Category: Guest Blogger

Dec 29

Who’s There for Communities? Raj Gupta! Meet the CAC Team for 2015-2016

Rajdeep Gupta is the Managing Director of Blue Dots Consultancy Services, based out of Bangalore, India. Rajdeep, an MBA (Information Technology) has a decade of experience in technical communication, sales and business development and user experience. He has been associated with STC from 2007 and served the society and India chapter in various roles – President, Vice President, Secretary, Conference Program Manager for multiple conferences, paper proposal reviewer, Student program coordinator for the Columbus Summit and so on. He is a proud recipient of the STC DCSA award and likes to conduct quizzes and anchor events during his spare time.

Dec 23

Who’s There for Communities? Jamye Sagan! Meet the CAC Team for 2015-2016

Jamye Sagan manages the leadership documentation, and will be updating the Community Handbook as well as helping devise general communication strategies to better convey policy and procedure changes to the communities. In the interim, Jamye will continue to work with the SIGs until a new SIG lead is named. Jamye belongs to three SIGs, has served on the Community Achievement Award and Pacesetter Award committees, and has written several book reviews for the Technical Communication journal. She is also a Senior Member of STC. As the Pharmacy Communication Advisor for H-E-B, a regional grocery chain based in Texas, Jamye manages the communications between the corporate office and the store pharmacies. Jamye looks forward to making sure all community leaders – especially new leaders – can readily access the materials they need to successfully perform their duties.

Nov 25

Talking Usability: The Power of a Portfolio

I learned early in my career to always bring a few copies of my résumé and writing samples to a job interview. On a few occasions, interviewers did not have a copy of my résumé and I had no proof about the work I had done. In one instance, I pulled the documents out of my attaché case like a magician pulls a rabbit out of a hat-and recited the magic word, “Abracadabra!” The interviewer was not impressed and I did not get the job. What could I have done differently to better present myself to a prospective employer? I researched articles about how to best prepare for an interview and learned that I should have a portfolio.

Jul 27

STC Histories

STC has a long and rich history, going back more than 60 years. Many STC chapters also have amazing histories. If you are a chapter historian or are just interested in STC history, you may want to find out what historical resources your chapter has. A chapter historian or other leader should collect historical records and artifacts so that the chapter’s history will not be lost over time.

Jul 24

How to Get Employer Support to Attend STC Annual Conferences

This is the second of two blogs describing the benefits of STC membership and attending the annual STC international conferences. If you are employed by a company, university or organization, you may be able to get your STC conference (Summit) costs paid for you by your employer. This blog will provide key points to help prepare an effective proposal or request for support from your employer.

Jul 24

How to Get Employer Support for STC Membership Dues

STC, or course, is the premier organization in the technical communication field. Seminars, publications, presentations are all available to enhance your knowledge in the field. Also, chapter meetings and annual Summits provide wonderful networking opportunities. Technical communication competitions provide the opportunity to have your work evaluated and to receive writing awards. The contacts you meet at STC events can give you a better feel for solving workplace problems and understanding issues. Nearly every day STC members send group emails posing questions on various STC networks, asking for advice or information about tools, contracts, ethical questions, job issues, etc.

Jun 12

Talking Usability: The Path to Become a Usability Experience Professional

The Nielsen Norman Group has published a report called “User Experience Careers: How to Become a UX Pro, and How to Hire One.” The report is free, but it is copyrighted so please do not distribute the file or host it elsewhere. You can download the report here. User Experience Careers is based on a survey of usability experience professionals conducted in 2013. It is compilation of professional advice based on experience gained over the years from Usability practitioners. I bring this report to your attention because the Usability SIG has never provided career-oriented information, and I believe it is helpful for you to make a career decision.