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Subject:Re: Skills and Know-how From:mearro -at- msn -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Fri, 3 Dec 2004 16:03:47 -0700
Anthony writes:
> Am I at a disadvantage? I
> can pick up new concepts and programs fairly quiclkly,
> but there is a lot that I still don't know. Any
> thoughts?
Anthony:
It was relatively easy for a lot of writers to get their start or to
successfully advance during the last 5-10 years. Before I began my current
position 6 years ago, I interviewed at & turned down jobs at several other
companies. I was able to pick & choose. This has changed. There aren't as
many job openings and salaries for open positions are generally lower.
The current situation is more like what I experienced when I first began
technical writing - more than 15 years ago. Like you, when I was in
college, I decided that I wanted to work as a technical writer. At that
time, most writers came into the profession laterally (as others have
described in their backgrounds & is still the case). I wasn't able to get
a job until I could offer more than writing skills. For me, I worked as a
copyeditor at a newspaper for a year or so - using primitive publishing
software & mastering standards, styles, design, and layout. After that, I
was able to provide real-world experience & samples. That made a
difference. I began as an editor in a documentation group & shortly after
began to write.
It's difficult to say what skills or experience could make a difference
for you. But it's important to realize that your competition will not only
consist of recent grads. Other applicants may include people who like to
write (and do it well) & who have worked on help desks, as programmers, or
in other writing fields.
With that in mind, try to get as much tangible experience as you can.
Create & maintain a website for a non-profit group. Get an internship
involving writing or work in an industry that you're interested in. Write
newsletters for a club or organization.
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