San Francisco STC meeting, June 18th, 2008 Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications San Francisco STC meeting, June 18th, 2008 Becoming the Compelling Candidate Andrew Davis Synergistech Communications 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications Overview Assumptions Today’s Job Market Job-Searching 101 New Tactics The Final Touches Part 4: Q & A 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications My Assumptions I’m assuming you: Have professional tech comms experience Have relevant portfolio samples to show Have current tools and technology skills Have market-compatible comp requirements Can identify the right ‘culture’ for your needs Context Experience — (English Major and Pre-Med in college, then a couple years of journalism and marcom followed by being staff Tech Writer, then working Pubs Manager, then Contract Tech Writer in the software, telecom, and hardware industries for 8 years, until 1994. During the last five or six of those years I was the SF STC’s informal employment manager and dealt with many recruiters and hiring managers. Beginning in 1995, I crossed the line to recruiting. From late 2001 to early 2005, I pursued other interests and ultimately returned as an IT recruiter in SF, which taught me a lot but also convinced me to hang out my own shingle once more.) Role — I see myself as a matchmaker and adviser to both candidate and hiring manager, seeking a better outcome than they could create on their own (ie, synergy) as well as improved stature for the technical communications profession. I am particularly proud of my company’s transparency. I am candid and don’t resort to misleading, under-informing, or the manipulation so typical of other recruiters. Hiring managers often view me as their peer, answering the hard questions and giving me more insight into their needs than average, plus telling me what they’re willing to pay so I don’t over- or under-shoot. And while I like money, I’m in business for the long term and value healthy relationships and my reputation as a fair, honest, responsible advocate far more than the average salesperson. In short, I never seek to win at another’s expense. Sources — My sources include (1) - the industry’s hiring managers, (2) - my research into the trends affecting it, (3) - my experience both reading and writing job descriptions, and (4) - my understanding of candidates’ skills and interests. I pay close attention to the Bay Area software industry. I confess I may not (yet) be the best intermediary for medical writing or government documentation jobs, but I believe I know at least as well as the hiring managers themselves (and better than their internal recruiters) what a software industry decision-maker looks for in a technical communicator’s resume and portfolio. 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications Today’s Job Market More competitive than last year Lots of work (if you’re geeky & S.Bay-based) Technical knowledge (domain > tools) matters Job descriptions more unrealistic Publications managers’ role has changed Profession’s stature has diminished Keep you sane — straight talk about the market, the different players’ biased and motivations, how you can improve your odds of finding the work you seek, and – if I’m representing you – how your candidacy is actually faring) Secure work reliably & efficiently — detailed job descriptions so you don’t wonder what you’ll be doing, quick and helpful feedback from hiring managers Operate transparently — I’m candid, forthcoming, and some have even said generous with my advice and insight. I’ll tell you, in advance, what my interests are and when I’m conflicted. Many technical communicators, even those I’m not currently representing, turn to me for advice on how to handle certain interview questions, compensation negotiations, and even job transitions. Give you ideas and leave you hopeful Address your questions 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications Job Searching 101, pt 1 Write a flawless resume Network, network, network Put your portfolio online Apply liberally (but not to the forehead) Role of a Technical Communicator’s Resume To secure an interview with a busy person needing a specific skillset To demonstrate understanding of technology, audience, and role To demonstrate ability to write well and present information optimally Guidelines Format (chronological or functional) Structure (Name + Daytime Phone + Email, Objective, Summary, Technical Skills, Employment, Affiliations/Awards, Education) Length (not one page if it forces omission of relevant facts, but also not wordy, repetitive, or off-topic) What works? Cite relevant achievements and (when possible) quantify your role's impact Clarify whether you were a contractor or staff employee on each ‘job’ List relevant types of deliverables and audiences under Summary List relevant technical tools under Technical Skills; omit hardware used or obsolete tools (eg WordPerfect) List unusual non-technical skills (eg localization, information architecting, patent writing, English-to-German translation) in a Related Skills section following Technical Skills Under Employment, for each employment entry, cite: your ‘effective’ title (if it’s not your actual one, cite the latter parenthetically) your employer or end-client (never the recruiter or temp agency involved) the company’s location (city and state) verifiable dates of employment/engagement, in mm/yy format thus: Lead Technical Writer (Business Analyst), Acme Headstones, Colma, CA 1/95-8/99 For each employment entry, provide: titles of the significant documents you authored the audience you addressed (eg, application