Re: Interested in input from managers and individual contributors on hiring newbies

Subject: Re: Interested in input from managers and individual contributors on hiring newbies
From: Charlotte Claussen <charlotteclaussen -at- gmail -dot- com>
To: "Van Laan, Krista" <Krista -dot- VanLaan -at- itron -dot- com>
Date: Fri, 19 Mar 2021 18:20:23 +0000

I started over 10 years ago, but I think that what I did would still work:

- I joined forums within technical communication, and I read articles
online.
- I got in touch with a technical writer who was kind enough to take
time to talk to me about the job and give me some tips on what I could do
- I looked at job ads to see what employers were asking for
- At that time, most employers asked for FrameMaker, so I took a
FrameMaker class. I didn't use FrameMaker in my first few jobs, but the
course on my CV helped me landing those jobs. And also, I was
extra lucky.
The teacher, who is now both my mentor and friend, offered me an
internship, and he introduced me to people.

One thing I would have done differently: I would have joined an
organisation like tecom, ISTC, or STC sooner. I believe they all offer
mentoring for junior members.
Also, I recommend going to meetups and conferences in technical
communication, content strategy, UX, and similar areas.

For getting through the application software, using keywords that match the
application is important. I have also been made aware of a few other things
I never thought of, such as the use of images or that not all AIs read PDF
well. See for example:
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/12/18/how-to-write-the-best-resume-for-artificial-intelligence-and-robots.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/kathycaprino/2019/03/23/how-to-write-a-resume-that-passes-the-artificial-intelligence-test/?sh=5c9296ee6ea7

Looking forward to hearing about other people's way in.

/Charlotte

On Fri, 19 Mar 2021 at 16:53, Van Laan, Krista <Krista -dot- VanLaan -at- itron -dot- com>
wrote:

> I am working on the second edition of "The Insider's Guide to Technical
> Writing" and would like to update the section on breaking into the field.
> Job-hunting has changed a lot over the years, and it seems to be harder
> than ever for a new graduate or career-changer to meet real hiring managers
> or get around the impersonal job application software.
>
> For hiring managers: How do you recruit new hires who have no experience?
> What do you look for when hiring someone like this?
>
> For individual contributors who have started within the last ten years:
> How did you find your first job?
>
> Krista Van Laan
>
>
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Interested in input from managers and individual contributors on hiring newbies: From: Van Laan, Krista

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