Technical Writer Wanted Consider How You are Perceived, Not Just What You Say

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Technical Writer WantedConsider How You are
Perceived, Not Just What You Say

• By Peter Zvalo

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Introduction

• Interview for a technical writer position
• - Shelley the interviewee
• - Been through the interview process
  several times, instead of being nervous,
  she was calm and confident
• - Phil the manager / interviewer
• - Having hired many people during his career,
  he knew whod be the right candidate

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Definition for Interview

• Not just a necessary and important part of
  landing a job
• Meeting - An exchange of information between two
  people, each seeking to meet their own needs
• Requires diplomacy, not just blatant talk
• To find out the interviewees attitude not just
  his / her skills

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Technical Writing

• About communicating effectively with the
  information needs of the (your) audience in the
  first place.
• Performance at a job interview may be perceived
  as a good indicator of ones performance as a
  technical writer.

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Unsuccessful Interview1st Reason

• Weather try to keep it positive
• Complaining about the weather may make the
  interviewee sound like a chronic complainer which
  no employer wants.
• Example
• Shelley Oh, pretty good. Id be even better if
  the weather wasnt so miserable again today.

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Unsuccessful Interview2nd Reason

• Avoid saying having sent résumé to many
  employers.
• May sound like desperate for any job that comes
  along not a good long-term employee.
• Example (When Phil asked her what attracted her
  to the job ad)
• Shelley out of work for awhile nowjust need
  to workthe more my résumés I send out the more
  likely it is Ill land a decent job.

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Unsuccessful Interview3rd Reason

• Try not to answer questions using the remark
  well, obviously
• When Phil asked Shelley the difference between
  technical writing and technical editing, she said
  well obviously, with writing you are creating
  new text while with editing you are fixing up
  text thats already been written.
• Sound unnecessary or silly question of the
  interviewers part

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Conclusion

• To have a realistic chance of success
• - Respond diplomatically with specific answers
• Focus on the positive
• Make the interviewer feel comfortable
• Ask relevant questions during the interview
• If Shelley would have considered what she was
  saying would be perceived by her prospective
  employer, her interview might have been a success.