Last month’s Tech Comm Café was cancelled due to technical problems, but this month we chatted for longer than usual to make up for lost time. We welcomed some new faces and had a blast discussing the topics they brought up.
Things kicked off with job leads. Need a quick, short job? One member recommended Upwork, a website where people hire freelancers to do mostly technical work for short periods. One person had found Upwork to be saturated with other job-seekers and difficult to find work with; another noted that a lot of the jobs can be found online elsewhere. Others had found good leads through LinkedIn for both contract and permanent positions.
The chapter is planning an event related to technical writing portfolios, possibly later this year. Are you interested in setting up or polishing your portfolio? Got something else you would like to learn at a chapter webinar? Send us any suggestions you have for future chapter events!
In the experience of long-time professionals, employers want to see that their potential hire can do the job more than anything else. You demonstrate this by presenting writing samples. Employers don’t often ask for portfolios, but they never turn them down, either. A good portfolio will always be helpful. If you want to expand your portfolio, try writing for open-source projects, which don’t pay you but can provide relevant samples you can show at an interview. Pro tip from a veteran: find a document from the company you’re applying to, rewrite a better version of it, and show them how you can improve their documents and their public image.
A university degree or technical writing certificate can help prevent HR’s automated systems from filtering out your résumé. It doesn’t really matter where you get your credentials, as long as employers are familiar with the institution. Certification helps get your foot in the door and shows that you’re serious about the job. If you want additional credentials, try to get one in a specialization that interests you. For example, there are lots of job opportunities in API documentation, but if you’re not interested in programming you’re unlikely to enjoy the work.
There are many different software tools a technical writer can use to get the job done. Don’t be worried if your school taught you one program instead of another. If you know MadCap Flare, you can use Adobe RoboHelp.
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, September 30, 2020
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- If you plan to attend, please RSVP by 4 p.m. Wednesday, September 30, to receive login instructions.
Date: Wednesday, September 30
Time: 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Pacific Time
Location: Online via Zoom
Agenda
- Introductions. 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.
- Networking. Chat with other technical writers and discuss your professional backgrounds, goals, questions, advice.
Jason Wu is a technical writer who volunteers for the chapter in his spare time.