Why
did you join the certification?
I took an Introduction to Technical
Writing class as part of my requirement to graduate and saw real
potential for a career. I joined the certification program
to learn as much as I could and get properly prepared for a career in technical
writing.
I learned how to write cleanly and efficiently; how to edit others' work without
losing their meaning; how to write different genres of documentation; how
to work well in a team on a project; how to present projects more effectively;
and how to use the software tools of technical writing.
Two classes, in particular, have helped me a great deal. One was Technical
Editing with Don Bush. Don's class was useful for me because he brought so
much on-the-job knowledge with him and taught us how to apply the concepts
we were learning to our work.
The other class was Introduction to Technical Writing with Linn Bekins. Linn
taught me the basics of tech writing, covering the wide variety of genres and
providing a really thorough background to get started with.
First, the certification's classes gave me a portfolio to show to potential
employers. For those just starting off, this is critical. Second, I found
an internship through the certification program (indeed, it was only offered
to certificate students).
But what helped me the most was the knowledge that I gained in my technical
writing classes and the actual hands-on experience. This experience prepared
me better for my foray in the job market and aided me in getting my next job
as the sole technical writer for a small, but growing, company.
And what are you doing now?
I am now an Information Security Architect. What happened to technical writing?
Just because you start as a technical writer does not necessarily mean you
will only be a technical writer!
You learn a lot about a company's process and product during technical writing,
and that can lead to other things. The work that I do as an ISA is certification
and accreditation work, which requires quite a bit of documentation. The job
also requires a process, policy, and network security background, but my technical
writing background is what led me to it.
-Tiffany Gerstmar
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