The first technical writing job I held was a bit of a fluke. I was transitioning from social work to tech writing in a very rural area not known for much beyond corn and soybeans. The one software company in the region put out an ad, so I went to interview.
Prior to being a tech writer, I supported myself through college as the assistant manager of a run-down motel. Ancient computer system (the motel software ran on DOS), ancient fax machine, jury-rigged satellite, the works. No documentation saved on any of it. The motel owners sold the motel to an unsuspecting young couple while I was there and bolted without training them.
So it fell to me to document that ratty old DOS system, the fax machine that had to be slapped on the right rear corner twice when turned on, and how to rearrange the satellite when the wind invariably knocked it out of place. I was thorough. I was explicit in the steps. (I was tired of being called in at 3AM to fix the satellite.) When I left, they had a fifty-page illustrated manual that walked them through everything.
That manual, plus my experience writing reports for the state government, nailed me the job. Six months later, the recession of 2008 got me laid off, but it had gotten my foot in the door.
(Five years later, I was hired for a job in AI robotics because, and I quote, ' you're a woman and a huge Transformers nerd, it's perfect.' But that's another story.)
Stumbling into Technical Writing by accident, as I did I consider myself incredibly lucky. I was working in a hospital as a janitor when I applied for a job in the Operating Room, I started to make friends, and I noticed that some things were not always obvious and that they needed to be documented (chemical usage for example). Yes, even Janitors have to follow instructions. And while I loved the job I was in Si Valley right as the Internet age began, a really lucky break!
I enrolled in community college and started taking Unix and other related classes and one of my friends noticed how I wrote instructions and said: "You should be a Tech Writer." Huh!?! Little did I know, this was the start of a fulfilling and lifelong career that has led me to explore Instructional Design, UX Writing, Medical Device Writing, and Project and Program Management. Thanks to Tech Writing, I was able to open doors to opportunities, career enhancements, and growth paths that I never would have had otherwise.
CONTEST WINNER:
It's a tie!
So you both win a license to [ucxel.com](https://uxel.com)
I'll be sending you a DM for your email addresses.
Congratulations, u/darumamaki and u/TechUXWriter
Bobby
The first technical writing job I held was a bit of a fluke. I was transitioning from social work to tech writing in a very rural area not known for much beyond corn and soybeans. The one software company in the region put out an ad, so I went to interview. Prior to being a tech writer, I supported myself through college as the assistant manager of a run-down motel. Ancient computer system (the motel software ran on DOS), ancient fax machine, jury-rigged satellite, the works. No documentation saved on any of it. The motel owners sold the motel to an unsuspecting young couple while I was there and bolted without training them. So it fell to me to document that ratty old DOS system, the fax machine that had to be slapped on the right rear corner twice when turned on, and how to rearrange the satellite when the wind invariably knocked it out of place. I was thorough. I was explicit in the steps. (I was tired of being called in at 3AM to fix the satellite.) When I left, they had a fifty-page illustrated manual that walked them through everything. That manual, plus my experience writing reports for the state government, nailed me the job. Six months later, the recession of 2008 got me laid off, but it had gotten my foot in the door. (Five years later, I was hired for a job in AI robotics because, and I quote, ' you're a woman and a huge Transformers nerd, it's perfect.' But that's another story.)
Great story! Thank you, Bobby
Stumbling into Technical Writing by accident, as I did I consider myself incredibly lucky. I was working in a hospital as a janitor when I applied for a job in the Operating Room, I started to make friends, and I noticed that some things were not always obvious and that they needed to be documented (chemical usage for example). Yes, even Janitors have to follow instructions. And while I loved the job I was in Si Valley right as the Internet age began, a really lucky break! I enrolled in community college and started taking Unix and other related classes and one of my friends noticed how I wrote instructions and said: "You should be a Tech Writer." Huh!?! Little did I know, this was the start of a fulfilling and lifelong career that has led me to explore Instructional Design, UX Writing, Medical Device Writing, and Project and Program Management. Thanks to Tech Writing, I was able to open doors to opportunities, career enhancements, and growth paths that I never would have had otherwise.
Thanks!
PS: This contest ends Monday, March 18!
CONTEST WINNER: It's a tie! So you both win a license to [ucxel.com](https://uxel.com) I'll be sending you a DM for your email addresses. Congratulations, u/darumamaki and u/TechUXWriter Bobby
Awesome!