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At 07:40 AM 11/16/98 -0700, Charlene Hirschi wrote:
>Here is my question. Is it productive to buy and learn new softwares for
>this purpose (including on resume)? As a "just starting out" tech writer,
>I can see that my computer experience (or lack thereof)is a real handicap.
>But there are so many programs mentioned, how can anybody learn them all
>just to put on the resume?
>I'd really appreciate some help on this one.
I'd think if you're just starting out, it's worth investing in or borrowing
some software to learn a few of the basic packages, just so it's obvious
you've got some skills.
Once you've gotten going, though, I think it's more important that you
learn how these programs work, in general. Meaning, if you understand how
one drawing program works, you should be able to learn another quickly
once the need arises.
Right now, I'm pretty confident that if I don't know a program that a client
uses, I can learn it pretty quickly. I can also argue that my familiarity
with how programs work and what shortcuts and pitfalls to look for might
make me more effective than someone who actually already allegedly knows
how to use a specific program.
So, my advice is, pick a DTP program, and a drawing program, and really
learn them. Read the manuals, learn how to use the programs correctly and
most efficiently. Hopefully you can learn how to use others "on the job"
so you don't have to front the cash yourself.
