The September blitz only lasted one week this year. Now it's back to re-posting the same tired job posting from earlier in the summer.
Part and parcel of the situation is the fact that none of the jobs I interviewed for have made a decision. That's including those jobs where I underwent multiple interviews. Instead, the preferred hiring method is to interview every qualified tech writer in the Tri-State area before making a decision.
I can't say that I blame any of these companies for choosing this tactic. Times are tough, dollars are in short supply, and you want to ensure you get the most bang for your hiring buck. Still, when you're waiting 6 weeks for a decision, and the decision is expected to remain pending for an undisclosed duration, it's hard to know what to do next. Resubmit my resume for positions that are now accepting a fourth round of resumes? Start applying to non-tech writing jobs? Return to part-time teaching?
Thankfully I have UI until year's end. The question is, since no new jobs are expected between now and then, do I just bite the bullet and take a Joe job until the tech writing market is healthier? Do I return to Canada and take some courses? Do I hang tight and hope that a job will somehow come along? Let's just say that in this market, I'm beginning to think that a combination of all three may be in order...
Happy job hunting!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Signs of Life
Thanks to New York arguably being the the financial center of the universe, the "Great Recession" has meant almost zippo jobs the last 18 months in New York. This past week, every last one of the contracts advertised were financial sector jobs.
Even the pay scale for the jobs was marginally better. Granted, a few jobs required a daily rate. And typically, daily rate means the company wants to eek the last drop of blood out of you. Still, since the daily rates being offered translated into a higher hourly rate, it wasn't all bad news. Better to work like a dog and get paid fairly versus the opposite, after all.
As for the standard contracts, many companies were only hiring on a C2C basis. The highest rate I saw was $42, with the average falling in the high 20s, low 30s range. Again, even when you factor in the $5/hr padding for C2C, that's still better overall than the rates I saw quoted in the last year.
Who knows if this blitz will last? In the meantime, I'm happy to hang onto any positive signs I can find. Here's hoping some of us NYC-area tech writers find ourselves employed in the near future, and that this little upsurge results in better rates across the country for all our tech comm brothers and sisters.
Happy job hunting!
Even the pay scale for the jobs was marginally better. Granted, a few jobs required a daily rate. And typically, daily rate means the company wants to eek the last drop of blood out of you. Still, since the daily rates being offered translated into a higher hourly rate, it wasn't all bad news. Better to work like a dog and get paid fairly versus the opposite, after all.
As for the standard contracts, many companies were only hiring on a C2C basis. The highest rate I saw was $42, with the average falling in the high 20s, low 30s range. Again, even when you factor in the $5/hr padding for C2C, that's still better overall than the rates I saw quoted in the last year.
Who knows if this blitz will last? In the meantime, I'm happy to hang onto any positive signs I can find. Here's hoping some of us NYC-area tech writers find ourselves employed in the near future, and that this little upsurge results in better rates across the country for all our tech comm brothers and sisters.
Happy job hunting!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Mistakes
This week, while on an interview, I realised that I had made a decision that was unfortunately misguided.
When asked to interview, I was told that I would have to bring diagramming samples. While I have used Visio and Powerpoint constantly throughout my career, I had meager examples of my work at best. I always find requests for samples difficult, since my best work has consistently been done on confidential, proprietary documents. My portfolio is consequently a bit slimmer than I would like.
Yet the interviewer insisted that I bring samples, for "visual" purposes. That right there should have been the tip-off for me, but I failed to catch it. So there I was, faced with a real dilemma: do I bring the samples, as demanded, or do I simply stick to my "I have no recent samples" mantra? Given that the interviewer sent emails demanding samples, I decided ultimately to bring my outdated examples.
It wound up being the wrong move. The interviewer was unimpressed and grilled me as to why I had made the choices I had. I told her the truth: that I bound to company standards that were beyond my control, and if I had had my druthers, I would have used different schematics. I also made sure to demonstrate the type of choices I have made. However, despite my explanation (and demonstration), as well as the acknowledged caveat that my matured work was confidential and subsequently unavailable for viewing, her first impression remained.
