But You Need Experience...Don't You?

There is probably no greater mystery to the beginning student of any profession than how to circumvent the familiar job requirement of "experience".To students, it really IS a mystery, because, on the one hand, there are people out there who must have started at some point, like them, with no experience - but on the other hand, how the devil did they get around this requirement?

The unspoken working assumption in many students' minds is that somehow things were different way back when, but now, "everyone wants experience". Actually, it is not true - in fact, "experience" is sometimes as much as a hindrance to getting a job as the lack of it.

How to Break into Marcom

Once you’ve finished your Marcom training, how do you break into the field? Actually, for someone who has been trained in marcom, this is a bit like a physician asking himself how to get healthy. Simply apply the same techniques that you’ve learned on how to promote other people’s products and services to yourself -- and the better you’ve learned those techniques, the quicker you’ll get into the field and the more succesful you’ll become. Here are some of the things to start out with:

Linkedin: build a great profile, make sure to get recommendations for any work you’ve ever done, link to a slideshare presentation and a blog that reflects your ideas on marcom, marketing, writing, hi-tech, etc. Join lots of groups that have people that might help you (or that may be future clients) and make yourself active in the group (ask questions, supply answers, etc.). And, of course, Link, link link!

Facebook:  Create a Facebook page and look for fans.

Twitter: Create a Twitter page and follow people that you think are relevant to your business - wait for follow backs and join the discussions that are going on.

Webpage/blog: Create a Wordpress blog/webpage, and write posts at least several times a week. Make sure that the posts are linked to your linkedin profile. Also, make sure that you publicize on Twitter and Facebook. Your blog should deal with Marcom issues, interesting news on how others are marketing, useful information, thoughts, opinions, and advice. Make sure to have a page that markets your services -- something clear and easy to understand with a clear call to action --- a good Landing page.

For the more ambition, write a white paper or report that people can download. This is a great way to get leads.

Business cards: Make sure to have business cards printed with a clear logo and brand image. Give these out everywhere, especially at conferences, trade shows, meetups, etc. Make sure the card has your website on it and a clear message.

Scan the internet for news: News about hi-tech companies is an important clue to finding work -- follow what going on and find out which companies are up and coming, which are getting investment money, which are looking to expand. Check out their website and see where your services can help.

Use the phone: Nothing beats actually picking up the oldest network device we have -- the telephone. Twitter and Facebook are fine, but picking up the phone and making a direct sales call is a powerful way of getting that interview that you need to start working. Don’t hesitate -- figure out a good script for calling and use it -- you’ll get better and better over time.

Is this a tall order -- you bet! But that’s why you’re marketing your services -- just think how daunting all of this is for someone who doesn't have your marcom training, and on top of that may not even be able to write well in English!

Over the years, people have asked me about whether their background is suitable for pursuing a career in Technical Communications. They mostly worry about the fact that they don’t possess any formal technical education - many have had little exposure to technical subjects. Typically, many of these people have degrees in English Literature, Social Sciences, Philosophy, Art, Music, History, and Education. They all have the same question, “can I do it?”

Added to their insecurity is the “wisdom” of friends, personnel managers, and even other technical writers who counsel that “only experienced people are considered for jobs today. And besides, without a technical background it’s going to be very hard to get a job in this field.”

YEDA has been fighting this perception for over 12 years and, with great success, we’ve succeeded in proving that those with no technical background and no previous experience can, with our training, enter the field of technical communications and succeed. Here are some cases that come to mind:

Becoming a Technical Writer - the Essentials

Many people have asked me to name the most important qualifications for getting into technical writing. Most people assume that these include expertise with technical systems, academic background in the sciences, familiarity with computers, and similar skills. Yet, at looking back over the careers of the most successful graduates, I can’t help noticing people with degrees in English literature, anthropology, and history have it all over the others -- as long as they have the following essentials:

- Writing ability
- People Skills
- Strong work ethic (including patience and determination)

Graduates with these qualifications are far more successful than their more technically inclined counterparts who lack them. Let’s look closer at each of these and see why:

Writing ability

whatever else they might be, technical writers are writers first -- they get paid for writing, not for programming, understanding, or doing research. What is important is what they write and how they write it. They are judged on the clarity and readability of their work, on the accuracy of the content, and on the ease with which it communicates technical information.  So, regardless of whether you have a Ph.D. in physics, or a masters in Anthropology, the bottom line is “can you write?”. Of course, the next question is “can you learn to write?” -- I believe that you can, just like you can learn to draw, play the violin, or ride a bicycle.  You may not become Charles Dickens, or Isaac Stern, or Lance Armstrong -- but most people CAN learn to do all of these things well enough to qualify as a writer, a violinist, or a cyclist -- it is just a matter of the right training, and the will to persevere and learn.

People Skills

Surprisingly, many people have the idea that technical writes sit in some dark corner pounding out words or editing an engineer’s technical document. Rarely does this picture hold true -- it is often more the opposite -- instead of pure writing time, your day is divided into meetings where you interview technical people, or are briefed along with others as to the latest updates in your company’s product. There are staff meetings, meetings for resolving special issues, meetings with marketing staff, with technical staff, and with executives in the company. There is time spent learning a new software program, trying it out, and asking lots of questions. By the end of some days you may wonder why Technical Writers are called “writers” as so little time is spent on actually writing!

What all of this means is that to succeed in technical writing you have to know how to handle people -- how to get along with fellow writers, with project managers, with Q.A. people, with marketing managers, and with SMEs (subject matter experts). It is your ability to work in a team and to do so efficiently and pleasantly, that really underlies much of your success as a writer in a hi-tech organization. I have seen highly technical people fail miserably at this, while those with much less understanding of technology have become stars -- all because of the way they relate to others. Can this be learned? Obviously personality plays a key role here -- but I do believe that everyone has the ability to learn basic principles of social dynamics, psychology, and getting along in a group. At a certain level, that’s what we call “wisdom” and I believe it can be acquired -- it’s just that some people are more adept at acquiring it than others.

Strong Work Ethic

Here is another surprise -- it’s not easy for companies to find people out there who know how to work. Companies look high and low for people who are devoted to their work, who can commit themselves to a project and give it their all, who care about doing a good job, who have the confidence to take on a job, and who are able to persevere even when met by challenges and frustrations.

Rarely do things go smoothly in a company -- computers break down, software crashes, some bosses are ill informed, unreasonable, or confused, decisions are contradictory, etc. Every day, new challenges present themselves: technical, social, psychological, financial. Regardless of the challenges, the successful writer is dedicated to doing the job and is determined to succeed come hell or high water. People with this attitude are hard to find, but when a company does discover one, it is like finding gold.

Again, is this something that can be taught? I don’t think you can teach someone to have a strong work ethic -- but it can be learned through observing others who have succeeded and by trying to apply their practices in your own life.