Re: Am I employable?

["Sandy Harris" <sharris -at- dkl -dot- com>]

tf -at- malcolmsmith -dot- net wrote:
> 
> Howdy List,
> 
> This is my first post, so take it easy on me!  Maybe you guys can
> provide some insight about what I need to finally land that tech
> writing job.
> 
> - I have a BA in Technical Writing
> - I have decent computer skills: I maintain a website that I
>   hand-coded, I've written a few scripts, I use Linux.

Methinks you're employable. With any luck, some trendy startup that
offers stock options and hasn't IPOd yet :-)

One place to look is www.oswg.org, the Open Software Writer's Group.
They maintain lists of open source projects that need docs and of
available writers. Mostly volunteer work, but some paid jobs. They
also run a mailing list that isn't as lively as this one but is
worthwhile.

There's another list of available jobs at gnu.org or fsf.org, and
lots more Linux docs and another mailing list at www.linuxdoc.org,
the Linux Documentation Project. 

> - I'm a pretty good writer in general (though rusty at the moment)
> - I'm an all-around great guy :-)
> 
> I'm sure the employers on this list are just chomping at the bit.
> Here are some "problem areas":
> 
> - My resume is terrible.  It's old, has nothing but coursework and
>   unrelated experience on it.

Consider some of the volunteer projects listed at OSWG to beef it up
a little.

> - I don't really know the tools.  FrameMaker?  Ack.

A fine tool to use, and quite a marketable skill. There's a beta
available for Linux.

For Linux and open source software generally, the tool that seems to
be becoming standard is the DocBook DTD. www.docbook.org

> Word?  Haven't messed with a Microsoft product in a while...

You lucky man!