Make Yourself More Than Just an "Entry-Level" Tech Writerby Jim Monahan |
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If you are just recently out of school, or if graduation awaits you in the next couple of years, you should be very aware that the regional job market for all professions -- including technical writers -- has changed drastically from when you first entered college. My own "first real job" search ended successfully last March. During my 18-month hunt, however, I applied for very few entry-level openings because very few were available. Instead, I was applying for positions requiring years of professional experience, and competing against anywhere from 50 to 200 other candidates for these positions. And, of course, with many struggling high-tech companies laying off in all areas, many of my competitors had the years of experience that the hiring companies were looking for.
Despite the collapse of the "Massachusetts Miracle," there are still opportunities out there for technical writers. Last March's issue of Money listed the top 48 metropolitan job markets years, as projected by the Washington, D.C. economics firm of Woods and Poole. In Boston -- pegged as the 17th-largest provider of white collar jobs over the next five years -- technical writers will be the most-sought after professionals, according to Woods and Poole. To make the most of these limited opportunities, you have to distinguish yourself from the crowd of other technical writers who'll be vying for the same positions you're after. In other words, you have to go into that job market armed with more than just a bachelor's degree and some classroom writing samples. Following are some suggestions that can help you acquire some professional technical writing experience, broaden your skills and knowledge of the technical writing field, and get you over the entry-level hump.
Use your scarce college electives to take more worthwhile courses than "A Musical History of Martian Culture" with Professor Easygrade (or whatever the popular "gut" courses are on campus). Enroll in classes that advance your technical writing knowledge in an area that you've had little or no exposure to, such as logic, cultural studies, rhetoric & composition, cognitive and social psychology, instructional design, reading comprehension, human factors, human and computer interaction, computer technologies (operating systems, systems administration), computer programming (C++, assembly language), typography, graphic design, screen design, discourse analysis, or psycholinguistics (to name a few).
Give your classroom assignments a "real world" flavor by seeking an audience for them outside the classroom. Discuss with your professor the possible uses of an assigned piece of writing, and then ask appropriate school and area organizations if they might have a use for your finished document. If they do end up using it, you not only complete an assignment, but you also get a publication credit and a quality sample for your portfolio. You may also open up further opportunities for yourself: another (possibly paid) assignment; an internship or summer job; or, if the firm produces technical or related documentation, a full-time job after graduation.
Inquire about non-classroom writing opportunities on campus. Join the staff of your school paper, and write articles on subjects related to writing and technology. Or contact your school's academic computing office and other departments that provide technical services, and see if they have any writing needs.
Before you become an interviewee, take the first step and be an interviewer. Get in touch with companies and try to setup personal or telephone interviews with technical writers and technical publications managers. To find out about area companies who employ tech writers, read the want ads, talk to professors, ask career counselors and anyone else who might have some knowledge of area businesses, and check your school or local library to see if they carry any of the following publications:
Once you locate area employers who are willing to talk, ask them some of the following questions:
Read technical writing journals, periodicals and anthologies, computer journals and magazines, and other technical and industry publications related to technical writing subjects. In addition to STC publications such as this newsletter, the national STC newsletter Intercom, and the STC journal Technical Communication, the publications listed below provide valuable information.
Lastly, get involved in organizations such as the STC and the Boston Computer Society, and the events that they sponsor (for information on BCS membership, call (617) 367-8080). These organizations provide resources that keep you up-to-date on issues, activities, and other information pertaining to technical writing and the computer technologies.
Jim Monahan is a recently-hired technical writer for Microcom, Inc. in Norwood, Massachusetts.