Resume questions from a (hopefully) future tech writer

["Chuck Murray, ZK2-3/K35, DTN 381-2648 13-Sep-1993 0754" <cmurray -at- 4GL -dot- ENET -dot- DEC -dot- COM>]

David Lowe wrote:

> QUESTION:  Does anybody have a good professional
> objective?  The one I am currently working on is "A position
> as a technical writer where I can use my language skills to
> (and that's where I need a little help!) To what? To
> effectively communicate ideas?  Argh!

Better yet, just end the objective after "writer," and perhaps add
one word if you have an area of tech writing you're interested in.
Examples:

     Objective: Position as a software technical writer.
     Objective: Position as a medical technical writer.

Anything you add after "writer" risks coming across as "fluff" or a
truism. (Wouldn't any aspiring tech writer claim to have "language
skills"?) An exception would be if you had truly rare and interesting
qualifications -- for example: "Objective: Technical writing position
where I can use my fluency in English, Russian, and Hebrew." (But even
then, I'm not sure I'd use that objective for all job applications, or
just for ones where multilingual flneucy might be particularly relevant.)

In particular, don't say "to effectively communicate..." Besides not
conveying much, the construction is a "split infinitive" -- and I would
advise against violating any traditional grammar rules in a resume or
cover letter.

Best of luck to you.

- Chuck Murray
  cmurray -at- 4gl -dot- enet -dot- dec -dot- com