Will Kelly

Latest Version of my Technical Writer Resume now Available

I just updated my technical writer resume and you can find it online over at willkelly.com.

Lame Technical Writer Interview Questions

It seems that when an organization wants to add a contract or full-time technical writer to their staff they are at a loss as to what questions they should ask the candidates. I've certainly had some lame interview questions asked to me over the years.

At times, it has seemed that because I have a liberal arts degree, some prospective clients and employers weren't sure about my background and experience because I was not a programmer and didn't have a technical degree but it's not like they have to poke me with a stick.

Although, I must admit that the lame questions and attitudes I've experienced while interviewing have been in the minority. But oh boy, the questions do stand out to me until this day.

The Wisdom of Youth. The Wisdom of Age

Some elements of the Generation Y workforce and corporate america try to  perpetuate the myth that Generation X and 40 + workers are not up to date on technology and not able to adapt to changes. This is a pretty broad generalization. I heard this a lot during my last contract and job hunt.

There is a certain wisdom with youth. Generation Y workers can bring an unjaundiced and fresh perspective to the workplace. However, they lack the wisdom of experience and can run aground in situations that require real time in the field and experience with the learned diplomacy and street skills.

WWD Post: 5 Tips For the Aspiring Part-time Freelancer

The down economy is making many workers realize that it is no longer safe to have just one source of income. On the flip side, employers are also making smaller jobs available to outside contractors, opening up more opportunities for people to have side projects outside of their regular day jobs.

via webworkerdaily.com

My latest WWD post is drawn from my own experience in managing side projects. Today's economy is driving more people to diversify their income sources and part-time freelancing is the way. It can also help make you feel more secure if your day job appears to be shaky.

Revive Your Online Presence After A Career Splat

In February of this year, I found myself on the wrong side of the United States economy and back in a very tight job market. During the course of my employment, I made the mistake of letting my online presence and my personal branding languish because I made what I thought was a career move and my Web presence related to my work as a technical writer and consultant. This was a huge mistake.

To me my personal brand and online presence are synonymous since I am a technology writer. Based on my lessons learned, here are some tips if you find yourself needing to revive your online presence.

Are You Seeking a Senior Technical Writer in the Washington, DC Area?

I am currently available for new full-time or contract employment as a senior technical writer in the Washington, DC area or via telecommuting.

Details of my experience are after the jump.

Including your Resume in a Proposal or Interviewing for a Contingent Project

There is a whole lot of proposal writing going on in today's  bad economy in the commercial and Federal government sectors. This means technical writers and other IT workers may get approached to have their resume included in a proposal or to come in and interview for a contingent project that the client or potential employer has not yet won.

Writing Samples for Technical Writers

My latest round of interviews and potential client meetings are causing me to reflect about writing samples and their use in the interview process.

At least in my experience, what passes for quality technical writing can vary slightly if not significantly from one organization to another. This means that an A+ document in one organization may not cut it in another organization.

My Impressions about VisualCV.com

I've been using VisualCV.com to help get the word out that I am available for a new contract or full-time employment opportunity.

Computer Book Technical Editing

I am back to contracting and freelancing and trying to research how I can diversify my income streams. Back in the day, I spent a lot of my evenings as a computer book technical editor and reviewer.

Now Available for New Senior Technical Writer Opportunities

I am currently available for new full-time or contract employment as a senior technical writer in the Washington, DC area or via telecommuting.

Details of my experience are after the jump.

Online Job Sites and the Linkedin API

While expanding my Web presence to get my next employment opportunity, I came some great examples where the LinkedIn API is being put to use by job hunting sites. In fact, I'd like to see more online job sites integrate with LinkedIn through their API. While online job sites like Monster.com , HotJobs.com , and CareerBuilder.com have taken over from old school newspaper classifieds.

Seeking New Contract or Full-Time Employment as a Senior Technical Writer or Business Analyst

My current contract is winding up and I am seeking new contract or even full-time employment as a senior technical writer or business analyst in the Washington, DC/Northern Virginia area beginning in May 2009. I am also open to telecommuting.

