A few weeks ago, a couple of us attended a Saturday job fair hosted by the Berkeley chapter of the STC.
We had a great time talking with technical writers of all experience levels, including a few who are just getting started, and a few others who are thinking about it.
During one of the sessions, I met an accomplished technical writer leading one of the “progressions” held for the benefit of attendees. A progression is a 20-minute conversation about a topic, led by an expert.
This particular writer led a discussion focused on how she landed her first API technical writing position and helped several inexperienced writers understand exactly what she did and how she did it.
What did she do? She found and contributed to an open source project.
And where did she land her first gig? At a little company you might have heard of called Facebook.
Contributing to an open source project isn’t easy, but it’s certainly doable. Plus, it demonstrates the initiative and passion that every API doc writer manager wants to see in API doc writer candidates.
The API doc writer shared a list of steps on exactly how to find and contribute to an open source project, and links to a number of online resources that she found helpful in her effort. And yes, with her permission, you can now find her document here.
Expert Support has been coaching those pursuing API documentation writing careers to follow this path for many years. It’s a well-worn, productive path.
If you want to write API documentation at a big software company, here’s what you need to know. Right now, there’s an open source project out there that is focused on something that you care deeply about. Go find it. Figure it out. And contribute mightily.
While there are no guarantees, those like the writer who led this discussion, who take initiative and make the effort, are often rewarded. Be one of them.
When you’ve done the above, be sure to send me a cover letter that explains what you did, a resume that highlights those accomplishments, and your resulting awesome writing samples.
If you do, chances are good that we or someone else can help you land one of those gigs you’re thinking about.
If you need help explaining and organizing the documentation and training you use to onboard employees, partners, and customers, we’d love to hear from you.
And I invite you to sign up for our email list so we can let you know about important posts and updates.