She Documents! She Instructs!

Cleaning House

2009-12-07T17:06:00.004-05:00

Lately, a new type of job posting seems to be emerging: the open call for resumes. Today I responded to one such posting, which asked for resume by technical writers, documentation specialists and medical writers possessing financial, biotechnology and/or pharmaceutical experience.

While my most recent positions have been in the financial sector, I have previously dabbled in biotechnology. Since none of my 8 or so existing cover letters mentioned my biotech work, I created a customized cover to go with my resume.

After sending off my application, I realised that when they emailed me a copy of my application, I could save the new cover letter for future use. I am pleased to announce that I am now prepped to apply for Scientific Writer positions.

I wound up being doubly thankful for the posting as a result. Not only did I get to apply to a position, but I also managed to identify a gap in my arsenal of job search tools. There's nothing like a little job search bonus, eh?

Happy job hunting everyone!

Winding Down

2009-12-01T23:04:00.003-05:00

Most years, September is the month when companies crunch their numbers to determine whether they can hire a tech writer to do some quick and dirty short-term work. The resulting companies with a few spare dollars translates into job postings in October/November.

Come December 1 though, the job market takes a real nose-dive. There's no winding down slowly. Instead, you see a sudden drop in postings. Sure enough, this morning the job boards featured only re-postings of now-defunct positions.

Given this annual cycle, what's an unemployed tech writer to do? While you may find it near impossible to net a job in December, there are steps you can take to greatly increase your chances of being employed come January.

Devote your time to building/solidifying your network. Touch base with recruiters, tweet/blog away, and keep in constant communication with contacts on social networking sites.
Use this "down-time" to polish up your cover letter(s)/resume(s).
Learn that new skill/software that you've been meaning to pick up.
Avoid overlooking jobs based on their job title. Many positions feature funky titles slapped onto industry-standard descriptions.

In short, it's precisely when you're less busy with sending off resumes and following up that you can set the foundation for a great job in the new year.

Happy job hunting everyone!

Run Along Now

2009-11-26T14:01:00.003-05:00

I tend to take that "ready for work if work had been offered" line of Unemployment Insurance rather seriously. As a result, I stick near my computer/phone during business hours, on the off chance that someone will contact me regarding a job.

But wouldn't you know it? Late Monday afternoon, I took the unusual turn of going across the street to the grocery for a few minutes, and returned to five voice mails and an email. The recruiter in question wanted me to interview the following afternoon. Naturally, I accepted.

The interview went well-enough. The interviewer and I seemed to get along, and more importantly, we seem to think very similarly. It was one of those interviews where you go to answer a question, and the interviewer subsequently adds details that you were thinking yourself. All in all, a very positive experience.

I will admit that when I spoke to the recruiter on Monday, I was a tad skeptical about her claim that I had to interview Tuesday, because the interviewer wanted to finish all first interviews this week. Sure enough, during the interview, the interviewer informed me that I was one of 10 candidates and that first interviews would be continuing into next week.

That said, I was pleased by what I heard during the interview, and really hope that I do make the shortlist. Of course, this early in the hiring process, who knows how things will pan out? But I am thinking good thoughts, as usual.

Here's wishing all my American readers a Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Happy job hunting everyone!

What's a Reasonable Commute?

2009-11-18T13:49:00.003-05:00

It used to be, when I first moved to New York, that most people who lived in Manhattan refused to work anywhere but Manhattan. Indeed, while I was familiar with long commute times, most Manhattanites held this peculiarly vehement stance that they were born in Manhattan, and would live, work, and die in Manhattan. The notion of going even to Brooklyn or Queens to work induced shudders, if not a violent outburst. I was intrigued.

Certainly, for most people in North America, what constitutes a manageable commute depends on a person's circumstances. When I lived in the Southern US, I had no problem commuting almost 2 hours each way to work. Living in a region where things are very spread out, such a commute was expected. Similarly, many people in Connecticut and New Jersey spend 2 hours each day commuting to and from Manhattan for work. And such people deem their commute "doable".

This week, the few technical writing positions available are all in Jersey, and far into Jersey at that. Upon receiving a response from the recruiter for one of these positions, I was dismayed to learn during our conversation that the client would most probably reject my application. The reason? Since I live deep into my borough, the client wasn't considering people who would require a lengthy commute to travel on-site.

I can definitely see how a company might be concerned that someone hired who has a long commute might wind up finding the commute too difficult to sustain. But in the end, shouldn't that decision be made by the candidate when they are informed of the job location? If the candidate decides that the commute is manageable, why should a company presume otherwise.

I must admit that I was quite perplexed by the company's strategy. As unpalatable as a significantly long commute may initially seem to someone, in the end, work is work- that is, after all, why they pay you to do it! But if someone who offers to move closer to the job site is still rejected based on distance to the job site, then it doesn't bode well for anyone who lives outside a given 10 mile radius in the Tri-State area.

A very trying situation indeed. As for yours truly, I'm hoping that the other companies will be more tolerant during their hiring process. And in the meantime, until I receive more responses, I'm sending off my applications and hoping for a positive outcome.

Happy job hunting everyone!

