Selected Readings for Job Hunters

Here’s an assortment of articles that might be useful to any of us who are job-hunting. Read and enjoy!

Using social networking to find a job

Seven Steps to Persuasive Cover Letters

Steps to a Successful Interview: Preparation

Steps to a Successful Interview: Presentation

Steps to a Successful Interview: Follow-Up

Think Like a Manager

The key to business success, whether you are employee, contractor, or independent consultant, is simple: think like an owner.

Michael Chikeleze, Associate Dean of Business at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, gave the assembled SWO members a business basics primer: What You Need to Know to Work for a Company or with a Company. His talk was designed to help equip us to deal with and succeed in the business world, especially in difficult times-when the going gets tough, and all you want to do is hunker down in your cube.

According to Dean Chikeleze, not being strategic and failing to create value for the enterprise are among the biggest mistakes you can make in the business world. He gave us four principles for success:

• Think like a business owner by framing every situation in terms of its impact on the company’s profitabilitgy and long-term welfare.
• Know the company and how you fit in; then adjust the fit to be comfortable and usefuo to the company.
• Know your craft. Remember SWOT: Evaluate your Strengths, work on your Weaknesses, be alert for Opportunity, and prepared to deal with Threat.
• Lead your profession by being on the cutting edge. Research and develop skills in the latest technology and tools.

Mr. Chikeleze was a corporate attorney for Procter & Gamble and also taught at the University of Cincinnati before joining CSTCC. His MBA and JD degrees are from Washington University in St. Louis.

It’s All About Networking

At first glance, Craig didn’t think technical writing would be his kind of thing.

After growing up in Buffalo (NY), serving in the US Army working as a photographer/photojournalist, and earning a degree in public information journalism, Craig took a technical writing class in Portland, OR.

"When I finished my class, I realized that I enjoyed technical writing and had a knack for it," he says. "I was working as a Fedex courier, and one of my regular stops was a software company. Out of desperation, I asked them if they ever hired  technical writers. The person I asked gave me the card of the technical writing manager, and I ended up with a one-year internship."

Craig was hooked. He moved to the San Francisco Bay area, and write user  documentation for medical hardware and software companies, most notably a manual for a hemodialysis machine.

Re-settling in Cincinnati

Craig’s last place of employment in San Francisco was at Oracle. After leaving Oracle and working several contracts here and there, Craig says  "My landlord served notice he was getting divorced and wanted his town home back. Then my sister (who lives in Cincinnati taking taking care of their elderly father) called me for help with Dad. Since I was thinking about leaving the Bay Area anyway, I thought ‘Now is the time.’"

In November, Craig left San Francisco for the Tri-State area. As a contract writer until the end of April, he produced user documentation for a Dayton company that manufactures large scale industrial water treatment systems.

"The assignment turned out to be pretty good. I actually wrote a software application at this place–a touch-screen user interface for a program that controls all the treatment systems. That shows that I am a well-rounded writer and a quick learner. Just show me the design docs and give me access to the SME."

Now that the contract has ended, he’s in the job market again with some very specific job requirements. "When I look at a contract or job opportunity," he says, "I consider three things:  money, learning opportunities, and fun working environment."

Craig’s Job-Search Strategy

• "It’s all about networking. When people with really good credentials and experience do nothing but send out resumes on the Internet, they’re sending them down a cyber black hole."
• "STC is really helpful. with networking. You’re with other people who are serious writers and they can usually spot the real McCoy from the fraud. These are the first people who will hear about a job, and they may recommend you, or at least inform you."
• "I also look in the usual places: DICE, HotJobs, Monster. You have to basically upload your resume and repost it every three weeks, so you move up to the top of the queue."
• He expects to be successful.

Choosing To Be Optimistic:  Downsized, But Not Out

For Marge, job loss in the current economic downturn is deja vu all over again. Having seen jobs come and go over the past 24 years, she has learned to make the most of career ups and downs.

"I started out as an English teacher," she says, "but after a few years, I said, ‘No, this is not for me.’  So I went to CTC (Cincinnati Technical College, now Cincinnati State University) and got an Associates’ degree in CIM (Computer-Integrated Manufacturing)."

Combining her skills in communication and technology, Marge snagged the first job of her second career with a small software company, where she trained customers in the use of application programs that generated instructions for screw machines. Great job…until she discovered one day that her paycheck bounced. No more company, no more job.

Attitude Is Everything

So Marge expanded her career into technical writing and moved through a contract assignment and several "permanent" employment stints at small software companies. The GE contract ended, and she has been "downsized" twice.

"In 1983-84, just like now, everybody was out of work," she remembers. "I interviewed a lot."

Stability is good, but flexibility is essential. Marge has developed an core of competence and confidence that has centered her and enabled her to adapt to employment swings and remain positive.

"One thing I’ve liked about most of my jobs," she says, "is working for a small company and being the only writer. That puts me in charge of what I do, so I get to decide how things will be done. When I’ve been downsized, I was always the last person they could let go. And every time I’ve changed jobs, it’s been an improvement.

