To get a position in today’s difficult job market is no easy task. New technical communicators—or technical communicators who haven’t had to search in a while—can find it exceptionally difficult, even with many positions available. But with some extra effort to promote yourself and your skills, you can get ahead and establish yourself as a technical communications candidate who is above the rest. Danielle M. Villegas shares pointers based on her own recent experiences.

1. How Did you Get That Tech
Comm Job?

2. Who Am I?
Just like you.

3. Danielle M. Villegas
• Currently a Web Publishing
consultant at BASF
• 2012 Graduate of the MSPTC
Program at NJIT
• Writer for the
TechCommGeekMom blog and
STC Notebook blog’s “Villegas
Views”
• Part-time instructor for World
Learning
• Part of the Thought Leadership
for Adobe Technical
Communication group

4. Employers may be aggravating the
'skills gap'
Employers having difficulty finding qualified people
Millions of small- and medium-sized employers are unwilling
or unable to spend $ to bring new hires up to speed; training
often the 1st thing cut; question of ROI
(Source - NBC News: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/economywatch/employers-may-be-aggravating-skills-gap1C7450821)

5. How Can You Stand Out?

6. Specialist or Generalist?
• Generalist=
Multi-Specialist
• Most employers are
asking for specialists
BUT...
• Multi-Specialists have
more value; can grow &
adapt with changes.
Promote your
specialties!

7. Examples of Multi-Specialist skills
Sure, you can write, but do you know…
•
•
SEO?
Use Social Media
(Facebook, Twitter,
Google+, LinkedIn)?
•
•
Web design?
Instructional design?
• Content management?

8. Create an E-Portfolio of
Your Work
• This impresses
employers!
• Provides PROOF of your
skills
• Update regularly
• If needed, "sanitize"
in-house documents as
needed.
http://techcommgeekmom.businesscatalyst.com

9. Get an education!
• Take a course--any course! Learn
a new skill or update ones you
already have
• Grad certificates, Master's
degrees available
• Also courses, course certificates,
and professional certification
through STC
• Learn new software - use
Lynda.com

10. Get Involved in Social Media
• Helps to stay on top of
trends in the field and what
the latest technology is
• Connect with experts and
other tech comm pros
• Start a blog to share ideas
and viewpoints

11. This Company Will Only Accept 'Twitter Resumes' For A SixFigure Job
February 20, 2013 - from Business Insider:
Enterasys — a wireless network provider — will be
considering applicants for a six-figure senior social media
position, but no paper résumés will be accepted. Instead, the
company has decided to recruit solely via Twitter.
Jennifer Grabowski, a spokesperson for the company, tells us
that candidates need to have a minimum Klout score above
60, a minimum Kred influence score of 725, a Kred outreach
of at least eight, and more than 1,000 active Twitter followers
in order to be considered. Enterasys is hoping to fill the
position by April.
http://www.businessinsider.com/your-tweets-are-more-important-than-your-rsum-2013-2

12. How do I get involved in
Social Media?
(Click on the blue box to see the Prezi presentation.)

13. TechCommGeekMom.com

14. Get a Part-Time Job in
the Meantime
•
•
Helps to gain new skills or
keep current skills fresh
Often pays better than
unemployment and helps
build employment credibility
as well

15. Network, Network, Network!
•
Get involved in STC
activities
•
Keep in touch with
people you meet at
conferences
•
Use social media! Start
with Twitter and hashtag
#techcomm

16. Create a Functional Résumé
Instead of a Chronological Résumé
Improve your chances--show off your skills, not
your history!

17. Why We Should Ban Resumes!
The idea of matching someone’s skills and experience on a resume to a job description
consisting of an arbitrary list of skills and experiences seems rather archaic to me. Some
people actually defend doing this faster as a major advance in modern HR practices.
--Lou Adler, The Original Headhunter and Author: Hire With Your Head and The Essential Guide for Hiring and Getting Hired
(February 21, 2013)
http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20130221192310-15454-why-we-should-ban-resumes?_mSplash=1
Social Resumes Increase in Recruiting and Job Seeking [infographic]
http://www.recruiter.com/i/social-resumes-increase-in-recruiting-and-job-seeking-infographic /

18. Machines Read Your Resume First, Not a Person!
Infographic:
http://www.hireright.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/robotsreading-resume-ats-recruiting-infographic.png
!

19. Chronological Résumé

20. Functional Résumé

21. Summary: Create Your Own Brand!
•
Become a multi-specialist
•
Create an e-portfolio of your work
•
Get an education
•
Get involved in social media
•
Get a part-time job in the meantime
•
Network with other tech comm professionals
•
Create a functional résumé instead of a chronological one

22. Contact me:
Email:
techcommgeekmom@me.com
Website/Blog:
TechCommGeekMom.com
E-Portfolio:
http://techcommgeekmom.businesscatalyst.com
Twitter:
@techcommgeekmom
LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellemvillegas/

23. Questions/Discussion?