The STC Canada West Coast chapter’s Tech Comm Café group met on September 10, 2014. We were pleased to see that attendance had again increased over the previous month’s. Whatever we’re doing, it’s working! This time, the group included recent graduates of technical communication programs, current students, people changing careers, and long-time technical writers wanting to stay in touch or give back to their professional community.
Moderator Pam Drucker again kept the discussion on track, making sure that everyone who attended had one minute to introduce themselves, discuss job leads, and offer a networking tip that’s worked for them. Examples: Always carry business cards. Refine your elevator speech. Be curious. Be open. “Show up” — volunteer, go to at least one event a month, get out there and talk to people. Don’t limit yourself to business networking meetings; you could meet a potential contact on a hike or waiting in a coffee lineup, so be ready.
We also discussed the preferred location and day of the week to meet, and the majority decided to keep the current arrangement: second Wednesday of the month, still at Metrotown but in a different area. (See details below.)
In the Q&A section, we covered a wide range of questions. Why does an employer post the same job for months without filling it? What do you do when a client wants much more than their budget allows? How do you write business requirements? How can you encourage users to read in-house documentation? What should you include in an online portfolio? What skills are most in demand for new graduates? The answers are too long to include here; you’ll just have to come to the next meeting. We hope to see you there!
Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2014
Time: 6:30–8:00 pm Pacific Time
Location: Upper Level food court at Metrotown (4700 Kingsway, Burnaby)
Heather Sommerville is a senior technical writer and editor with over 20 years of experience delivering clear, concise writing for business and technical audiences. She is an STC Associate Fellow and has served in many volunteer positions with the STC Canada West Coast chapter.
I was there. It was an evening that moved quickly with interesting discussions. Thanks to Pam for keeping us on track.
I appreciate the feedback to my work challenge. The contributions from fellow technical writers with varied experience confirmed my next steps.
See you next time.
Hi Linda, Glad you got value from the discussion. You got it–ask a probing question, get practical replies. Thanks for kicking things off!
After a year’s absence from the STC meetings, I am pleased to be able to attend again. It’s great to have the opportunity to share with the technical writing community.
Thanks to everyone who has put in the time to organize these meetings/events, and to keep the momentum of the chapter moving forward.
I look forward to the next meeting.
Hi Cynthia, Great to see you again. The discussion got merrier with more and more contributors. Thanks for helping us keep the big ‘mo’ going!