Getting Hired as a Technical Author - Documentation Office Hours

Join a 49-minute Documentation Office Hours session from Ubuntu OnAir's Technical Authors team at Canonical, focusing on how to get hired as a technical author. Learn about essential skills in writing, technology, and tools, as well as the right attitude and personality traits for success in the field. Discover tips for building a strong portfolio, getting involved in the community, and navigating the hiring process. The session covers tailoring applications, research and preparation, interviewing techniques, and provides an example of a technical writing career journey. Engage with Q&A addressing topics such as showcasing contributions, required technical expertise, quantifying documentation impact, assessing job qualifications, creativity in technical writing, potential hiring tests, and optimal timing for job applications. Access accompanying slides and join these weekly live sessions open to all interested in technical writing careers.

Welcome
Updates
A few new tasks
Presentation starts
Outline
Prerequisites: come prepared
Skills: writing
Skills: technology and tools
Attitude: it's bad out there
Attitude: personality
Attitude: the silver lining
Portfolio: choosing samples
Portfolio: be ready to talk about writing
Community involvement
General approach to applications
Down the hiring funnel: set your priorities
Down the hiring funnel: talking to people
Written submissions: tailoring
Written submissions: attitude
Research and preparation
Interviewing
Example of a technical writing career journey
Question: what's the best way to showcase contributions?
Question: how technical do you need to be?
Question: how can you quantify the impact you have through documentation?
Question: how do you decide if you're qualified for a role?
Question: is there much room for creativity in technical writing?
Question: what kind of tests might you face during hiring?
Question: when is the best time to start applying?