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I'm a tech writer wannabee who's been lurking for several months.
Currently, I'm a lawyer looking to break out. I cannot resist
commenting on this thread, which I find quite interesting.
Most respondents agree that the baseline skills for a technical writer
include the ability to understand complex technical subjects, know your
audience, interview your SME, organize your information, write clearly,
and play well with others. As a lawyer and administrative law judge, I
can honestly say that I have mastered these skills. Why is it, then,
that my daily reading of the techwr-l list, with its emphasis on
specific software skills, inevitably leaves me feeling miles from
employability? I'm proficient with MS Office, and I feel pretty
comfortable with my PC, but I don't get much opportunity to learn new
software applications in my line of work. That's not to say I couldn't
or wouldn't; I'm trying to decide whether this should involve another
degree, or individual classes.
Please tell me: What good is mastery of these baseline skills, if
employability hinges on one's familiarity with specific software
applications?
Loretta Vosk
Seattle, WA
lavosk -at- wolfenet -dot- com