Reference Check

2009-11-10T18:04:00.002-05:00

Last Thursday, I received an email from the company in VA. They wanted me to submit references. Needless to say, I was quite excited that they were moving ahead with my candidacy, and promptly emailed them a list.

While I knew that I was in the "Selected" category, which HR told me means I'm under "serious consideration", I also knew that the company was holding a career fair on Saturday. So it was a bit premature to think that I was on a shortlist of any sort. Still, a positive turn of events, and I was thinking good thoughts.

As is only appropriate, I notified all of the references that I included in my list that they should expect someone from the company to contact them in the next few days. By Friday, a few people had received emails from one of the men I had interviewed with, asking them when over the weekend or Monday would be a good time to chat. As I entered the weekend, I was consequently hopeful that things would be a lock once they consulted with my references. Hopeful, mind you- not certain.

Then yesterday, I heard from a few people that they had either not received a response to their emails indicating their availability or not heard from the contact at the designated hour. That's when I knew something was up. Sure enough, this afternoon, I received the rejection letter.

Am I disappointed that I didn't get the job? Definitely. But I will say that upon considering how both the in-person interview (see Interview in VA ) and post-interview process went, I am less sad now about losing the opportunity than I would've been last week. In the end, I see clearly that the job wasn't meant to be and that the outcome is for the best. Onward and upward I say!

Happy job hunting everyone!

Amtrak's New Quiet Car Feature

2009-11-09T14:46:00.003-05:00

On my recent trip to VA for an interview, I chose to take Amtrak. It had been about a year since I last travelled by train and I was pleased as punch to discover their a feature they've rolled out since my last trip: the Quiet Car.

Each train now has one car of the eight designated as the Quiet Car. Amtrak advertises the car as "a library environment", one wherein cell phone use is prohibited and talk must be kept to a whisper. Since I often find train travel a bit noisy, I decided to use the Quiet Car in both directions.

The silence greatly improved my travel experience. On the trip down, the silence helped me concentrate as I reviewed my interview notes, and on the trip back, I kicked back and watched the foliage whip undisturbed. Interestingly, the peaceful atmosphere seemed to cause people to be more careful while moving in the aisle; it was the first time ever while travelling that I wasn't constantly bumped as people walked around.

All in all, the feature really enhanced my trip. While I would definitely encourage people to give the Quiet Car a whirl the next time they take the train, be aware that the no cell phone policy and talking levels are strictly enforced; the conductor asked one woman to move to a different car after warning her to keep her voice down. But if it's peace and quiet you're after, I assure you- you'll be pleasantly surprised and may even want to start taking the train more often.

Happy trails everyone!

Interview in VA

2009-11-05T14:38:00.009-05:00

This week I had an in-person interview in Virginia (i.e., a suburb of Washington, DC). My friend in Alexandria had been telling me for months that the VA tech writing is stable, with many jobs. So I was quite excited about my trip.

The first bump in the process happened when my departure train was delayed. That delay, combined with the cabbie who drove me from the station in VA getting lost, resulted in my interviews starting two hours late- at 6 PM. That's when the real fun began!

Interview #1 was a combo platter: the Project Manager for the team and the exiting Proposal Writer. The challenging part of that interview was shifting gears from the rather informal note that the interview started with (I was asked who my favourite hockey team was) to a more formal tone. You want to seem professional after all! Also, I found it hard to gauge what to stress in my answers, since the person you would expect to have been asking most of the questions, i.e. the Project Manager, was silent; it was the Proposal Writer who directed the interview.

Interview #2 was with VP who would be my direct supervisor. That session began at 8 PM and ran until almost 9:30 PM. I would summarise that experience as easily the most brutal interview I have ever undergone. Suffice it say that I felt as if I was being hazed in the military, although the ordeal actually gave me insight into his managerial style/methodology.

If I was to pick a common denominator to both VA interviews, it would be how vague they were. Whereas my phone interview a few weeks ago with "Mr. Challenging" (a different VP) had been rigorous, it was also highly focussed and detailed. I understood the gist of the questions, and could consequently feel confident while answering. Upon pondering the discrepancy for a few days though, I determined that the two VA interviews were vague on purpose. The team wanted to see how I deal with ambiguity. In other words, it was a deliberate attempt on the part of the interviewers to see how I would respond to their work environment.

Friends have asked me upon my return whether I was still interested in the position, if company should extend an offer. I have answered yes unhesitatingly, due to the following:

Every person I spoke to, save the VP, were downright nice. So overall, it seems like a relatively friendly and open environment. Plus, the verdict is out on whether the VP's personality in the interview was illustrative of his personality in general.
The product I would be working on would actually help people in the daily lives. That incentive stands in stark contrast to working on products/processes for banks or multinational corporations, where your work is predominantly serving to make the company richer. Sure, that's satisfying also, but I prefer to work where I can really make a difference in the lives of average Americans.
A permanent job opens to door to permanent jobs in the future. The primary impediment to my having been hired for permanent jobs to date is my contracting history. Until I get a permanent job and stay there for several years, nobody is going to believe my constantly uttered statement that I really want to stay and grow with a company long-term. And can you blame them? So while I'm not planning to get the job and vamoose, if several years down the line I find myself seeking employment again, the permanent job market will be open to me.