So I learned the hard way that no matter what the client asks, sometimes you have to do what it takes to put your best foot forward. By trying to placate the interviewer by doing as she wished, I wound up painting myself at a level far below where I am today. Let me tell you- that's one lesson I plan to apply to my future interviews.
Happy job hunting!
When asked to interview, I was told that I would have to bring diagramming samples. While I have used Visio and Powerpoint constantly throughout my career, I had meager examples of my work at best. I always find requests for samples difficult, since my best work has consistently been done on confidential, proprietary documents. My portfolio is consequently a bit slimmer than I would like.
Yet the interviewer insisted that I bring samples, for "visual" purposes. That right there should have been the tip-off for me, but I failed to catch it. So there I was, faced with a real dilemma: do I bring the samples, as demanded, or do I simply stick to my "I have no recent samples" mantra? Given that the interviewer sent emails demanding samples, I decided ultimately to bring my outdated examples.
It wound up being the wrong move. The interviewer was unimpressed and grilled me as to why I had made the choices I had. I told her the truth: that I bound to company standards that were beyond my control, and if I had had my druthers, I would have used different schematics. I also made sure to demonstrate the type of choices I have made. However, despite my explanation (and demonstration), as well as the acknowledged caveat that my matured work was confidential and subsequently unavailable for viewing, her first impression remained.
So I learned the hard way that no matter what the client asks, sometimes you have to do what it takes to put your best foot forward. By trying to placate the interviewer by doing as she wished, I wound up painting myself at a level far below where I am today. Let me tell you- that's one lesson I plan to apply to my future interviews.
Happy job hunting!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Tech Writing is a Personality Game
This weekend, I visited with my friend's mother. Her friend from out-of-town happened to be staying with her.
I have had the pleasure of meeting the friend before. This woman had been a computer programmer back during the dawn of the computer age, when computers took up entire rooms, if not buildings. And what never escapes me each time I meet her is that her personality is exactly what you would expect of a woman computer programmer from the '50s: piercing yet friendly gaze, measured and deliberate clip when speaking, methodical way of moving about, etc.
The meeting reminded me of what my Favourite Recruiter of All Time once told me- tech writing is all about personality. And it struck me, as I thought a bit about this woman pioneer, that the personality of a winning technical writer runs counter to what most job sites indicate. Indeed, a survey of those Jobs for Introverts lists should include software engineers, because it is a job where you are typically left alone to figure out how to meet the specifications. But a technical writer? I think we would be better represented if we go on the Extroverts list.
Why, you might ask? If you consider for a moment that at least 75% of your time as a tech writer is spent doing research, you'll have your answer. Research involves understanding various personalities, and interacting with those personalities in such a way as to garner the necessary information to produce your materials. If you're a quiet type who is left floundering when faced with talking to people, then tech writing will prove difficult for you. And since my tech comm program was highly selective, the fact that every last student in the program was quite outgoing is instructive. Our personalities were as important a factor in our gaining entry as our work/study histories.
That's not to say that you need to be the life of the party in order to do well as a technical writer. In fact, you would be better served if you left that the Sales team. But a knack at getting people to talk to you will serve you well in your career, as will managing to get along with different personalities in general.
Happy job hunting!
I have had the pleasure of meeting the friend before. This woman had been a computer programmer back during the dawn of the computer age, when computers took up entire rooms, if not buildings. And what never escapes me each time I meet her is that her personality is exactly what you would expect of a woman computer programmer from the '50s: piercing yet friendly gaze, measured and deliberate clip when speaking, methodical way of moving about, etc.
The meeting reminded me of what my Favourite Recruiter of All Time once told me- tech writing is all about personality. And it struck me, as I thought a bit about this woman pioneer, that the personality of a winning technical writer runs counter to what most job sites indicate. Indeed, a survey of those Jobs for Introverts lists should include software engineers, because it is a job where you are typically left alone to figure out how to meet the specifications. But a technical writer? I think we would be better represented if we go on the Extroverts list.
