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Subject:Re: Minimum requirements for technical writers From:denise -dot- lee -at- choicepointinc -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 7 Aug 2001 6:30:48
We have 3 levels in our Technical Communications department. I've addressed
minimum requirements for the entry and second-level positions:
> Is a college degree (BS or BA) required?
Generally, yes. If the candidate doesn't have a bachelor's degree, 3 - 5
years' experience in a writing discipline may be acceptable. On our staff,
all but one writer has a Master's degree (either Tech Comm or English).
That person is working on an MBA.
> Is a degree in a communications or a technical discipline required?
No, degrees in English or Journalism are also acceptable, and a Business
Degree with writing experience is also acceptable.
> Can work experience substitute for a degree? Is it more important
> than a degree?
I look for a combination of education and experience.
> Are non-native English speakers considered for writing English
> documentation?
Yes, but for our customer base, expertise in English is a requirement.
> Does one requirement affect the availability of candidates the most?
I'm not sure what this means. If the question is asking whether a single
requirement affects the number of candidates who qualify for interviewing,
I don't have statistics to give a meaningful answer. If you are asking if
there is one requirement that weighs most in determining whom to interview,
then the answer is writing samples. I always request samples before
deciding to interview, and have eliminated many candidates based on the
quality of their samples.
> Or does pay scale or location have a greater effect?
Aah, I think this clarifies my confusion over the previous question. Our
location provides a good pool of candidates, and until recently (when I got
the jobs reclassified based on the market), the pay scale was our most
limiting factor.
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