Tech Writing Skills, College Degrees, Marketable Skills

[<Jeanne -dot- Keuma -at- ch2m -dot- com>]

In response to the posts about technical writing skills and related
college degrees, I offer the following.  Just  IMO. 

Tech comm/tech writing/tech editing degrees should not necessarily
require "tech" courses in engineering or science. I've been writing and
editing for various industries--software, agriculture, chemistry,
engineering, construction, childhood development, you name it.  Had I
focused on one "tech" area I may not have been as versatile.  With the
lack of jobs, it has been extremely helpful to be able to pick up and
learn any "tech" area along the way. The main skills that have been
paying the bills have been a solid background in writing and editing.
Or perhaps I've been lucky that my employers and clients have looked for
"English" degrees and great writing and editing skills, as well as
proficiency in the many software "tools" they use.  And I often find
employers using "temp to perm" arrangements to "try out" workers and
ensure they can get the job done as required.

Other marketable skills have proved themselves profitable--and my
employers (and myself, when hiring) have been looking for these skills
in job applicants, and clients (personal and employers') have needed
tech writers/editors with these skills:

Proficiency in a broad variety of software applications and computer
skills

   --Microsoft products: Word, Excel, Access, Schedule, Photo Editor,
PowerPoint, Project, Outlook
   --Adobe products: Acrobat, Illustrator, In Design, PhotoShop,
PageMaker
   --Macromedia products: Freehand, Home Site (HTML)
   --HTML/Web or related: HTML, Rob Help, research skills
   --Email
   --Scanning
   --Typing/keyboarding/mousing (definitely, uh, "key" ;-D  )

Production experience; ability to ensure paper and electronic documents
are produced efficiently, quickly, accurately; expertise in photocopying
and in producing PDF/HTML 

Ability to learn quickly

Ability to work quickly with online rather than paper files

Willingness to get up to speed on new tools and knowledge

Proven ability to edit (preferably for the given industry or similar
industry)

Proven ability to write (preferably for the given industry or similar
industry)

Project management, organizational, and time management skills 
(with ability to stick to schedule, budget, and quality that was planned
for; ability to work out labor hours and scope with managers)

Team-oriented

Detail-oriented

Multi-tasking
(means working on many projects, with many files in many software
programs, under many deadlines--not, as some have discussed, working on
things some may feel "beneath" them...at least in my experience; but
when there was no job to do, "secretarial" types of TW/TE duties
certainly helped keep me billable and paying the bills!)

Great attitude
"Can-do" attitude; team player; willingness to do whatever it takes to
get the job done on time, on budget, and with highest possible quality
(funny that some people find "accountability," "responsibility," and
"kindness" synonymous with "brown-nosing") 

Jeanne



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