Why, you might ask? If you consider for a moment that at least 75% of your time as a tech writer is spent doing research, you'll have your answer. Research involves understanding various personalities, and interacting with those personalities in such a way as to garner the necessary information to produce your materials. If you're a quiet type who is left floundering when faced with talking to people, then tech writing will prove difficult for you. And since my tech comm program was highly selective, the fact that every last student in the program was quite outgoing is instructive. Our personalities were as important a factor in our gaining entry as our work/study histories.
That's not to say that you need to be the life of the party in order to do well as a technical writer. In fact, you would be better served if you left that the Sales team. But a knack at getting people to talk to you will serve you well in your career, as will managing to get along with different personalities in general.
Happy job hunting!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Gone Fishing!
What with everyone getting back into the swing of things, not to mention mourning the end of summer, things have been predictably slow this week. So after reviewing the various re-postings and following up on my recently submitted applications, my days have been refreshingly light, work-wise.
Never one to sit idle though, I decided to attend to other areas of my job search, namely updating my wardrobe and shopping for a laptop. :) All within my small budget, of course. To that end, I hit a few of the sample sales available in my area, and netted a few nice finds. If anyone is currently looking to find well-made clothing at a great discount, I strongly suggest contacting any wholesalers in your area that are open to the public.
As for the new laptop, a friend of mine who is also a tech writer bought a Gateway last year, and has been very pleased with her purchase. So I was checking out Gateway last week, and was pleased with the specs available for their budget models. But this past Friday I was at a dinner party, and a guest who is a web designer leered when I mentioned Gateway. I am now consequently wondering if I should go with another manufacturer. As always, any suggestions would be appreciated. :)
That's the scoop. Hopefully things will pick up soon on the job search front. Until then, I am enjoying the less-harried pace of my days, and remaining convinced that somewhere in the near future, I am going to find that dream job of mine.
Happy job hunting!
Never one to sit idle though, I decided to attend to other areas of my job search, namely updating my wardrobe and shopping for a laptop. :) All within my small budget, of course. To that end, I hit a few of the sample sales available in my area, and netted a few nice finds. If anyone is currently looking to find well-made clothing at a great discount, I strongly suggest contacting any wholesalers in your area that are open to the public.
As for the new laptop, a friend of mine who is also a tech writer bought a Gateway last year, and has been very pleased with her purchase. So I was checking out Gateway last week, and was pleased with the specs available for their budget models. But this past Friday I was at a dinner party, and a guest who is a web designer leered when I mentioned Gateway. I am now consequently wondering if I should go with another manufacturer. As always, any suggestions would be appreciated. :)
That's the scoop. Hopefully things will pick up soon on the job search front. Until then, I am enjoying the less-harried pace of my days, and remaining convinced that somewhere in the near future, I am going to find that dream job of mine.
Happy job hunting!
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Adding Value
Whenever I tell people that I'm a technical writer, I invariably get the blank stare. So I tell them "You know- when you buy a product and there's the manual that comes with it? I create those". Then the light goes on, and there's a wide round of "Ohhhhhh".
Truth is though, that explanation leaves much to be desired. Back when I was studying tech comm, my mentor told us that we would be spending only 10% of our time writing. And what she said has proven true, at least in my experience. So when I was recently interviewing and the topic of tech writer as billable resource popped up, I began thinking about how a tech writer services the business.
For many companies, the only value they see a technical writer providing is the end deliverables: user manual, online help, website content, compliance documentation, specifications, etc. But really, those deliverables are just gravy. The true value that a technical writer adds to an organization is what I call "funnelling".
Let's face it: as a tech writer, you spend your days attempting to place products and/or processes in appropriate relation to the business. Talking to pertinent people in various departments, reviewing any existing documentation, attending countless meetings- you do these tasks so that you can produce documentation with the appropriate content and focus. The upshot is that all this "back-end" work of yours becomes a platform for communication and buy in across the business.