And that, in brief, was how my interviews went in VA. I'm thinking good thoughts, hoping that after they check my references they'll decide to offer me the job. Until then, I'm sending out resumes for other positions, and trying to remember what I learned from my experiences this week.

Happy job hunting!

Just a $1

2009-10-26T21:06:00.003-04:00

Ten years ago, I got my first technical writing job: a paid internship with a software company. I was over the moon.

Last week I spoke to a company here in the US. The company in question submitted me at a major national bank for a rate that was my 5 year all-time low. But since I just want to get back to work (or, as I told one recruiter today, to "close the gap in my resume already"), I had no qualms about the rate.

Then this morning I heard from the company: my resume had been rejected because my rate was too high! The bank was only accepting resumes for a rate that equals $1 more an hour than I had made 10 years ago during my apprenticeship. I sucked it up and said submit me.

This afternoon I heard from a Canadian company. They wanted to schedule an interview with their client. I said "Great! Please send me the full job description.". That's when I discovered that:

The job was a contract, not a permanent job as had been indicated during our previous correspondence.
The "pay range" was $1 to $3 more an hour than my apprenticeship.

After a few emails wherein I asked about how flexible the terms of employment were, I declined to continue with my candidacy. After all, the position wasn't really something I would relocate for, if you will.

I certainly understand that companies want to cash in on the current economy by hiring people who are advanced in their career for peanuts. Still, the blatant highway robbery that both companies were performing was shocking to me. To be honest, I don't see the value of such tactics; Ultimately, the given hire would feel under appreciated, which in turn would hurt their job performance.

Here's hoping that companies start looking beyond the bottom line, and recognize that paying for talent means good performance long-term.

Happy job hunting!

Database Mayhem

2009-10-21T19:23:00.002-04:00

I'm sure I've already mentioned the various "surprises" I encounter while using my laptop, Ol' Bessie. She is more than 5 years old, and while a nifty Toshiba Satellite, she's basically overdue for retirement.

Throughout my career, I've obtained work by having my resume posted on various job boards: Recruiters contact me for jobs that I'm a good fit for, which makes my getting the job that much easier. However, between my last job search and my current one, both Dice and Monster rolled out new platforms. And while my user name and password were in their database, I couldn't log into either site to update my profile. I tried deleted and re-accepting cookies, updating my javascript, being issued new passwords- all the usual suspects. Yet despite my numerous efforts, I remained locked out.

Then yesterday, I went to apply for a job that required me to log into Dice. I decided there wasn't any harm in trying to log in just one more time, And presto! Suddenly I logged in successfully! I subsequently spent the afternoon updating my profile. By this morning, I already had one inquiry for a permanent job, and by this afternoon, a phone interview lined up. Now I've just got to try the Monster and see if lightning will strike twice. I sure hope so!

Sure, it takes a good 30 minutes or so to create your profile on any of the main job boards (Monster, Careerbuilder, Dice, etc.). But in my humble opinion, the time is well-spent. Moreover, since patience and persistence are key to any job search, by taking a shortcut such as not posting your resume, you can end up losing out in the end. Let's face it: if you aren't working and have the free time, why not devote an hour or two to an endeavour that gets your foot in the door?

Happy job hunting!

On Working with Employment Agencies

2009-10-15T20:21:00.002-04:00

There are advantages and disadvantages to working through temp/employment agencies.

On the plus side, they tend to have exclusive relationships with companies, thereby granting you access to positions that would otherwise be closed to you. Similarly, because the agency is your representative, you have someone negotiating for you throughout the interview process. More to the point, if you should ever encounter difficulties once placed, you can simply have the agency contact the company to resolve the issue. Finally, the agency can fight for a pay increase and other benefits for you when your contract comes up for renewal. All in all then, an agency offers a very valuable service. Sure, they take a nice cut from your pay cheque for that service, but that service is worth a fair chunk of change.

Why then might someone not want to deal with an agency? Obviously, that cut I just mentioned is a major negative for most people. Yet another is the paperwork.

When you apply for a job with an agency, often a number of steps are added to the hiring process. Specifically, they:

Want to meet you in person prior to submitting your resume. (Beyond the ostensive relationship building, I have never quite figured out what the real purpose of that pre-submission meeting is. So if anyone can elucidate...).
Have you fill out complete employment paperwork at their office. This step can occur either during the pre-submission meeting and/or once a job offer is extended. Yes, that is an and/or, since depending on the given agency, you may need to complete paperwork twice, once prior to interviewing and once when hired. FYI, while most agencies will tell you that it only takes 15-20 minutes to complete the paperwork, I can say that in my experience, it has taken well over half an hour.
Facilitate various pre-employment testing, such as skills tests, health screenings, fingerprinting, drug testing, and so forth.

In short, the road to employment can seem longer when using an agency. Yet throughout my career, I have found them to be a valuable resource, both prior to employment and afterwards. How many times, for example, have I had a question that I would be uncomfortable posing directly at the job site? Instead, I simply contacted my recruiter, who obtained the necessary information. I was consequently able to bypass a lot of politics and other nasties.

Ultimately, your unique circumstances will determine whether an agency is the right route for you. Maybe your tax situation is such that applying as an independent contractor or a direct hire better suits your needs. Since my experience with agencies has been overall quite positive, I would suggest you at least consider using them in your job search/career.

