hello

["Bryan E. Chafy" <bechafy -at- NONMAJOR -dot- CS -dot- MTU -dot- EDU>]

   Hello-

   I am a newcommer to techwr-l and need some advice.  But first some
essentials.
   My name is Bryan and I am a senior at MTU (Michigan Tech U).  I am
pursuing a BS degree in technical communications with computer science as a
minor.
   This year I've been sending out resume's to various prospects in hopes of
finding some kind of technical writing co-op or summer job.  What I
have found is that I have been entered into numerous six-month databases.
When a potential prospect does find an interest in me, it is almost always
because of my computer science knowledge and not my techical writing
knowledge.
   So now I need some advice.  Should all future technical writers be
double majors?  If so would that really benefit me in finding a job as a
technical writer, or would that just get me more inquiries about my
computer science knowledge? Also, how can I keep my resume out of the
six-month database and into a hiring manager's hand without knowing the
name or title (excluding the title "hiring manager") of that manager?
Are there any companies that hire technical writers as part of their staff
or are almost all tech. writing jobs contracted out?  Are co-op's in tech
writing a falacy or do they really exist ??
Finally, if anyone could share some of their experiences about what it's like
being a technical writer (do you you like your job, pay, co workers, etc)
or if you are searching like me, let me know. Any input would really help.

                Thanks
                bechafy -at- mtu -dot- edu