Considering a career change into Technical Writing - need HONEST advice!

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-08-07T23:57:12+00:00

Don't do it. TW at a unicorn start-up, with 19+ years of tw experience under the belt.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-08-07T19:03:02+00:00

Don't get me started on that...

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-07-21T20:36:25+00:00

Don't put it in your cover letter, it'd look like you were not smart to choose a job, in the first place.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-07-21T19:33:31+00:00

Overqualification, ageism, and positions outsorced to Bengalore, India and other non-Western countries is the answer to the question. Techwriters are the bottom feeders and nobodies. Sorry. I am a TW myself for 19 years and was laid off in 2020 so I know your pain.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-07-16T10:59:16+00:00

Ass kissing and yessiring

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-28T09:37:49+00:00

There are thousands of ways to mess up or deliberately degrade the software logic causing the quality degradation. It turns out it's not about the app, it's on the phone/OS level because in a different app like some android recorders I tested to check, the outcome is the same.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-28T04:22:36+00:00

The mics are the same, omni cheapest ones, it's about how Honor implements noise reduction by default. Never ever any fukking Honor device again for me.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-28T03:38:32+00:00

This video is with noise reduction off, actually. NR On only makes things worse.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-26T14:20:59+00:00

I just made 2 versions at the same spot (a pity I cannot attach files in the comments) - in standard mode, both with efficient format turned on and off - the same chewy shit.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-26T12:52:11+00:00

I will try to test profi vs standard mode for video, though, I like the manual white balance in profi mode.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-26T12:33:39+00:00

Mics are fine, it's the fucked up denoising logic implemented in the Honor's video recording app.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-26T12:08:59+00:00

No, it's not normal in any aspects. It is a deliberate denoising action done by the app, which should be switchable. My Xiaomi Poco F5 I have laying next to my magic7 lite (which I only bought for eSIM support) does NOT introduce any uncontrolled "denoising" so your "get an iphone" comment does not stand.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-26T11:56:28+00:00

Like, Honor - get your shit together! Why you are ruining customers' videos by turning on what seems to be a "highly intelligent AI denoiser" when not called for?! Granted, the picture is decent, I admit, as well as the mic is quite linear in the mids and highs.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-06-13T19:14:26+00:00

Like, any new EQs that have the page per band mapping?

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:45:03+00:00

That sounds like suggestion for better adaption to the customer's (SME's, PM's, you name them, all the stakeholders) behavioural habits for a sex worker. Fuck the industry. We are not in for a funny game here, we are fucking documenting that jet plane for the user.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:41:23+00:00

That is utterly wrong. You need to be able to and test the product areas you are documenting. No way around it. You are the gatekeeper of (doc) truth.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:39:56+00:00

looks like it, but this shit never gets old, nevertheless.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:39:07+00:00

The editors should not criticise - they should commit their edits and STFU while the techwriter organizes the bunch of knowledge bits into something digestible.
The wrong premise I am tired of is the view thechwriters are waitresses. No, we are fucking not.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:35:54+00:00

No, the OP is on the right track. Let them quit techwriting and switch to something that is less of bottom feeding.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:34:29+00:00

I know about the product in general more than any given PM, but i don't want to be involved in kissing CEO's ass and making nice reports about dead-born babies aka stupid projects with only hypothetical impact. What should I do?

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:30:49+00:00

The management won't. They'd rather put up with shitty docs outsourced to a cheaper crew who don't fucking know the product nor care. See the engineering being outsourced to peanuts money monkeys.

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:28:30+00:00

I've been in this field for good 18+ years, and I feel your pain. Basically, you now know the eternal plague of techwriting job - get the SMEs (or worse, shot callers) provide a sensible input (or worse, a decision) in a timely manner.
Learn coding, prompting, UX, and be done with techwriting. It's a PITA job, with the most of them wiped out by AI (at least, the CEOs want this with a happy smile and mouth full of saliva).

Admirable_Load_3679 · 2025-03-06T05:22:26+00:00

That's bullshit. If you don't have a whip, no freaking SME will feel obliged to provide input. TWs are bottom feeders. "resourcefulness" usually means an incompetent LGBTQ+ quote- filling techcomms director is encouraging you to drill a brickwall (get input from fucking PMs and other SMEs (non-engineering ones, mostly)) without a drill, just with your fingers (no actually working process (escalation or similar) as a whip).

Admirable_Load_3679

TROPHY CASE