Get Certified

There aren't many ways to demonstrate your competence at technical writing. That's clear just from looking at ads for permanent or contract positions. These ads never say "Technical Writer Certification required" – because there is no such thing. Instead, they blather on about how you have to know Word and FrameMaker (duh!), or have a degree in journalism or maybe English or perhaps a technical topic, along with a diagnosis of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Therefore, any objective evidence that you possess some sort of mastery of the tools of technical writing would be a boost to your career. Something you can put on your resume, and mention offhandedly in your cover letter. And there really is such a thing.

Microsoft offers a certification program in its Office products, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Access. You can take a test in your expertise in using one of these applications and, assuming you do well enough, obtain a certificate attesting that you are, in fact, Microsoft Certified.

There is, naturally, a catch. It costs money to take the tests. Unless…

Allow me to bore you with my reminiscences for a moment. A few years ago, when I was between paying positions, as the expression goes, I signed up to be a temp office worker with one of the Robert Half Organization branches. When they found out that I was experienced in Word and other MS Office apps, they asked if I wanted to be tested for Microsoft certification – for free. I said sure, took several tests, and am now Microsoft Certified in Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Now, when an ad says "experience in Word", I can say that, not only am I experienced in Word, I'm Microsoft Certified in Word. Impressive, no?

My advice, therefore, is to hunt around among the Robert Half groups – and other agencies that place office workers – and see if any of them have a similar deal going. For a little time on your part, you could receive a handsome certificate suitable for framing – and a real credential you can use to land jobs forever.

Adobe releases RoboHelp 6

RoboHelp began as the product of a startup called eHelp. Then eHelp, including RoboHelp, was acquired by Macromedia. But Adobe then acquired Macromedia – and with it RoboHelp. And for all that time, RoboHelp was not really getting the attention it deserved. Indeed, many thought that RoboHelp was on its way out. After all, why would Adobe, which already has FrameMaker and other authoring tools, want another competing one?

That view recently changed, with Adobe releasing version 6 of RoboHelp. Read all about it!

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

I was researching an article and happened to contact a former colleague who is now an industry analyst. He remembered me – and also remembered some of our co-workers. X was a fat jerk. Y was a stupid cow. Z was a ******* *******. Apparently, I was okay, and he gave me a little help. Still, he continued negative and caustic about everyone and everything he spoke about. His attitude permeated and poisoned everything.

This encounter left a bad taste in my mind. I would not want to work with this guy again. No matter what his expertise, I have no intention of consulting him again. His personal style has alienated me.

It's a fact that there's more to the world of work than facts. People have to get along with other people to accomplish anything worthwhile. If someone's behavior makes it difficult or impossible to work with them, they lose out. In the case of this former colleague, he will lose out on the possibility of future free publicity for him and his services by me in my articles. That may or may not be significant, but he loses.

I've been guilty of similar things, if not to the same degree. I was working on one assignment for a publication I enjoyed writing for, when I made a foolish mistake. A large printer manufacturer was dragging their feet about giving me information for the assignment. I suggested that they provide me with the information, or they would miss their opportunity for free publicity in the article. They were outraged by my suggestion, and informed the editor that they didn't like my behavior.

Now, I was perfectly right in what I had said to them – but I was still wrong. No matter how I felt about the way they were treating me – and they were very patronizing and uncooperative – I should have been diplomatic and patient with them. I wasn't – and the publication never gave me another assignment.

I've learned my lesson. Since then, I have been in many similar situations, but I've never betrayed any impatience with anyone. It's annoying in the moment, but in the long run it's the smart move.

My colleague hasn't learned his lesson, and may never know how his behavior has affected his career.

Learn from both our mistakes, and always be positive in your dealings. You never know what negative result you may be avoiding.