Will Kelly

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.

Deciding On My Next Primary Desktop PC

I am still one of those writers who uses a desktop PC. Reason being is that I like the fact I can have a lot of hard disk, heavy duty processing power, and two large screen monitors. While I use a MacBook Pro as my other primary writing machine--nothing beats a large monitor for my eyes.

The Intersection of Social Media, the Web Office & Technical Writing

I've been spending some of my downtime contemplating the intersection of Social Media, Web Offices, and technical writing. These technological and platform changes are going to overwhelm the technical writers who have been doing their job the same day from when they fired up their first employer's PC on day 1 of their first job out of college.

I Am Now Writing for WebWorkerDaily

I am happy to report that I've begun writing for WebWorkerDaily, part of the GigaOM network. It feels good to be writing for an online publication again and I am looking forward to exploring new technologies and writing about the future of work.

Look for my posts starting this month.

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.

Building The Better Office 2007 Migration

The Microsoft Office 2007 system seems to be catching on in my marketplace. During recent interviews and meetings with prospective clients, the topic of Microsoft Office 2007 and its many new features has been raised more than once. A lot of the Microsoft Office 2007 questions I've heard also deal with Microsoft interaction with Microsoft Office SharePoint Services 2007.

Organizations planning a migration from Microsoft Office 2003 to Microsoft Office 2007 shouldn't take the migration lightly. While it is easy to dismiss Microsoft Office as just Microsoft Office, it needs to be known that Microsoft Office can be the center of an end user's primary work and business processes.

Zoho Writer 2.0 Review

I've spent the better part of my professional career with Microsoft Word open on the desktop of one computer or another. I know Microsoft Word for its strengths and been stung and even burned by its weaknesses especially at deadline time.

 While writing for Processor Magazine, I opened up my mind to  the concept of Web Office productivity applications like those from Zoho, ThinkFree, and Google. This chain of events has made me

While Google has brand, I am the first to say that Zoho is perhaps the most innovative players in the Web Office productivity space. The recent release of Zoho Writer 2.0 builds upon their innovation and offers a Web-based word processor that rivals traditional desktop word processors in terms of usability and functionality.

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.

Some of my Favorite Articles...

I've been spending time going through my writing samples  because I've been pitching new articles and came across some of of my favorites when I was writing for PC Today Magazine and Processor Magazine.

Five Things Technical Writers need to do at least Once

I've had a chance to meet with some technical writers, hiring managers, and potential clients over the past few weeks and the picture of the technical writing profession remains as troubled as ever.

While many senior technical writers are driven into contracting there is still an insular technical writing community that has never taken such risks. Personally, I think every technical writer needs to spend some time as a W2 and independent contractor and publish original work to expand their own horizons beyond just font fondling.

How Google Wave can drown Technical Writers

The impending launch of Google Wave is something for every technical writer to watch. Because if they have been doing their job the same way from day one, then Google Wave's undertow is going to pull them down into the surf.

However, if they are embracing online collaborations tools, instant messaging, and related technologies then they are going to think Google Wave is game changer for technical communications because it offers a new range of communications and collaborations options.

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.

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.

Inheriting Microsoft Word Document Pet Peeves

It is safe to say that while Microsoft Word and Word documents (*.doc)  have the crown as the most used business word processor and document format in today's business world there are usage problems that still linger.

However, despite the wide spread use of Microsoft Word  there is a whole lot of document butchering going on that can make it painful to inherit a Word document from a previous author.

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.

Choosing a Wiki for your Enterprise

This is probably the first contract hunt where I am starting to see Wiki experience as a job requirement. Nothing could make me happier, because I am a big believer in Wikis and online collaboration tools for the enterprise and glad to see such tools become part of contract and job prerequisites.

No Access to Product?

I was meeting with a prospective client on Friday who was probing me on my work style and whether or not I am the sort of technical writer that works hands on with the product I am documenting. Of course, I stressed to them that I believe that a technical writer has to have access to a product to product quality technical documentation.

How I learned to Appreciate Word Templates Again

I've long  been a believer in the fact that Office productivity software work for me and not vice versa. In the case of Microsoft Office , this means I play it by the rules and develop templates (*.dot and *.dotx) for new Microsoft Word documents I might be creating for new client projects.

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.

Online Collaboration with Acrobat.com

I had the opportunity to get a briefing about  the latest updates to Acrobat.com that was arranged by an old PR contact of mine. It came at an opportune time since I am returning to freelance writing plus I am a real geek for online collaboration tools and Web Office productivity suites.

Adobe is targeting freelancers and SOHOs with Acrobat.com and they deliver with free features that should keep their target base's attention.  The question remains when Adobe can build an addiction to Acrobat.com so they can start offering a subscription-based model of the service.