Revisiting a Technical Writing and Contracting Career

I recently had an interview for a contract that was so not a fit but one of the questions was Why do I stay a technical writer when it must be such a dull and boring profession?  After the interview when I was peeling rubber out of the parking lot, I took a few moments when I was decelerating to think about some of the more interesting moments (at least to me) from my career to date:

Do I miss Freelance Writing?

I was talking with an old colleague the other night and they wondered if I missed freelance writing. In some ways, I really do miss freelancing but considering where the economy is going it looks like I need to diversify my income again.

Freelance writing was such a rich educational experience for me and contributed to the professional I am today. While freelancing, I was exposed to leading edge technologies and got to interview some really smart people. Writing articles did wonders for honing my writing and analytical skills.

Leaving Technical Writing

It's time to turn out the lights. I've had a great run as a technical writer and consultant but it's time to leave the profession. In some ways I've long outgrown technical writing because client needs as a consultant challenged me and pushed me to become more than just a technical writer.

Observations from Putting my Resume Out There (Yet Again)

Prior to getting a new contract extension, I was back out on the job market for a brief time. It was obvious the market is slowing down for agency recruiters because there seemed to be more interested in my references (so they can cold call them)  versus getting me in front of their client for an interview.

Here are some of my observations from my brief junket into today's job market:

Real Technical Recruiter? Identity Thief? Or just plain Troll?

Many IT  workers whether full time or contract have a disdain for recruiters.  It's justly deserved event though there are still some professionals in the field.

Recently, I've finished off some smaller contracts and I have a big contract coming to an end so I am back out in marketing mode and this time has been very disconcerting to me even having been a contractor for about ten years.

Employment experts and job sites drill into job seekers that they need to have excellent oral and written communications skills. It seems that rule no longer applies with recruiters now because I've calls from recruiters I could barely understand over the phone. How is a recruiter who can barely speak fluent English going to sell my technical communications skills to a client? As a writer and communicator, how should I regard a potential opportunity that outsources their recruiting to a third party who cannot communicate effectively to me over the phone or via email? How can they value my skills?

On this latest round, I've run into an interesting pattern with agencies that have recruiter front people who don't speak English as their first language. They are asking for a lot of personal information up front without even offering their last name including:

• The last four digits of your SS# or heck sometimes ask for your entire SS#
• Your birth date including month and year

After the jump, I have the text of an email from one such recruiter.

They also ask for references up front without even the hint of an interview or a job offer. While this is common with some of the second tier contract agencies it is even more rampant now and I've instituted a policy where I don't give references without a job offer.

No Wonder the Dulles Wegmans Removed all the AOL themed Specials

The Dulles, VA Wegmans used to have a lot of AOL themed food specials. Afterall, AOL's former HQ is right across the road. After the last major round of layoffs, all the food specials disappeared from the store.

I thought it was the round of layoffs that had the specials pulled from in store advertisements. However, after receiving an email from a recruiter (text after the jump with recruiter and company name redacted) much less the gas to get out to the hinterlands of Loudoun county.  I think Wegmans pulled the specials because nobody left at AOL can afford to eat there!

For everything they are asking in the job description, the pay is pitiful. Even marking up the hourly rate 40-50% for agency margin shows that AOL is no longer serious as a content play and is biding their time with warm bodies that can be tossed overboard without a severance package when their Time Warner masters finally figure out a way to spin them off and close that chapter in their corporate history.

The full text of the recruiter's email appears after the jump:

Senior Technical Writer/Analyst with Project Management Skills Seeking New Projects

If you are seeking a seasoned senior technical writer/analyst with project management skills in the Washington, DC/Northern Virginia area then I might be your guy! I am coming to the end of some contract projects  and I am now seeking new project work starting in Summer 2008. I am also open to telecommuting arrangements.

My resume is available in MS Word and PDF format after the jump: