After taking this class I plan on studying for and obtaining my Technical Writing Certification from the Society of Technical Communicators. I think combined with this class, I will be well positioned to look for a entry level technical writing job. But, I also know and have learned from our readings that I have a lot of work to do learning new software. So looking through job postings and Linkedin profiles has shown me what types of skills and software knowledge I should be acquiring moving forward.
Through extensive research and some advice from my wife, I decided to focus my search people who work in Content Strategy. This lead me to one profile in particular, Alison Lakin, who is a content strategist for Advanced Auto Parts in San Francisco. Her summary caught my attention immediately. What I found interesting first is that she put her Areas of Expertise right underneath her summary, which were a greatest hits of things I want to knowledgeable about:
• Web and UX writing
• Brand voice and tone
• CMS integrations
• Persona development
• User journeys
• Content audits and gap analyses.
One of the most interesting parts about her profile is that she has picked a lane within the realm of content strategy and management and stuck to it as she advances in her career. While she works for Advanced Auto Parts now, she has previously worked for automobile related companies in the past as well. I myself have made a decision to jump into the word of IT. But I’ll take whatever job I can get, within reason….
In general, this is a very simple page that gives “the hits” of her career and skills without anything extra. As someone trying to become a technical writer, this is something I should be shooting for as well.
