We had another great turnout for the Tech Comm Café this month, hosted on Zoom. After the usual round of introductions, talk turned to jobs and résumés.
One member commented on a recent job posting for a technical writer, which asked applicants to submit a cover letter, résumé, and writing samples and to complete a work assignment. It’s not common for employers to ask for samples before an applicant is actually a candidate, and even less common to assign a writing task as part of the initial application. Most people in attendance agreed that they wouldn’t apply unless they were particularly interested in that company or job.
One person had recently reviewed technical writer résumés on behalf of a client who was hiring. One résumé in particular stood out. It was 2500 words (recommended length is 500 to 600) and included over 40 years of work experience. The fact that the applicant had not focused on providing only the information most relevant to the job description suggested that their manuals might show the same verbosity and lack of focus. The consensus was that résumés should be shorter and customized to the job requirements.
People also emphasized the importance of having someone proofread your résumé before submitting. One person had once claimed 140 years of experience, which their proofreader luckily caught. Another mentioned the classic typo, “Dear Sir or Madman.”
Our discussion of work history brought up the question of job titles. One person was transitioning into a newly created role and wondered what title to use. The company was updating their business processes across the entire organization and needed someone to look at all those updates for consistency and completeness, analyze the existing information (documents that had already been changed or needed to), design information structures, and create an audit trail. The group suggested titles such as “content strategist, “information architect,” or “procedures analyst.”
Someone asked if others had noticed more job postings requesting experience documenting APIs (Application Programming Interface). They wondered if that was a skill worth pursuing. One person suggested a programming background would be beneficial, and writing API documentation without one might be challenging. However, another writer said they managed just fine documenting RESTful APIs with no previous programming experience. They simply applied the same principles of learning they used to come up to speed on any technology. Many good sources of information are available on APIs (books, webinars, blogs), including ones specifically directed at technical writers.
The Tech Comm Café 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!
Next Meeting: ONLINE on Wednesday, May 19, 2021
• Subscribe to receive email announcements of future meetings.
• If you plan to attend, please RSVP by 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 19, to receive login instructions.
Date: Wednesday, May 19
Time: 7:00-8:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Location: Online via Zoom
Agenda
1. Introductions. Take 60 seconds to introduce yourself, your background, current activities. A good chance to try out that new elevator speech.
2. 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.
3. Brainstorming Q&A. Ask about a work-related problem and discuss potential solutions.
4. Speed networking. Make new contacts and discuss your professional backgrounds and goals.
Joy Schiffner is a Senior Technical Writer with a background in business and leading-edge software technologies. She helps companies communicate complex information in ways that enable customers’ insight, decision-making, and action. Her professional interests include entrepreneurship, web technologies, and accessibility.