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Re: Breaking in (was Re: Computer jobs for liberal arts majors?)
Subject:Re: Breaking in (was Re: Computer jobs for liberal arts majors?) From:"Westra, Kayla L." <13718westr -at- KCPBLDG01 -dot- BV -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 16 Aug 1994 08:45:00 CDT
> Let's get specific -- in the tech writing field, how far would
> I (reasonably) get with a BA in English Lit, a diploma in Business
> Admin/Accounting from an accredited Business College, and a few
> Tech Writing courses (but not enough to make a minor)?
> I've had experience with MS Word for Windows, UNIX, DOS, etc.,
> but no programming (unless you count dBase, which I've been told
> I shouldn't).
I ended up as a tech writer after teaching high school English for a couple
of years, then managing a Better Business Bureau (and doing media
interviews, rewriting a consumer information series, etc). After I moved to
Kansas City, I worked for a temp agency and was assigned to rewrite
technical manuals for a company that makes deicers (you know, to deice
planes). After 10 whole weeks of experience, I found a full-time job at
Black & Veatch as a tech editor.
My advice? Keep your base broad, do as many different things as you can in
the writing field, and be adaptable. I told them I could do the job, and
they believed me!
Kayla Westra
Black & Veatch
13718westr -at- kcpbldg01 -dot- bv -dot- com
