TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
I was hoping to get specific career advice from more experienced technical
writers. Long-term, I am hoping to work in a large IT firm as a technical
writer/information designer. I guess my dream would be IBM, Microsoft, or a
large software company. Could people possibly let me know how they think I
could get to this goal? I know, for example, that I should probably start
taking some programming courses. Any help is GREATLY appreciated--this
list is such a wonderful resource.
I currently have:
*M.A. in English Lit.
*3yrs private consulting exp. doing editing/government grant
proposals/report writing
*tech writing experience writing a user manual for SunMedia corp. Currently
write standards and procedures for the Quality Division of IT at the TTC
*knowledge of HTML through Tango, DreamWeaver and HomeSite, and SGML
through Author/Editor
*knowledge of FrameMaker, QuarkXPress, Corel Draw, Office, and PhotoShop
What can I be doing to reach my goals? Feel free to email me privately and
avoid cluttering up the list. I could always provide a summary if other
people were interested.