Froth Away!

2009-10-13T13:17:00.002-04:00

One perk of working from home is that your favourite beverage is always at hand in the kitchen. :) While I stick mainly to tea and water, my morning ritual includes a cup of coffee.

My kitchen is well-stocked in terms of basic cookware/bake ware, including coffeemakers of various types (Automatic, French Press, Filter, etc.). However, the one gadget I have always wanted to buy was a milk frother. I sure would love to start the day with a real cafe au lait. Call me nostalgic for my youth back in Quebec.

Tonight I decided that in this day and age, I could probably learn how to properly froth milk myself, at home, with minimal equipment. So I set about googling, and let me tell you- the number of pages devoted to proper technique is astonishingly large. Granted, in this post-Starbucks world, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. It just goes to show that for everything there is a group of ardent die-hards who dedicate their lives to the given cause. In this case, the cause of Golden Grail is obtaining perfect foam.

So for any die-hard Starbucks fans, fear not! Even if you work from home (and consequently have been missing that pit stop at Starbucks that used to be part of your morning commute), you can still enjoy an excellent Triple Triple Double Double Whatever. And while you're job searching, you can save unnecessary hits to your bank account by occasionally making your favourite drinks at home!

Two pages worth mentioning:
http://www.home-barista.com/espresso-guide-frothing-milk.html
http://www.jlhufford.com/articles/frothingmilk.asp

Happy job hunting!

A Trip Down BA Lane

2009-10-06T13:16:00.001-04:00

After recently conversing with my favourite recruiter and determining that I was suitably qualified/experienced to work as a Business Analyst, I set about tailoring my resume this week.

One key component to easily updating one's resume is understanding what details/skills are relevant. In short, what buzzwords are relevant and what experience should you keep versus toss? For my purposes, I needed to grasp the difference between tech writing and business analysis.

While most of you probably know the difference already, I was surprised to find that I hadn't really given much thought to what business analysis is. Here's what I discovered.

Like tech writing, business analysis involves the entire product lifecycle. However, whereas tech writing focuses on documenting the product from the perspective of how users will perform a given task, business analysis focuses on how the product's functionality fits into the company's business model. To put it differently, tech writing focuses on documenting how a user performs a process/task; it's user-centric. Business analysis, on the other hand, focuses on corporate strategy; it's all about helping the business determine the best strategy for addressing the given business need(s).

Both roles require similar skills: interviewing, documenting, liaising, etc. The end product and objective though are different.

In any event, I hope this little definition of mine helps some of you understand both roles better.

Happy job hunting!

October Then!

2009-10-01T16:45:00.000-04:00

I must admit: September's "hiring binge" was on a starvation diet. Feeling nervous and contemplating whether to abandon ship and start looking for other types of work, I rang my Favourite Recruiter, aka Mark. Since he knows my skill set and background, I decided he was the best person to advise me about what other roles I could potentially seek out.

This morning, post-conversation, I woke up all bushy-tailed to start crafting a Business Analyst resume (I already composed several cover letters back in June- Business Analyst, e-Learning Specialist, Content Developer, Copywriter, etc.). So you can imagine my surprise when I found several new Technical Writing postings waiting in my Inbox. I consequently spent the morning submitting applications to almost a half dozen companies. I guess the September binge wound up sliding into October this year!

For now, this Tech Writer says "Thank Goodness"! Sure, I am still going to massage my resume into Business Analyst mode. But It just goes to show that you never know when that job you were waiting for is going to come along. Best to always be prepared- and never give up hope!

Happy job hunting!

That's All Folks!

2009-09-29T16:00:00.002-04:00

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!

Signs of Life

2009-09-21T19:38:00.005-04:00

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!

Mistakes

2009-09-17T15:52:00.005-04:00

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!

Tech Writing is a Personality Game

2009-09-14T14:52:00.002-04:00

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!

Gone Fishing!

2009-09-09T18:30:00.007-04:00

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!

Adding Value

2009-09-06T15:07:00.012-04:00

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!

Please Excuse Us- We're Experiencing Some Technical Difficulty

2009-09-04T16:53:00.004-04:00

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!

Who's Edna?

2009-08-31T17:20:00.003-04:00

I sent my resume today to an agency in response to job posting, only to have my application bounce back. Fortunately, I was able to locate the relevant phone number, and when I called, the pertinent recruiter was available. It's not everyday that you luck out like that, let me tell you.

Anyhow, we spent a good half hour chatting about the given position (it turned out I had already been submitted to the client), my background, and potential positions in other parts of the United States. To be honest, it was the first time in recent memory that I spent so much time speaking to a new recruiter, and the change was a very pleasant one.

I really enjoyed speaking with her because not only was she truly a people person, but her philosophy was that she wanted to make you part of her roster. In short, it was nice to feel like we were starting a work relationship, not just going through the motions so that she could submit me to this one client. While beggars can't be choosers, I certainly prefer dealing with a recruiter who values my experience and wants to help me find work. Unfortunately, nowadays, such recruiters seem to be in the minority.