In short, as a tech writer, your primary value and service is facilitation. Your work helps stakeholders discuss and achieve consensus. And to further that consensus, you incorporate the agreed-upon elements in your documentation.
So the next time you interview and face the "What can you do for me? What value would you add to our business", make sure to mention that role of facilitator. Because as much as engineers may be able to write specifications instead of you, and sales people their marketing materials, it takes the tech writer for everyone to see eye-to-eye. That's one service that renders you indispensible.
Happy job hunting!
Truth is though, that explanation leaves much to be desired. Back when I was studying tech comm, my mentor told us that we would be spending only 10% of our time writing. And what she said has proven true, at least in my experience. So when I was recently interviewing and the topic of tech writer as billable resource popped up, I began thinking about how a tech writer services the business.
For many companies, the only value they see a technical writer providing is the end deliverables: user manual, online help, website content, compliance documentation, specifications, etc. But really, those deliverables are just gravy. The true value that a technical writer adds to an organization is what I call "funnelling".
Let's face it: as a tech writer, you spend your days attempting to place products and/or processes in appropriate relation to the business. Talking to pertinent people in various departments, reviewing any existing documentation, attending countless meetings- you do these tasks so that you can produce documentation with the appropriate content and focus. The upshot is that all this "back-end" work of yours becomes a platform for communication and buy in across the business.
In short, as a tech writer, your primary value and service is facilitation. Your work helps stakeholders discuss and achieve consensus. And to further that consensus, you incorporate the agreed-upon elements in your documentation.
So the next time you interview and face the "What can you do for me? What value would you add to our business", make sure to mention that role of facilitator. Because as much as engineers may be able to write specifications instead of you, and sales people their marketing materials, it takes the tech writer for everyone to see eye-to-eye. That's one service that renders you indispensible.
Happy job hunting!
Friday, September 4, 2009
Please Excuse Us- We're Experiencing Some Technical Difficulty
One evening this week, I unfortunately decided upgrade to the latest version of Firefox. The end result has required almost 8 hours of mucking around to restore the functionality I had prior to the upgrade. Definitely a very unpleasant experience.
First, due to the puny RAM I have installed in Ol'Faithful, Firefox was unable to load. Now, I don't know about you, but I consider that a real showstopper. So I uninstalled Firefox and starting using Opera. And I was really enjoying the generally pleasant browsing experience, complete with zippy page loads and pretty colour schemes, until I stumbled upon a major limitation: Google can't manage multiple accounts with Opera! Not good.
With no other recourse at that point, I figured I had better just suck it up already and download IE 8. Let's just say that even with all its improvements over previous reiterations, I'm still not a fan. But then again, I've never been a huge Microsoft fan, so perhaps I'm not exactly the litmus test for IE fandom. To be honest, until I replace my laptop, I guess I'll just be grateful that at least I can once again visit my usual e-haunts.
And that means that I can continue blogging and job searching. :)
Happy long weekend, everyone!
First, due to the puny RAM I have installed in Ol'Faithful, Firefox was unable to load. Now, I don't know about you, but I consider that a real showstopper. So I uninstalled Firefox and starting using Opera. And I was really enjoying the generally pleasant browsing experience, complete with zippy page loads and pretty colour schemes, until I stumbled upon a major limitation: Google can't manage multiple accounts with Opera! Not good.
With no other recourse at that point, I figured I had better just suck it up already and download IE 8. Let's just say that even with all its improvements over previous reiterations, I'm still not a fan. But then again, I've never been a huge Microsoft fan, so perhaps I'm not exactly the litmus test for IE fandom. To be honest, until I replace my laptop, I guess I'll just be grateful that at least I can once again visit my usual e-haunts.
And that means that I can continue blogging and job searching. :)
Happy long weekend, everyone!
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