The articles in the May issue of Intercom all center on career advice—something we all need reminding of from time to time, even if we are considered experts.
Are you looking for a job? Richard Rabil Jr., provides practical advice to technical communication job seekers about how to make your applications stand out among the competition, based on stories and patterns he observed during his time as a technical communication hiring manager. It includes some excellent tips that will help your resume and your personal brand, such as using effective visual design, tailoring your resume, highlighting your business value, and submitting competitive writing samples.
Are you a writer-editor working with subject matter experts? Lindsey Neely addresses this timeless issue with some proven strategies that have worked for her, including taking the communication initiative.
Are you an instructor teaching tech comm students who will enter the global workplace? Tiffany Price has written an article about adjusting pedagogies to address both the history of education, plain language, and future technology. And in the columns section, Kirk St.Amant has written an installment of Writing Locally, Communicating Globally titled “Context, Culture, and Usability.” In the column, he introduces the concept of schemas to help technical communicators map cultural context in ways that provide insights on usability expectations in different cultures.
Do you wonder how you could better serve your profession and thereby your fellow colleagues? STC Fellow Larry Kunz offers encouragement and sage advice in his remarks delivered at the 50th anniversary celebration of the STC Carolina Chapter. He recommends working together toward mutual support and sharing knowledge and serving the truth.
Have you wondered how to make your content more influential? Scott Abel interviews Colleen Jones, author and owner of Content Science, to discuss how psychology, persuasion, and neuroscience play important roles in making content influential.
Do you want to balance your creative writing and your tech comm skills? Andrea Wendger has done it—by writing about her creative fiction in Off Hours.
I hope you enjoy this edition of Intercom as much as I enjoyed editing it, and I wish all readers the very best in their tech comm pursuits.