One interesting tidbit from our conversation. Due to my recovering from a virus over the weekend, I was a bit stuffed up when I rang her. She consequently misheard my name, and kept calling me "Edna" throughout the first half of our conversation. It was only after I resent her my application and she read my name on my resume that she realised her "error". And she determined that I was easy-going because I didn't bother to correct her. So her recruiting model definitely has an HR focus, which I can thoroughly appreciate.

The phone call wound up being the highlight of my day. I can only hope that I hit the recruiter jackpot again soon. Helen, you're a winner, and here's hoping we work together in the immediate future.

Happy job hunting!

The Meaning of Colour

2009-08-28T16:19:00.000-04:00

As someone who grew up in a city where people wear a lot of black, it never entered my mind until recently that sometimes it is more appropriate to wear colour. After all, don't we see all the designers and fashionistas decked out in black, irregardless of whatever is the "hot" colour of the season? Black is timeless and practical, it would seem.

Yet lately I've noticed that wearing black can feel constrictive. In fact, lately I've wanted to start wearing colour because I've noticed that not only does it make me look better but feel better. Because while wearing a dark suit for an interview is championed as always appropriate, I've been finding that when dressed in that standard attire, I've acted less like myself. Something about wearing black causes me to show only part of my personality. And when interviewing, don't I want to showcase my personality and look my best while remaining respectful of the given work environment? So I thought a trip to an image consultant might be in order.

My goal was to learn how to wear colour effectively, and the colour analysis season proved to be a real eye-opener. While I had learned about colour throughout the years, both in my formal training and on the job, the consultation proved to be highly educational. First, the analyst performed a colour draping to determine whether my unique colouring was 1. warm or cool, and 2. high-contrast or low-contrast. From this high-level test she determined that I was warm and low-contrast, aka a Spring. Next, she performed a detailed analysis to determine which of the four types of Spring I am. That netted me my individualized palette of colours. She then finished off by showing me various colour combinations and giving me guidelines for tailoring my use of colour for given environments. For example, lighter colours are better suited for informal environments/events, such as a software company or family get-together. However, a bank or more conservative environment would warrant a darker colour from my palette, as would a gala evening.

The end result is that I gained a better understanding of what colour communicates. And I now feel prepared to project who I am while remaining appropriately dressed for the given situation. So if you're looking to always look your best, a visit to an image consultant may prove worth your while. You can contact the AICI for help in locating a certified image consultant in your home area.

Happy job hunting!

Stuck in the Middle

2009-08-25T21:02:00.005-04:00

This week, I kept busy with applying to new jobs (or recycled ones) and fielding questions for a I was contacted about late last week. One thing I learned long ago: in tech, you can't consider a job truly in the bag until you arrive at work on Day 1. That said, I've been wondering where I stand with regards to those two jobs for which I recently interviewed.

First, there was the face-to-face interview I had last week for a local company. I have been excited over that opportunity, perhaps more so than any in recent memory. Yet the phone screen that I was told would occur either last Friday or yesterday never materialized. As for the email I sent late yesterday asking whether or not the screen was still pending- no response. While I recognize that most probably the two principals are busy hammering out the final terms of the company's latest project, the silence is hard to decipher.

Then there is the company I interviewed with back in Canada. While the interviewer showed definite interest in me for the position, she was supposed to have crafted her shortlist by the end of last week. I have yet to hear from her and given my lack of response from scenario #1 above, I'm leery to enquire as to my status.

It's always a tough call how to proceed when you're this far along in the interviewing process. That is, truth be told, one major benefit of dealing with a recruiting company: they take the guesswork out of the equation. But when you're interviewing without that benefit, deciding whether or not to contact the company will instead depend on how your enquiry will be received. On the one hand, if contacting the company will brand you as overly aggressive or desperate, then it's pretty much a no-brainer that you should just sit tight and wait for them to contact you. On the other hand, if by showing your continued interest and availability you'll be judged favourably, then that you might consider that route more closely. In the end, it will have to be your call, based on what you have learned of the company and interviewer during the interview process.

For now, I'm going to follow the latter route. While the waiting game is no fun, the prospect of losing out on an opportunity due to an interviewing misstep is no fun either. Because, as I try to remind myself, it's not just what you do but what you don't do throughout the entire candidacy process that will net you either the job or the royal "Thanks but no thanks".

Happy job hunting!

September's Almost Here

2009-08-20T21:25:00.006-04:00

Tech writing jobs tend to peak during the months of January and September. Perhaps that is why I spent most of this week fielding responses to my applications and interviewing.

The one notable exception to my otherwise productive week was an automated rejection letter I received within an hour of submitting a given application. Then again, I found that incident rather hilarious. I could just imagine the system automatically searching my data for the programmed buzz words, then whirring and shooting off an email informing me that my application is being rejected. Anyhow, I had never received such a letter before, so now at least I know for the future.

Since I fielded two enquiries today alone from applying to agencies after their job posting expired, it would seem that spending some time making contact with companies and expanding your network now could prove fruitful in the coming month.

In any event, here's hoping that this post helps at least one reader get their dream job. Happy job hunting everyone!

Good Karma Week

2009-08-16T16:08:00.002-04:00

I was very happy to hear from both companies that I interviewed with back in Canada that they felt confident I can operate in a francophone environment. As someone who has been out of the country going on a decade, it's nice to know that my language skills remain adequate to "get the job done".

