We started by discussing the potential for more face-to-face meetings this year. While meeting in person is nice for members in Greater Vancouver, it would exclude others. The virtual meetings are attended by members scattered throughout western Canada and the United States. Chapter leaders have decided to continue the virtual meetings for now, but hope to hold some face-to-face meetings outdoors in the summer.
The chapter is planning a tech-writing tools webinar series, beginning with the MadCap suite in February. They’re also looking for new topics. If you’re interested in suggesting a topic or speaker, or presenting a webinar yourself, please contact them. A workshop on advanced Word use would be valuable.
The chapter needed to fill the volunteer role of Event Coordinator, and someone admirably stepped up to take on the role. Best of luck to her in the position!
We discussed various chapter and SIG (special interest group) events as well as workshops put on by the STC at large. Editors Canada was also suggested as a potential source. You can find upcoming events on the STC events calendar and Eventbrite and Meetup groups.
The Atlanta STC Summit annual conference is scheduled for May 14-17. Several people recommended it highly, sharing good memories of both virtual and in-person attendance. It can be a good source of inspiration for technical writing, such as incorporating videos into documentation.
Someone asked about interview norms and strategies. Online and pre-recorded interviews are increasingly popular but need different strategies and skills to present the best impression, like choosing an appropriate Zoom background. We discussed getting your name out there, reaching out to hiring agencies proactively, and distributing your résumé. LinkedIn and Indeed were recommended as good sites for finding job postings. Some employers use Upwork for outsourcing work, though there was some skepticism about its benefits for workers.
While it’s common for employers to require two or three years of experience for entry-level work, this is an ideal and should not keep you from applying. Many people have relevant experience they don’t think to include because “technical writer” wasn’t in the job title — researching and writing documents and reports for work or academic assignments, working on a team, training, teaching, and so on. Everyone agreed that you should apply if you have at least half of the employer’s wish list, and use the interview to emphasize the skills you can offer.
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, February 15, 2023
- Subscribe to receive email announcements of future meetings.
- If you plan to attend, RSVP by 4 p.m. Wednesday, February 15, to receive login instructions.
Date: Wednesday, February 15
Time: 7:00-8:00 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.
- Speed networking. Make new contacts and discuss your professional backgrounds and goals.
Brian Young is a student at BCIT currently finishing his Technical Writing certificate. He has a BA in English from Simon Fraser University and is looking forward to working in the industry.