (pace the few stories I've heard that might give the lie to this
attitude). From what I gather from parts of the discussion recently, the
skill/experience thing dogs TWs even when they demonstrate both. What's a
poor newbie to do?
If I unwittingly ask for too much from the list, my abject apologies. My
brief stint in marketing has left me with perhaps a bit too much of the
attitude of "if you don't ask, they can't give/say yes." But any words of
advice would be most welcome.
Jennifer
Jennifer Rondeau
jrondeau -at- oregon -dot- uoregon -dot- edu
(541) 338-4243
>===== Original Message From Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com> =====
>Christine -dot- Anameier -at- seagate -dot- com wrote:
<snip>
>> This is just an issue that's
>> always bugged me, for reasons that date back to my pre-TW days. And it was
>> such a battle trying to convince recruiters that five years of relevant
>> non-TW experience plus zero years of TW experience did not mean "clueless
>> novice."
>>
>Christine:
>
>You shouldn't apologize. You didn't sound hostile to anyone, and you're
>making an important point.
<snip>
>Formal requirements may please bureaucrats. But they're not the whole
>story. Thanks for re-emphaszing this important point.
>--
>Bruce Byfield 604.421.7177 bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com
>
>Prince, I can hear the trumpet of Germinal,
>The tumbrils toiling up the terrible way;
>Even to-day your royal head may fall,
>I think I will not hang myself to-day.
>
>-G. K. Chesterton, "A Ballade of Suicide"
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