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Subject:RE: Getting a job as beginning tech writer From:"Sean O'Donoghue-Hayes (EAA)" <Sean.O'Donoghue-Hayes -at- ericsson -dot- com -dot- au> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 26 Sep 2002 14:19:39 +1000
>>> I am unemployed and really want to know what I can do to
>>> improve my situation!
>>Build a time machine.
>>Andrew Plato
DM,
Whilst Andrew's suggestion is one, that I am sure, would enable you to gain
employment, I suspect that it may be outside the range of your current
resources, and indeed may even be against some of the basic laws of the
universe.
How to become a "beginning" technical writer?
(a) firstly it is unlikely that if you get a job that involves some
beginner's level of technical writing it shall be referred to as such. It
maybe administrative assistant, call centre operator, programmer, project
officer, insurance phone desk person.....the list goes on. Often if you are
beginning you need to get in somewhere, in a role, learn that role,
documenting - or keeping up to date existing documentation, around you......
(b) to go further in learning the role, and gaining the title, you just grab
all the documentation in sight and offer to do it.
(c) if you can document it, or persevere until you can document it, then you
are becoming a technical writer.
(d) now you can go for a job titled "technical writer" and perhaps get it.
Of course this simple four-step approach may not be for you, if you already
have experience in some field of work, scientific qualification or other
aptitude that allows you to be considered as knowledgeable in a field of
industry or business. Then it is a case of developing writing skills to
match that experience and knowledge - once again you will then become a
technical writer.
If you have the writing skills, and an open mind, and can learn quickly you
can hope that someone, some employer, will take a chance to exploit you for
their company's benefit in creating documentation. However again, expect
that the employer would prefer that you have SOME knowledge or interest in
their industry.
Either way. Good luck - regrettably in the current market even if you are
proficient, experienced, enthusiastic and available it does not mean you are
assured of a technical writer position. So it maybe a long haul.
regards and thanks,
Sean O'Donoghue-Hayes
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