The monthly Tech Comm Café met on Wednesday, February 11, at 6:30 pm in the Whole Foods Market café near Broadway and Cambie in Vancouver. A few members went to the store’s upstairs coffee bar before realizing the meeting was in the cafeteria downstairs, but eventually a good-sized group assembled, with several new members present.
The meeting started with a few announcements: The Tech Comm Café itself needs a new moderator, and the chapter needs a new coordinator for the information interview service. We’re also looking for candidates for chapter vice-president. Anyone interested, please contact the Volunteer Coordinator, Heather Sommerville, volunteer (at) stcwestcoast (dot) ca. Several members also mentioned job leads or job-hunting experiences they had had in the past month.
The discussion section focused on getting past the interview stage and landing a job. Questions about ageism and being over- or under- qualified flowed into a discussion of what to leave off a résumé—generally, anything too old, unless it’s needed for the advertised job. If a potential employer tells you that you’re not what they’re looking for, ask for feedback that will help you with future applications, accept that this particular position isn’t a good fit for you, and move on to the next opportunity. To get past automated screeners, be sure to use relevant keywords in your résumé, or ask a friend or LinkedIn connection to introduce you to a contact at the company.
We also discussed signing up with an agency. Several members had had disappointing experiences with agencies—the consensus was that applying directly to an ad was the better course. Agencies sometimes don’t understand the technical writer’s role, so they have trouble placing us.
Other topics included networking, volunteering, and how to use LinkedIn effectively. Suggestions for introverts who have trouble self-marketing: just “poke your nose out” and ask for help, be visible, volunteer to do something you enjoy.
The meeting ended with an exchange of business cards and contact information.
Many thanks to Heather Sommerville for organizing the event and moderating the meeting. The next meeting is scheduled for March 11, again at the Whole Foods Market café.
Next Tech Comm Café: Wednesday, March 11, 2015
The TCC provides networking opportunities, job leads, answers to work-related dilemmas, and a burst of professional energy to keep you motivated. We discuss technical writing tools and techniques, career planning, portfolios, and anything else related to working as a technical communicator.
We welcome anyone who’s interested in technical communication — contractor, in-house, student, long-time tech writer, STC member, non-member, career-changer, or recruiter. We hope to see you at the next meeting!
Date: Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Time: 6:30–8:00 pm Pacific Time
Location: Whole Foods Market, 510 West 8th Avenue at Cambie, in the café on the main level, not the smaller coffee counter on the mezzanine. Broadway-City Hall SkyTrain, Broadway buses, or pay parking on the street or underground.
Agenda
- Take 60 seconds to introduce yourself, your background, current activities. A good chance to try out that new elevator speech.
- Announcements and job leads. If you know of an interesting event or a job opening, or you’re looking for work, share it with the group.
- Brainstorming Q&A. Ask about a work-related problem and discuss potential solutions.
- Speed networking. Spend a few minutes with a new contact, exchange business cards, and discuss your professional backgrounds and goals.
