Re: resume: making up for no degree

[Tim Altom <taltom -at- SIMPLYWRITTEN -dot- COM>]

The fact is that most ads for technical communicators are put together by HR
or manager types: well-meaning, but not clued in about what we do.

My experience has been that you stand your best chance by not relying on a
resume, which is IMNSHO more an excuse for winnowing than a ticket to
winning the job. Dress up your resume as you will, you'll be shot down any
time a checklist-oriented person decides that you don't have the requisite
number of leg hairs. Your mileage may vary, probably all over the place.

However, my point is that a resume is only supposed to get you an interview.
That's rubber-on-road time. Others have said it here before, and I'll
reiterate it: go to the interview loaded for grizzly bear, with a
contingency plan for wildcat. Be proactive. Know as much about them as you
can...their products, plans, stock offerings, recent announcements. Then
start IMMEDIATELY asking questions, as soon as you decently can. Ask
everything. Find out what kind of doc they do, the tools they use, if they
plan to move up to XML or SGML, how satisfied they are with their current
tools and manuals. Put your research skills to work. Dazzle them. Make them
reel backwards with your probing professionalism. You're pro, damnit. You
want to know about their job, not sit around nattering about what your
degree is in.

It doesn't always work. Nothing does. Sometimes they're looking for a
personality fit, and you ain't it. But nothing makes a manager's sphincter
tighten in surprise any faster than a sharp employee who's good enough to go
elsewhere, but will consider doing the manager's job for him well and
quickly. Make it clear to whomever your supervisor will be that you want him
or her to shine to the upstairs elders.

You can't pack that into a resume. For that, emphasize your experience, your
attitude, and highlights of your career. Figure out how your background fits
into what you're guessing about the target company. Sell yourself. Do you
think that Microsoft has the finest products in every category in the world?
Far from it; even MS knows it. Yet, they sell beautifully well by knowing
what the customer really, really needs, which is often not what the customer
thinks he needs.

Best of luck.

Tim Altom
Adobe Certified Expert, Acrobat
Simply Written, Inc.
The FrameMaker support people
We train and consult on the Clustar Method
for single source documentation
317.562-9298
http://www.simplywritten.com



>My degree (graphic arts) works well for the industry
>I currently work in, but it's not a Technical Writing
>or even English degree, which seems to be a
>requirement in every TW job ad.
>
>Since I got into tech writing 10 years ago, I've tried to
>learn as much as I can about it, to constantly improve,
>in every way--except a return to college. I go to seminars
>and workshops; belong to STC & diligently read Intercom
>& the Journal; buy (& read) books on tech writing &
>related subjects; subscribe to magazines, both print &
>online; search the web for information; and joined
>this list.
>
>Is it possible, in a resume, to communicate this active
>effort to improve (and overcome the lack of a degree
>in this field) or is this something that should be left
>for an interview? Or is it all totally irrelevant as far
>as a potential employer is concerned?
>
>I realize my efforts to learn don't necessarily say anything
>about my ability to do the job. Some recent posts from
>listers who hire mentioned looking for people who were
>willing to learn, so I wonder how you communicate that
>when looking for a new job.
>
>Thanks in advance.
>


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