Then again, as the saying goes, make a plan and G-d laughs. Within hours of my getting through my phone screens with Canada, I got an email from HR with a company right here in New York. Two months after submitting my application, they've decided that they would like to speak with me; what's my availability for the coming week?

In short, while relocation is always an option, don't forget that, with a little patience and perseverance, you can find a job in your current location. The question for me at present is not where should I be in terms of geography? Rather, the question I keep asking myself is where do I see myself in terms of the type of company/environment that works best for my career? Because going forward, I would like to maximize the probability of my finding work in a company where I can simultaneously advance my career while garner job satisfaction.

Truth be told, I am curious to see where such a company winds up being located. I guess only time will tell, eh?

Making Progress

2009-08-13T19:28:00.005-04:00

As we all know, sometimes simply interviewing, irregardless of the outcome, provides pertinent information for one's job search. In the last 48 hours, I was grateful to have two interviews, both with different outcomes, but very telling nonetheless.

My first interview was with the Documentation Manager, and the experience felt more like a coffee klatch than a grilling session. I liked what she said about the direction the team was taking both in the short-term and long-term, not to mention the company's focus. The only downside was that she was a bit unhappy at first with the time frame I gave for relocating (I said within a month). However, when I explained to her about the forms I would need to complete and additional bureaucracy, she was more amenable. Definitely the vibe I got was that she was a manager who was willing to wait for the right person for the position, because she want to obtain someone long-term. I certainly appreciated her mindset, and was pleased when she asked for me to send samples. So I seem to still be in the running there.

Then there was my interview with a second company. That screening entailed a conference call with the CTO and a woman whose position in the company was left unidentified. Our conversation was going fine, until the question of relocation popped up again. Because the CTO's focus is more geared to addressing the company's immediate concerns, the question was consequently phrased differently: "If I was to offer you the job today, how soon could you start?". When I gave an answer of within a few weeks, I was placed on mute as they conferred with each other for a few minutes. The result was that due to my inability to commence working within 2 weeks, they were passing on my application. I said "Great, thank you", and the call ended. (Since I figured that the CTO would probably ream out HR (aka Why didn't you ask her the question at the get-go?), I made sure to send an email thanking them for their assistance to date and conveying that despite the current outcome, if they should ever require a technical writer in the future, I hoped I might be considered once again.)

I did learn a few points of note from the two interview:

Consider who you are speaking with at a given company. While it may seem obvious, it's useful to remember that the interviewer's role colours their questions and interpretation of your responses.
Keep alert for clues of what working at the company will be like. I saw that whereas the first company was accommodating of its workers and in turn more relaxed, the second company was results-driven versus employees. To put it differently, company 2 would work me to the bone, but company 1 might cut me some slack if circumstances should merit my requiring an extension to perform my work well. I was happy that company 2 said "No Thanks", because I am quite certain I would have been miserable working for them.
See how your skills factor into your candidacy, then fill the gap. In both my interviews, the interviewer indicated what they saw as my strengths, as well as the skills/projects I possessed that made me a good fit for their company. Use this information to prepare both to play up those strengths, but also address any "weaknesses" in your candidacy.
Put this knowledge to work for you elsewhere. What makes you a good candidate for one company often makes you a good candidate elsewhere. Apply this information when looking at other companies down the line. Also, if an interviewer expressed concern about a given skill or tool that is either only lightly represented in or absent from your resume, contemplate a "workaround" so you have an answer prepared if the topic should come up again.

From two interviews then, I gained a lot of insight into what makes me marketable as a candidate, as well as how to heighten my marketability in future. I hope some of these tips prove new to you, and can help you land the right job for where you are in your current career.

Francophone Environment

2009-08-11T14:47:00.001-04:00

Yesterday I received an email from the HR rep at another company in my home town, requesting that I resend my resume. (My Gmail account has been losing attachments. What's with my tech karma these days?) I suppose she liked what she read, because this afternoon we had an impromptu call.

What was interesting about the call was that whereas her email had been in English, she purposely threw me for a loop by conducting the call in French. I barely had time to switch gears, which I admittedly need to do after my going-on 10 years in the States. Anyway, it turns out that while the ad was for a Technical Writer to document in English, 90% of my work would be conducted in French. So she was gauging whether my French skills were up to snuff and if I was comfortable with operating in a Francophone environment.

I was truthful that my comprehension of technical subjects in French is minimal, given that my career has been conducted solely in English. I subsequently haven't expanded my French tech vocabulary beyond the level of a computer catalogue. But I figured that by working in such an environment, my vocabulary would certainly increase quickly. In any event, she was pleased with our call I suppose, as she scheduled a phone interview with the head enchilada of tech and some other minion for later this week. Her emails subsequent to our call, both to communicate the interview schedule and to request samples, were (of course!) in French.

Better get used to it, eh? And I'm beginning to think that maybe it really is in the cards for me to return to Canada after all!

Market Tips from Someone "In the Know"

2009-08-06T14:17:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had the pleasure of speaking with my favourite Technical Recruiter. The reason for my call was two-fold. First, I simply enjoy checking in with Mark, because despite our having last worked together in 2007, I would welcome an opportunity to do so again. Secondly, not only is Mark a gentleman AND personable- which makes him a rarity in his field- but he always has his pulse on what's coming down the pipe. And since I'm currently determining how to proceed in my career, why not tap him for his typically excellent, dead-on advice? So I rang him, and he graciously took time out of his day to catch up.

