The monthly Tech Comm Café (TCC) met on July 8 at BG Urban Café in Metrotown, Burnaby. The group was small, with the pleasant result that the five of us there became much better acquainted.
Announcement. On July 25 at the Vancouver Art Gallery, our chapter will host an All Hands Chapter Collaboration Meeting to discuss how to keep our chapter moving forward in serving our writing community. For details refer to https://stcwestcoast.ca/chapter/july-25-all-hands-chapter-collaboration-meeting.
Self-publishing. One member will be helping a new client to self-publish a technical book. The member asked for advice about self-publishing, and this led to a discussion of some of the technicalities of e-books. A graphic designer advised that if you are going to publish an e-book, you want to work with the manuscript without formatting it. For example, just label your headings with the heading levels rather than formatting them. Also, it’s preferable to design in InDesign, which yields a more professional-looking result than Word and is much better at displaying properly on a variety of devices.
Job hunting and résumés. Most of us are actively looking for work, so for the rest of the evening, we talked about each person’s specific circumstances and brainstormed approaches and markets. The group spent considerable time reviewing one person’s résumé. This was a learning experience for all of us. We concluded that it is important to start with a summary that succinctly paints a picture of the whole person so the reader immediately feels they have a grip on who the applicant is without having to synthesize bits and pieces of information from the rest of the résumé. We also talked about how important it is to network. Several of us find our work primarily through our network.
Skill development. Those who want to upgrade their skills (and who doesn’t?) may like to know that a subscription to Lynda.com is free with a Vancouver Public Library card, if you are a Vancouver resident.
We discussed the location of the Café meetings — each one has pros and cons, so we like to change every few months — and decided to return to BG Urban Café in Metrotown for the next one. Details below.
Many thanks to Krista-June Soderlind for chairing the meeting and to Heather Sommerville for organizing the TCC. The next meeting is scheduled for August 12. Hope to see you there!
Next Tech Comm Café: Wednesday, August 12, 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, August 12, 2015
Time: 6:30–8:00 pm Pacific Time
Location: BG Urban Café, 4575 Central Blvd, Burnaby. Close to the Metrotown Skytrain and bus loop. On the outside of the mall, north side of Central Blvd., east of the mall entrance between the mall and Bonsor Park. Free parking in the mall.
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. Spend a few minutes with a new contact, exchange business cards, and discuss your professional backgrounds and goals.
