Re: Job Information

["S. George" <sgeorge -at- CITI -dot- UMICH -dot- EDU>]

"Laurie S. Yanyo" <ly07+ -at- andrew -dot- cmu -dot- edu> writes:

>I will be graduating next year with a double major in Biology/Tech.
>Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.  Do most tech. writers work for
>a computer firm?  I have just recently subscribed to this bboard and
>everything I read seems to be about computer manual writing.  Are there
>other job opportunities out there?  I am very interested finding out the
>outlook for jobs in the technical writing field, so I hope the responses
>Allison's post will be posted to the board or if possible sent directly
>to me.

Yes, most technical  writers work in the computer field.  This bias is also
reflected in the membership of the STC--a source of frustration for
non-computer people in the STC.  (I'm a "computer person.")

If the computing field is not your thing, you certainly have other
options as a technical writer.  A new professional interest
committee (PIC) is forming (has formed?) in the STC for scientific
communicators.  Dr. Steven J. Peterson is largely responsible
for forming this committee and he can be reached at:

        Technical Information Dept.
        P.O. BOX 808, L-664
        University of CA
        Livermore, CA 94551

        Phone: (510) 423-8327
        FAX    (510) 422-8803

I attended the PIC lunch at the Dallas STC conference and sat
with the scientific communicators, Dr. Peterson included.  He is
very personable and knowledgeable about the field and would be
an excellent person for you to contact if you are interested in
scientific communication.  If you are interested in writing in the
medical field, he may well be able to help you there as well.

Best of luck,

Scott