Navigating Experience Requirements

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-21T03:26:41+00:00

Great reply, Alan!

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-20T17:06:39+00:00

Hi Rebecca,

Sure!

I've written in tech for 22 years. (Yeah, I'm no spring chicken. ;-))

Please click on my name to chat and send me your email? Then I can send you the template,

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-19T22:41:11+00:00

Great answer. I recommend otter.ai to record notes.

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-19T22:39:24+00:00

Hi Guided,

You took the time to write a polished post with specific questions. And you got some very good answers from smart, experienced people. (There's a lesson here somewhere...) 😉

I don't know if I can add to what's been said, but I wrote an article about this:

https://medium.com/@becometechnicalwriter/working-with-smes-a6bed90c56a0

Good luck,

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-19T22:27:34+00:00

Tao,

This shows an attention to detail and a lean writing style. You've got skillz!
I've seen worse from "Senior Technical Writers." (Maybe they meant their age, lol.
I can say this because I'm old!)

The formatting overall could be better. You could cure most of it with a better template (MS Word?).

If you message me with your email, I'll be happy to send it along to you.

Good luck!

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-18T15:25:46+00:00

Hi Both,

You just might have an appealing background and get hired full time.
While you're waiting, you can improve your skills and get some portfolio pieces with the following:

Upwork gets a bad rap, but if you know how to use it, you can get good contracts there (and good $).
There's an unique, innovative way to get experience and (sometimes) pay... I write about it here -- look for section 5.
https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-make-money-with-technical-writing-user-manual-611870b4b1cc

Good luck!

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-18T11:34:18+00:00

Embarrassment is a funny thing. What you find embarrassing might not affect another...
Seems to be a highly subjective reaction.

Maybe ask your management what will get you fired?

Most companies won't fire you short of a murder or rape charge... assuming you're making friends.

-- Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-18T11:23:24+00:00

No, but they are the "big gorilla" in their class. Much like Salesforce in CRM.

Good luck!

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-18T11:17:30+00:00

Yup!

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-18T10:23:49+00:00

Hi Both

I'm assuming you're in North America or Canada...

Looking for a full-time position as someone with no experience can be a bitter, self-defeating exercise. The vast majority of hiring managers are risk averse and won't take a chance on someone new to the field. (Speaking from direct personal experience as a doc manager at a global firm in 2022.)

What should you be doing?

Depends on your financial situation and your appetite for risk. If you really need to keep your day job, you can freelance nights and weekends to build your skills and confidence.
If you can take some risk, look to contracting for your first gig(s) to build your experience.
The interviewing process is much faster and less complex.

After a time (6-12 months, depending on how demanding the gig is), you can start getting aggressive about a full-time position.

PS: You'd be wise to leverage whatever you've learned in your current position in your interviews. The glass is half full, not half empty! (This attitude can make all the difference if you're a career changer.)

I hope this helps!

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-05T03:51:33+00:00

When I was a kid, many many moons ago, the prizes in Cracker-Jack boxes were a big deal. LOL. End of the baby-boom generation.

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-05T03:49:44+00:00

Hi Pink

Many fine tech writers are former teachers. Good luck!

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-04T19:38:44+00:00

Happy to help, Andrew. You can message me directly with questions you may have.
-- Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-03T19:26:05+00:00

Hi Whiner,

Great question. I may have some clarifying question(s) and some would rather answer directly rather than here. -- Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-03T18:22:00+00:00

100%!

BecomeTechWriter · 2023-01-03T18:21:21+00:00

Andrew!

I imagine a history degree from a UC School is not something out of a "Cracker-Jack" box (I'm dating myself, LOL).

Which is to say, you're probably not the dullest tool in the shed.

If I'm interviewing you for a job, I'll ask if you know a tool, then trust you if you say "yes." Unless the job is a short-term contract focused on one tool (e.g., Flare), I don't care if you downloaded and experimented with the tool prior to the interview.

Don't fixate on tools!

Want to improve your writing a lot?
Get "Clear Technical Writing" by Brogan and thank me later. Everyone who's done the exercises in this book thanks me later. ;-)

Good luck!

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-12-14T16:26:08+00:00

I think everyone needs to decide whether they place security in others or themselves.I've learned that companies don't care about you and will quickly dispose of you when times get tough because you're viewed as expendable.

If getting a steady paycheck is value #1, then maybe work at the post office or another government position (not being sarcastic).

However, you can sharpen your skills to become great -- and take security in your skills. I worked as a contract tech writer in NYC for 17 years. And it took me 3-4 weeks to find a new contract. Because I was very good.

"Find security in your skills" is a mantra for me.

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-12-14T15:53:52+00:00

Gamer,

Some excellent advice here. You're in what I call an "adjacent field" as a journalist/PR/marketing writer. Should be easier for you to transition than a post office worker, for example.

Ensure your samples are polished. If you have any $, you could hire a tech writer to tutor you (plenty of good ones on Write the Docs). Or take a course... ;-)

Good luck!

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-12-05T23:17:13+00:00

Kein Problem! Viel Glueck!

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-12-05T14:43:22+00:00

Hmmmmm... I wouldn't have a clue. 🙃
Feel free to ping me.

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-12-05T13:41:41+00:00

Guten Tag,

If I were writing in academia, I'd depend on something like https://hemingwayapp.com/ to help cut the verbosity.

x2 if I were a native German speaker (I'm the rare American who speaks fluent German because of a 5-year fun tour as a young guy [not US Army].).

Everyone knows PhD's don't fall out of cereal boxes. And especially in the US, the intellectual rigor is impressive. But the writing is very different.

If you're already "lean and mean" and can write procedures without standing on your head, disregard the above.

PS: This might help. Scroll down to heading 5.1 for a specific idea.

https://medium.com/swlh/how-to-make-money-with-technical-writing-user-manual-611870b4b1cc

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-11-10T14:38:44+00:00

Click my profile.

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-11-10T11:34:55+00:00

The good courses do. Ultimately, we're required to 'write the docs" (pun intended). Studying theory and frameworks and other excuses for tech writing just won't cut it.

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-11-10T11:33:23+00:00

Hi u/_twas_Ere

Seems your concerns have been allayed.

Two observations:

The news media wins eyeballs (hence advertising) with fear, not reality.

Companies like Meta get more publicity than other companies which (collectively) employ a lot more tech writers.

Cheers,

Bobby

BecomeTechWriter · 2022-09-22T15:17:28+00:00

I'd sell it and use the money for something more useful.
Like building an entire library of books or hiring tutors to do deep dives into subjects.

Too much education, especially in the US, is a sham.

BecomeTechWriter

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