"At this point (mid-March), I’ve been out of work for not quite two months. Sometimes that little discouragement bird whispers in your ear and you can choose to be down and discouraged. Or you can choose to say, ‘This is my opportunity to enjoy some time off while working hard to find that next position.’" .

Marge’s Job Search Strategy

• She posts her resume on various online job sites. "Most useful to me has been CareerBuilder.com, with more relevant jobs. On Monster, I’ve seen maybe one or two tech writing jobs, but CareerBuilder has had a thin steady stream."
• She uses social media networking sites, such as LinkedIn.
• She also networks in person, having once found a "fun" job through networking at an STC meeting.
• She expects to be successful.

Looking for an Internship…Pretty Hopeful Still

Kristen wasn’t looking for easy when she signed up for a double major in Technical and Professional Communication and English Literature at Cedarville University.

Her advisor (STC-SWO Senior Member Sandra Harner) had told her, "This won’t be easy."  Summers mean dealing with summer classes and demanding internships. Every day of the school year involves juggling technical skills and textual analysis. Still it’s not too bad.

"I’ve benefited from both sides of the spectrum," she says, "with a broad scope that is detailed enough so that the skills I learn (will) help me eventually in the work force."

Now it’s 2009.

And that’s where things have gotten a little tougher than expected. She’s wrapping up her  junior year this year–in 2009. In the middle of the worst recession in 20 years, with record unemployment, epidemic layoffs, and anemic hiring.

Despite the economic doldrums, Kristen is looking for an internship that "focuses more on marketing, particularly one where I can be part of a team, discuss different ideas, and market a product," including the product documentation. 

Thanks to the rigorous double major, she has a lot to offer. "The English major challenges in different ways, she says. "It really strengthens my analytical, overall thinking, and logic skills. The TPC major focuses one developing skills in a lot of different areas that strengthen my already good writing skills. 

"We learn Web design and HTML coding, as well as visual communication–how to put documents together to be visually appealing. We also focus on the psychology of audience analysis and how to write documentation for users that is very user friendly."

Kristen’s Job Search Strategy

• She has been busy: applying online, e-mailing STC contacts, polishing her resume, adding pieces to her portfolio, checking websites for technical writing internships and applying online.

• And she expects to be successful.

"I’m pretty hopeful still. It is a bit disheartening when I get no response after applying for an internship that I’m perfect for. But I’m trusting that something will come up."

Kristen is a junior, majoring in Technical and Professional Communication and English at Cedarville University in Cedarville, OH. She might be the perfect candidate for your "summer intern" project.

Attend the PeachPit Web Conference

Meet the people who feed the chapter’s book habit at Peachpit’s annual confab. Our Voices That Matter:  Web Design Conference will be back in San Francisco from April 27-30, at the Grand Hyatt. Web design authors Steve Krug, Marty Neumeier, Jared Spool, and Jesse James Garrett (among others) will lead interactive discussions with the Web designers in attendance, answering questions, sharing experiences and helping you find new inspiration. Visit www.voicesthatmatter.com/webdesign2009 for a complete list of speakers.

 You can take advantage of an exclusive user group discount. Save $200 when you register by using the User Group Priority Code WBVSGNS! If you sign up before March 12, you can get the Early Bird discount in addition to this special user group discount!

More Conference Opportunities

• PMA, an annual photo imaging event:
  March 3-5, 2009, Ls Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV
• SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST
  March -17, 2009, Austin Convention Center, Austin,TX
• PHOTOSHOP WORLD CONFERENCE AND EXPO
  March 25-27, 2009, John B. Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
• SOCIETY FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC EDUCATION
  March 26-29, 2009, Fairmont Dallas Hotel, Dallas, TX

Perks and Gifts for Book Buyers

When you buy a book online, you have to wait for a shipping company to deliver it to your doorstep. But if you buy a book from Peachpit.com and that book is also available in Safari Books Online, you are entitled to 45 days of  instant, free, online access to the book via Safari. So you can read the book immediately …without waiting for the postal service!

Monthly Book Selections from Peachpit.com

• Design/Layout
  • QuarkXPress 8: Essential Skills for Page Layout and Web Design, By Kelly Kordes Anton and John Cruise
    List Price: $29.99
  • Real World Adobe InDesign CS4
    By Olav Martin Kvern and David Blatner
    List Price: $54.99

•  Image Editing
  • Getting Started with Camera Raw: How to Make Better Pictures Using Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, Second Edition
    By Ben Long
    List Price: $39.99
  • Real World Compositing with Adobe Photoshop CS4
    By Dan Moughamian and Scott Valentine
    List Price: $44.99

•  Social Networking
  • Facebook Me! A Guide to Having Fun with Your Friends and Promoting Your Projects on Facebook
    By Dave Awl
    List Price: $19.99
• Web Design & Development/Programming
  • Information Architecture: Blueprints for the Web, Second Edition
    By Christina Wodtke and Austin Govella
    List Price: $45.00
  • Styling Web Pages with CSS: Visual QuickProject Guide
    By Tom Negrino and Dori Smith
    List Price: $19.99

Please visit Peachpit.com within the next two weeks to select your free monthly book.