As expected, he provided great insight into not only the state of the US tech market in general, but also where tech writing is headed. Here are the highlights from our conversation, in case anyone needs a refresher in how tech trends are affecting tech writing:

The Good News
Across the country, tech companies are demonstrating increased confidence by starting to open positions.

The Bad News
Or good news, depending on your willingness to adapt to changes in technology. As anyone involved in tech writing has already witnessed, the trend is to move documentation online and render it interactive. To remain marketable, ensure you keep up with web/UI prototyping, content management systems, and reusable objects. In the very near future, documentation will be available exclusively online and in a format that provides users with a means to manipulate data themselves.

A General Reminder
Ah, the 5-Year Rule. I happen to loathe this one, as much of my experience involving visuals/multimedia dates back to the '90s. But as Mark reminded me, recruiters only care about what you have done recently, aka within the last 5 years. If you haven't demonstrated your applicable skills in recent memory, find a way to do so. Common methods for procuring relevant experience include volunteering/interning or initiating a personal project.

That's the round-up. Now the hard part- putting that useful information to work for me (and you). Thankfully, I love a challenge, and if you chose tech writing, I'm sure you do as well.

Happy job searching!

Bump in the Road

2009-08-05T15:47:00.000-04:00

The phone situation here in New York is funny: it can be perfect weather outside and you'll be making calls, no problem. Then sometime in the evening, your buddy will call you complaining that your number was unavailable all day. You even get situations like that of my girlfriend's neighbour, who only has home phone service every other day. And everyone just says "That's New York", and tolerates it. Bizarre.

This afternoon I was sitting here patiently waiting for my phone screen. Half an hour past the scheduled time, I figured I had better shoot the HR person an email to see if this was an anticipated delay. I got a terse response a full hour after our appointment, complaining that the interviewer had tried me phoning three times. Needless to say, I felt like a total dolt, and was none too pleased that they were thinking I had been unavailable on purpose.

I decided a brief response with appropriate apology was in order, and they agreed to one more try at a phone screen. So now the big day will be Monday next week. Hopefully by then they will be calm enough to look past the temporary glitch. In the end though, I'm actually glad that the glitch happened; it gave me a glimpse into how the company "tolerates" errors. And, in turn, I'll be on the look out for other such signs during the phone screen, so that I can get a real look into what working there is like. I'm remaining optimistic that despite today's episode, I'll still like what I see.

Is Relocation Necessary?

2009-08-03T18:03:00.001-04:00

Growing up, I always knew that I would have to leave my home town if I wanted to be a writer. That was simply the reality for my generation, and most of my secondary school class did indeed move out-of-province. Since I have moved extensively throughout my adult life for work, I began wondering this week: is relocation even an issue any more?

With company tolerance growing in recent years for telecommuting by other tech workers, telecommuting by tech writers has increasingly become accepted. Granted, most companies draw the line at working part-time off-site; It's still uncommon to find long-term work conducted exclusively off-site. But the trend in off-shoring in the IT/manufacturing sectors may hold a silver lining for tech workers after all, namely that companies with off-shore offices tend to be most tolerant of telecommuting. Perhaps a shift towards long-term telecommuting for tech writers is on the horizon?

Is relocation as we know it dead then? I think not. But with the increasing acceptance of telecommuting to access and work with proprietary, sensitive information, tech writers could soon bid farewell to moving to North Carolina, Texas, etc. to locate work. As the ascent of the "bathrobe warrior" continues, tech writers may soon enjoy the same freedom from Cubeville enjoyed by writers in the "creative" sector.

Dream Me a Dream, Catch Me a Catch...

2009-08-02T02:08:00.000-04:00

When I was young, I had my whole life planned out until the big 4-0. I'm embarrassed to admit that my youthful enthusiasm even included a Pulitzer in the mix! While I certainly planned on being a writer, I never fathomed I would become a technical writer. Heck, I had been working for quite a few years before even hearing of technical writing.

Yet each of my pre-technical writing careers led me to where I am today. Since I came to technical writing with backgrounds in both media production and training, my long-term goal when I started out was to eventually hold a dual role as a technical writer/trainer. And while many of my roles have tangentially involved training materials, training has unfortunately remained an as-of-yet unfulfilled dream.

During this recent job search of mine, I started contemplating the path my tech writing career has taken, and I've been wondering where to go from here. Would I like to segue into instructional design full-time? Yes! How about developing online content? Yes to that too! In fact, I would love to get more involved in multimedia, if I could convince a documentation department that producing podcasts can lower customer support calls. Ok, so I prefer variety. Irregardless, what's the problem, beyond my needing to choose concretely which path to follow next?

As we all know, shifting needs equals shifting priorities. It used to be that technical writers fell into one of two categories: 1) Writers that developed technical materials, and 2) Techies- usually engineers- that documented. In turn, companies tended to prefer hiring one category over the other. Perhaps my view is biased, as I fall into the former category, but in my experience, companies that employ writers do so because they see how good documentation enhances the company's bottom line long-term. Conversely, companies that have techies document are typically concerned with the short-term costs. Both approaches are valid depending on the company's vision and approach to their personal economic climate.

