Professional Portfolio

I have been working on my professional portfolio for potential technical writing gigs. I realize I probably should have researched and done this a lot sooner, say months before the graduation date. But, I didn’t. And most jobs that are hiring professional writers want to see examples of their work.

Shocking, I know.
Obviously, I cannot direct them here. For one thing, this is mostly a personal blog with some fiction work thrown in as I hammer out style and voice in my head. For another, I rarely* edit this.

Anywho, I asked some technical writer friends what they did for theirs. 8 out of 10 said to write an instruction sheet on (get this) making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

*blink* Really?

Really. Apparently, it gives the interviewer/potential boss-type an inkling of your style.
Who knew?

I took them at their word and wrote my version of the PB&J white sheet. I must say. It’s epic.

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Now, I am curious as to what my next piece for this project should be. Maybe I’ll wow them with my incredibly detailed, color-coded, retailer link enabled, Yule gift and card list. I’ve probably logged a thousand hours into that bad boy over the last several years.

Nah. Wouldn’t want to overwhelm them with too much awesome, all at once.

 

 

 

 

* – I never edit. I write what I write into the little text box that WP provides. The only editing that I do is if I happen to catch a missed word or misspelling after I publish something. You guys get the raw me. Lucky y’all.

Emo Post is NOT all that emo. Really, :D

Marginalized
Obsolete
Useless

*poses dramatically*
*sighs heavily*
*looks up from a book of poems by Poe*

What is this feeling that I has been lurking around the corners of my brain? Why do I feel as if all the hard work that I have put into my education is for naught?

Truly, I suspect that the whole thing is just my brain being its usual bitchy self.

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Sad and lonely tree. *warbly eyes*

I am approaching the end of my degree. I have one course this summer, and three in the fall – and that is it. I am done.

In the meantime, I must now look for a job. In this market. At my age. [cough,mumble,cough43coughcough]
To say I am a bit intimidated would be an understatement. But, I have a few bonuses to stave off the jitters.

1.)  I am a darn good technical/creative writer. Even when1 my brains are being bad, I know this to be true.

2.) I have years and years of experience as a quality assurance agent and technical writer. This degree was more to open a hole in the glass ceiling that I was whapping against since I only had a high school diploma.
I’m GOING to get hired. I’ve got too many good references not to.

3.) ?

4.) Profit!

5.) I actually have a plan. It may or may not be a good plan, per se. But it’s there and I am excited to be a part of it.

1 – Which they are trying to be right now. “Put a caveat on that statement! Something along the lines of ‘in spite of what you are seeing here’ sort of thing!  Do it! Do it!”   [And I realize that technically that I just did so here. But at least it is in the footnotes, and not up in the main body, apologizing for my own work. Stupid anxiety.]

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I know how you feel, little dude.