developers, retired petstore owners) the tools you used (eg, FrameMaker, Dreamweaver, Flare) the skills you used (eg, reading C++ code, authoring structured doc) the results you achieved (eg, 'delivered online help, doc, and coursenotes three weeks ahead of deadline' or ‘saved company $2M in translation and localization costs). Under Affiliations/Awards, list professional memberships and conferences attended. See www.synergistech.com/comms-orgs.shtml for ideas. Under Education, list your formal degree, major, educational institution, and any applicable technical certifications, coursework, or continuing education activity. Examples of coursework worth noting: computer programming systems administration Information Mapping DITA/structured authoring publications management project management specialized tools (RoboHELP, Flare, AuthorIT, FrameMaker, Dreamweaver, etc( What doesn’t work? Vapid or omitted Objective statements Missing dates or using only years 6+ month unexplained gaps in employment Lists of responsibilities (especially if unrelated to desired role) Sharing info about hobbies, marital/family status, graduation dates Sub-10pt type, sub-3/4-inch margins, more than two typefaces, pictures of you, left-and-right-justified text, failure to use tab stops correctly, inconsistent spacing, indentation, alignment, or use of text effects (bold, italics, all-caps, small caps, etc) Underlining (ever) Keywords out of context Failing to edit, proofread (especially tool, company, and product names), and keep it focused Resume-writing Resources Synergistech’s site, www.synergistech.com/resumes.shtml Bright Side Resumes, www.brightsideresumes.com 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications Job Searching 101, pt 2 During phone interviews… Do your research During in-person interviews… Following in-person interviews… During negotiations… When you get an offer… Role of a Technical Communicator’s Portfolio To demonstrate (1) information gathering and writing skills, (2) understanding of audience’s needs, (3) familiarity with tools, and (4) the ability to see a combine these and complete a project What works? Show only your best work for the audience type (see www.synergistech.com/portfolio-contents.shtml for details). Keep samples brief & accessible, but not too brief to prove you can guide and elucidate Preface with disclaimers, specifying: 1) its intended audience 2) the circumstances of its creation (eg, fast turnaround, SME indecision/unavailability, rewrite, patch-up job, something-from-nothing, no time for edit/review, etc) 3) what you'd do differently if you'd had resources (time, tools, willing reviewers) See www.synergistech.com/portfolio-presenting.shtml for details. If content is proprietary, redact, narrate, or get an NDA signed (see www.synergistech.com/portfolio-permissions.shtml for details). Suggestion: put your portfolio online, with intros/disclaimers, and password-protect each document, then share that password with the hiring manager. If in Word, HTML, or Acrobat, make documents read-only to hinder copying & pasting. What doesn’t work? Sending the whole book or doc set without providing specific guidance Claiming full authorship when you were really a co-author, editor, or rewriter Claiming all your relevant work is proprietary and refusing to show it 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications New tactics Get your candidacy noticed Resourcefulness Educated enthusiasm Demonstrate real-world results Identify Audience, Deliverables, Subject Material, Seniority, Location, Breadth, Growth Path Customize your cover letter Research company, industry, technology, and competition (see www.synergistech.com/getting-technical.shtml for useful resources). Highlight your relevant accomplishments Commit to remedying (minor) deficiencies transparently to the employer or client Never answer the “compensation requirements” question Provide your contact info and ask for the interview Follow up by phone and in email, possibly using RRR or beacons 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications The Final Touches Chemistry Attitude Engagement Growth Compensation Bring hardcopy of your resume, ideally at least three copies, on nice paper Bring relevant portfolio samples to every interview Format: either printed or on a CD, so it can be reviewed in parallel with your interview(s) Don’t ever leave your only hardcopy Offer to send softcopy of requested chapters (even if it requires you to scan them) Discuss which of your professional references will best support your candidacy, then email a list of names, phone numbers, and email addresses to the hiring manager after verifying their contact info Ask for the job 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Questions to ask yourself, pt 1 Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications Questions to ask yourself, pt 1 Ten questions to keep your career on track Am I making a measurable contribution? Learning valuable skills? Responsibilities evolving? Evidence I’m valued? Am I being held back? 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Questions to ask yourself, pt 2 Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications Questions to ask yourself, pt 2 Who’s got it better? Where? Why? Which other role here would I prefer? Will this company support my evolution? Is there precedent for taking on a new role? Would I survive a layoff? 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com

Becoming the Compelling Candidate, 6/18/2008 Synergistech Communications For more info... Please see Synergistech’s Advice pages www.synergistech.com/advice.shtml 1-866-591-2968 866-591-2968, www.synergistech.com