{"id":4639,"date":"2015-08-31T13:21:10","date_gmt":"2015-08-31T18:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.encoretechresources.com\/insights\/?p=4639"},"modified":"2015-08-31T20:48:43","modified_gmt":"2015-09-01T01:48:43","slug":"progress-promptings-from-a-roller-coaster","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.encoretechresources.com\/insights\/2015\/08\/31\/progress-promptings-from-a-roller-coaster\/","title":{"rendered":"Progress Promptings From a Roller Coaster"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the truly liberating aspects of a talent like technical writing is the ability to function with minimal support and oversight. That\u2019s the setting you\u2019re likely to find at a start-up company, so don\u2019t overlook the advantages of working for a beckoning startup.<\/p>\n

Tom Johnson, of I\u2019d Rather Be Writing<\/a>, asks: \u201cWhat qualities should technical writers have to work at startups?\u201d He answers by listing: Technical aptitude, Independence and leadership, Content strategy skills, Versatility and Stability.<\/p>\n

Stability? Aside from coming to work each day at an agreed time, what\u2019s that mean in terms of successful technical writing?<\/p>\n

\"images-1\"<\/a>\u201cTo ride the roller coaster of a startup,\u201d Tom explains, \u201cyou need to have stability in your career, knowing that if your job dries up you can find another, or that you have savings to cover a period of unemployment during the transition, or that you can handle any changes and continue with the company, perhaps in another role entirely (e.g., support or training manager).\u201d<\/p>\n

Actually, as we discovered at a trip to our local, continually-evolving amusement park recently, the roller coaster was among the milder of the thrill rides. You\u2019ve got to be prepared for anything that fate or fortune throw at you these days.<\/p>\n

Underlying ability, interest and fortitude still contribute the most to your ability to keep your seat when things get turbulent which, at some point, they most likely will. Close your eyes (for a moment), hold on, circulate, observe and write well. Keep your hands on the car, not up in the air, as the non-achievers tend to do.<\/p>\n

Okay, they\u2019re just doing that out of exuberance (or maybe in defiance of fear). But it\u2019s not exuberance that keeps you safely employed at today\u2019s workplaces, or on behalf of today\u2019s clients. It\u2019s ability, vision and diligence. \u2013 Doug Bedell<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One of the truly liberating aspects of a talent like technical writing is the ability to function with minimal support and oversight. That\u2019s the setting you\u2019re likely to find at a start-up company, so don\u2019t overlook the advantages of working for a beckoning startup. Tom Johnson, of I\u2019d Rather Be Writing, asks: \u201cWhat qualities should […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,8,3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4639","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-business","category-communication","category-technology","category-the-writing-life"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t