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On 3/5/07, Alaina Stern <alaina12 -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
>
> Hi Everyone,
>
> I need your advice to help me get out of the grueling situation that I'm
> in.
> I'm a Technical Writer with five years of documentation experience. I
> moved
> to United States last year and worked on an online-help project for a
> fortune hundred company.
>
> I have genuine liking for my profession and I absolutely love technology.
> I
> keep myself up-to-date with the latest in our field. I have strong
> recommendations from colleagues and employers. But somehow, all this is
> not
> helping me find a job. I get interview calls from companies based on my
> resume but once they hear that I have just six months of American
> experience
> they disappear. My non-U.S experience isn't given any consideration. No
> one's even ready to take a writing test or take a technical test and see
> if
> I can actually do my job.
>
> Today a recruiter even suggested that I take up some QA engineering
> training
> (I'm guessing because of my Electronics Engineering degree and programming
> experience). She went on to tell me that Technical Writing is not for a
> non-American and that without experience, I'll go nowhere. My eternal
> optimism has evaporated. I'm fed up of people calling me and saying I
> don't
> have adequate experience. Where do I fit in ten years of experience in my
> twenty seven years on earth?
>
> Documenting technology is what I like. If I have a career, this is what I
> want to do. I'm ready to give certifications and whatever it takes to give
> me an edge. What do you all suggest? I am not good at networking. Should I
> start attending Technical Communication seminars? Get any specific
> certification? Get a Master's degree?
>
> Please help!
>
> Thank you,
> Alaina
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
> printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team
> authoring,
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>
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^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
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You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-