But when an economy "contracts", as in the current North American scenario, many companies do away with technical writers all together. To quote my favourite recruiter of all time, Mark F, tech writers are the first fired and last rehired during an economic downturn. That's strike number one if you're a writer versus techie. But couple strike number one with preferred strategy of seeking highly specialized candidates during a recession, and you face a double whammy when seeking employment. One of the most frustrating hurdles I have faced in the past several weeks is outcome of these trends, namely companies seeking candidates with 5+ years experience in X technology/technical environment. And companies are willing to repost the same ad repeatedly, ad nauseum, until they find a candidate who boasts the appropriate years/skill combination.

As for how to respond to the current employment scenario, let's return to those original categories of technical writing. One thing my mentor Beth always used to stress was staying relevant. And by staying relevant, she meant staying on top of the curve, not simply following tech writing trends. One exciting shift in the past few years has been the blurring of the line between tech writing and content development. While companies may be holding out for ideal candidates, if you have developed copy for an employer's website, assisted the PR department with their latest video, or designed CBT due to feedback from Customer Support, you may just find yourself in good shape in the current market. To rephrase, tech writing is no longer simply about tech writing. Sure, as a tech writer, it was always your job to sell the product in addition to documenting it, but now solid experience in doing both in a variety of formats is essential.

Where does all this leave yours truly? I'm trying to figure out whether I want to start branching out more towards multimedia or instructional design. To be honest, given that the latter includes elements of multimedia, I'm currently learning towards instructional design. As always in my life though, only time will tell.

Happy job hunting everyone!

I'll Take It!

2009-07-31T12:52:00.000-04:00

Wednesday morning I was in luck. I happened upon a few jobs within a couple hours of their being posted. Rare treasures indeed! One posting I was particularly excited about, because a) I had exactly the requested combination of experience and skills, and b) the location was in Jersey City- easily the closest job I have seen in a while.

I sent off my applications, then went about tackling the rest of job search-related items on my To Do list for the day. Then, around 6 PM, while checking my email yet another time in the afternoon, I saw a response regarding the Jersey City job. I called the recruiter right away, and got a bit of a lecture because he had expected me to contact him immediately. I of course refrained from citing the technical glitch, and sucked it up when he told me that the client had closed the job to applications in the interim. I thanked the recruiter when he closed the call by offering to keep me in mind for future opportunities. And when I hung up the phone, while I knew that such snafus can occur when you rely on technology for communication, I wondered what I could do in future to prevent a repeat.

Still, I was glad that at least I had gotten a response. And I suppose my "positive energy" paid off, because this morning I got an email from a company I applied to 3 weeks ago, asking if I was available for a phone screen. I immediately responded yes, and the screen was confirmed within minutes. Score! Finally. :p

In short, I am happy to take any encouraging signs I can find in this two month-old job search of mine. And two responses in a week is plenty encouraging, especially in this economic climate. Here's to hoping the phone screen goes well, and that it turns out to be the right opportunity for me. If not, then at least this week provided me with the needed reminder that there is a job out there waiting for me. And if it's my ideal job this time, so much the better...

Which came first- the job or the relocation?

2009-07-30T22:48:00.001-04:00

I was thinking today about how often in my life I have moved for work. And it dawned me that every move that I've made post-university, save my last one, was for a job. As for my most recent move, I decided that New York was where I should be for the time being, and so I moved here, confident that I would find work. To be honest, it was one of the most unsettling decisions I've ever made, because let's face it- who does that when they're old enough to know better? I mean, it was a tremendous financial undertaking to take on good faith.

But move without a job I did. And within three weeks I managed to land my first contract. So now when my enquiries about jobs in Canada meet with the "local candidates only" response, I've got to ask myself what's the best way to proceed.

Granted, the current market is significantly more "depressed" now than it was when I made that last move of mine. I doubt that I can expect to go through all the expense and red tape of moving back to Canada and just happen upon a job. Life just isn't that simple, as anyone looking for a job nowadays can attest. Yet I can't shake the feeling that unless I move first, I won't get hired.

For the time being, since I qualify for unemployment here in New York, I may as well keep applying to jobs both in Canada and the greater New York area. But once that safety net expires, what's a girl to do? Any comments/tips would be appreciated.

There's No Time Like RIGHT NOW

2009-07-29T17:46:00.000-04:00

Today I decided to get serious. I've got a "solid" background, to quote one recruiter, and yet my applications are being met with tolerance at best. Even when I chance upon a position within a couple hours of it being posted, the job is typically already closed.

So I decided to up the ante. Sure, in my personal life I'm all plugged in; I've got my blog, my twitter account, my social profile, etc. But what about my professional life. Because as much as the whole concept of being truly myself online jars with my sense of privacy, let's face it- in this economy, it's a necessity. And if there's one lesson that I have learned from my personal blogging/twittering, it's that contacts appear from the unlikeliest places.

I hope you'll enjoy my musings. I'm looking forward to us job searching together for tech writing, content development, and instructional design work. And hopefully having a few laughs along the way.

Onward and upward!