By Jerry Grohovsky Copyright 2018. JPG & Associates, Inc. Here are ten ways to lose your competitive advantage—or even knock you out of contention—against the competition when competing for a specific tech. comm. job opening: Overlooking any typos or grammatical mistakes on your resume and samples. Not including a cover letter with your resume. Arriving [...]
Skills, strengths, and/or experiences that make you “market ready” (the more of these you implement, the better your chances): Internship (paid or non-paid). Relevant paying jobs while in school (i.e., school newspaper or other publications). Volunteer projects (non-paying—pro bono)—such as for local church, community, professional organizations. Knowledge and/or working experience with basic authoring tools, and [...]
If you are a journalist, engineer, teacher, software developer, or other working professional who may be thinking about a career move into technical writing, then here are SEVEN steps to help you get off to a fast start: “Functionalize” your resume to emphasize your communication experience--and make your career objective clear. Consider enrolling in a [...]
By Jerry Grohovsky Copyright 2017. JPG & Associates, Inc. There are several options for a technical communicator to be employed and gain experience in the tech. comm. profession. Obviously the most commonly known path into the profession is through direct employment. Another lesser known (and sometimes overlooked way) is via temporary or temp.-to-hire employment (aka--contracting). [...]
By Jerry Grohovsky, Copyright 2017. JPG & Associates, Inc. In the world of technical communication, successful project development often depends on the support of Subject Matter Experts (or SMEs). These individuals are generally employed by the client in other specialized roles, such as engineers, software developers, project managers, marketing communication professionals, quality control specialists, and [...]
Technical Writer Technical Communicator Technical Communication Specialist Documentation Specialist Technical Editor Editor/Proofreader Hardware Writer Software Writer Proposal Writer Specification Writer Parts Catalog Writer Technical Marketing Writer Independent Consultant Freelance Writer Contract Writer Temporary Writer Staff Writer Lead Writer Senior Writer Writer/Manager Principle Writer On-Line Help Developer Information Architect Information Developer Content Coordinator Content Strategist [...]
Graduate Certificate in Technical Communication (University of Minnesota Department of Writing Studies) Metro State Graduate Studies - Technical Communication (Undergraduate and Graduate Programs) Graduate Degrees Certificate (University of Minnesota) Business Writing Certificate (University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education) Professional Development Certificates (University of Minnesota College of Continuing Education)
Medical device Biomedical sciences Healthcare High-technology (digital, emerging) Software development Web-based (cloud) technology Telecommunications Business-to-business products Consumer products Commercial/heavy equipment Transportation Banking/finance Insurance Engineering Manufacturing Safety and compliance Research and development Government Defense Aerospace Chemical sciences Education Energy Utilities Agriculture IT services Architectural Construction Environmental infrastructure
By Jerry Grohovsky Copyright 2016. JPG & Associates, Inc. Legally establish your consulting business with the state. Select a business name, do a name search, and register with the state as a corporation or limited liability company (LLC) classification to secure a charter number. Note: If you establish a sole proprietorship, you do not need [...]
Tools and practices that help you in your job search (in addition to the resume): Establish LinkedIn profile—and continue to update it regularly. Put in place necessary communication tools—cell phone with voice mail, e-mail (also mobile email), all stated clearly on the resume. Build an effective portfolio (hard-copy and on-line). View your resume as a [...]