Which Course or Certification is the Best for a Fresher Looking to be Technical Writer?
Someone asked me a question that I felt is the most FAQ:
Courses in Tech Writing – Your opinions solicited!
Hi, Nowadays I see more than one company/school offering certification courses on Technical Writing. Would it be wise to advocate any of these courses to a fresher?
Any tips, opinions, thoughts, on which courses might be better? Any tips, opinions, thoughts, on which courses are best avoided?
Any other suggestions I can give to an interested fresher?
Any related experiences to share?
I don’t think any of these courses are necessary to be a technical writer. I feel the courses are “nice to do,” but not essential. Because, an employer often hires a candidate based on a lot of other things than just the experience and the knowledge of tools.
A fresher or otherwise, the candidate must have great written and oral skills in English (no matter which degree or certification) apart from positive attitude and quick learn-ability. I’d rather practice writing well and learn the language.
Then, the person shot another tricky scenario:
I myself never took any related course. But I was fortunate to find someone willing to hire a fresher!
I am looking at openings posted online for a the last couple of months. There is no dearth of openings, but there’s exactly one opening that says “freshers welcome”. Everyone else wants at least 2-3 years of experience. In this scenario – I was wondering if having a “certificate” helps.
Fresher vs. experienced – that is the dilemma everyone faces! Best way is to write as much as possible (blog and different types of documents – your samples are often sought during the interview process). Apply for the jobs even if you don’t have the experience, and wait for a call patiently. There are still a few employers who don’t care for the experience, if you prove you can write well. By all means, go for the certification if you can afford the money and the time.
Remember, the first sample of your work is your resume!
