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And therein lies a huge difference in what purpose you have in reviewing the
resumes coming across your desk. Not only do I want to know that you can
play nice, write well, and use Framemaker 5.5 or Word '97, but I want to
know what you've accomplished, and what you would like to accomplish. It
also helps to find out if you're a logical or intuitive thinker, and if your
skills will complement the ones already on staff.
I guess some of that decision is based on if you're looking for short-term
contractors, but when I'm looking for a full-time associate, I want to know
that they're willing and able to grow beyond the immediate task at hand.
Some of it is also how you view the job. My title says "Senior Tech
Writer", but my boss appreciates my ability to plan a project, design
graphics, mentor a junior writer, advise the marketing staff, and contribute
to the development and QA of the product. That's what he looked for in a
"senior" writer. Oh yeah, and I write the user doc.
IMHO, it all depends on the limits you want to set for yourself, and the
limits of the job description.
Connie Giordano
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Lydia wrote in part:
As a WRITER reviewing resumes,I want to know if you can do what I need you
to do for me: do writing work so I don't have to do it.
So, I like to see things like "Wrote 200-page developers' reference guide
using FrameMaker 5.5." Or "Interviewed development team and worked closely
with developers designing user interface." I guess it's nice if you also
saved the company, but I'm not looking for that, in particular. ; )
And I'm sorry, but just because you "know Word" doesn't mean you can learn
FrameMaker in a snap. And vice versa. I want to know what tools you used in
the past, and for how long, and what you created with them (a pamphlet? a
book?). I don't care if that's "holistic" or not. I'm not here to be
"holistic"; I'm reviewing resumes to find the best person to fulfill our
needs for a tech writer.