1. Select the operating state for your group and click Submit.
   NOTE: Groups outside the United States and Canada should select OTHER as their operating state. It’s found in the O section as opposed to at the end of the list).
2. Select your group name from the pull-down menu and fill in ALL the required fields that follow.
3. Please do not forget to include your phone number as this is now required for shipping.
   NOTE: Incomplete requests will not be processed.

If you experience any problems with the form, you can submit your monthly book selection directly to usergroups@peachpit.com.

Take Advantasge of the Group Coupon Code 

As SWO-STC members, you are eligible for a 35% discount off the list of any Peachpit book. At checkout, right before entering your credit card information, enter the user group coupon code UE-23AA-PEUF (case-sensitive).

This coupon code is an exclusive offer that may not be used in conjunction with any other coupon codes.

Learning Instructional Design?

Photo by rj43214

Are you currently pursuing an undergraduate degree, graduate degree, or certificate in the area of Instructional Design? If so, apply for the 2009 STC Instructional Design & Learning SIG Scholarship today! We will award:

• One (1) $500 scholarship for undergraduate students
• One (1) $1,000 scholarship for graduate students

Visit www.stcidlsig.org and click Scholarships. From there, follow the instructions for downloading, completing, and submitting the scholarship application.

The application deadline has been EXTENDED to March 25, 2009 at 11:59PM CST. Get your application ready TODAY!

Report from the Self-Employment Trenches

The US Census Bureau reported up to 18.6 million self-employed workers at the end of 2003. A large and growing number of technical communicators have joined their ranks.  Our January meeting featured three such entrepreneurs:  Adrienne Charak, Karen Harrington, and Thea Teich – SWO members who represent a total of more than 23 years of self-employment. (Emergency illness prevented the scheduled fourth panel member Mindy Hoffbauer from participating.)

Adrienne Charak (Charak TechComm, LLC)

• Core business: Technical writing and instructional design, including courseware training, Web content, software documentation, and editing
• Client industries: Telecommunications, medical, life insurance, information technology, and training
• Self-employment pros:  Working remotely with a variety of clients, meeting their needs and deadlines while managing my own business, my own projects and my own time/schedule
• Self-employment cons: Keeping a steady stream of project work and not becoming too isolated
• Self-employment wisdom gleaned from experience:
  Maintain a staff of support personnel, most importantly an accountant, an IT consultant, and a graphic designer.

Karen Harrington (The Write Thing)

• Core business: Technical writing and editing, including print and online software user assistance, new business proposals, and white papers
• Client industries: Software companies (commercial and government contractors)
• Self-employment pros:  Being able to adjust your personal work schedule to fit your life, having a beautiful quiet office conducive to concentration, not having to get permission to purchase tools and equipment
• Self-employment cons: Managing others’ perceptions, lacking IT support, the potential for non-payment
• Self-employment wisdom gleaned from experience:
  Establish a manageable plan that sets personal and professional limits.

Thea Teich (Teich Technical and Marketing Communications)

• Core business: Marketing and technical communication and indexing, including Web content, writing, editing, marketing consulting
• Client industries: Software companies, marketing research, technical publishing, finance companies, manufacturing
• Self-employment pros:  Doing a variety of work and projects, plus working with clients who are project oriented
• Self-employment cons: Dealing with inconsistent, peak-and-valley workloads, potential for isolation
• Self-employment wisdom gleaned from experience:
  Avoid false economy and buy what you need (good chair, good lighting, health/disability and umbrella insurance), but buy only what you need when you need it; avoid spending on nice-to-haves.

Register Free for Documentation and Training West 2009

Documentation and Training West 2009 will be held in Palm Springs, CA, from March 17-20, 2009. The conference theme is Moving From Unstructured to Structured Content; its special focus is on DITA (the Darwin Information Typing Architecture). Registration, which includes two days of conference presentations, case studies, and panel discussions, as well as access to two days of hands-on training workshops, is $1299.

However, as a member of STC-SWO, you may be able to register for FREE.

That’s zero dollars and no cents.In these economically-challenged times, you can’t beat a deal like this!

If you’re interested, contact President Louise Tincher (president@stc-swo.org) for details about eligibility and requirements.

More Content Management Conferences

If you’d like information about other content management conferences (including some that are a little closer to SWO territory, check out this list:

• Intelligent Content 2009, Jan 29-30, 2009, Palm Springs, CA
• Documentation and Training DITA, June 2-5, 2009, Indianapolis, IN
• Web Content Chicago, June 15-16, 2009, Chicago, IL
• Documentation and Training East, October 27-30, 2009, Waltham, MA