By Jerry Grohovsky, Copyright 2014. JPG & Associates, Inc. Savings in terms of dollars and time: The most obvious advantage is in the face-value savings realized by using technical writers, from development through product delivery. Hour-to-hour comparisons show that: Technical writer billing time is much less costly than engineer billing time (possibly 30-50% lower, especially [...]
By Jerry Grohovsky, Copyright 2014. JPG & Associates, Inc. What Are The Advantages of Using Consultants (Or Contractors) Versus Direct Employees? The use of consultants (or contractors) can reduce a company's overhead costs. In environments with common project "peaks" and "valleys" of activity, resources can be easily adjusted, without paying out annual salaries and benefits [...]
By Jerry Grohovsky, Copyright 2014. JPG & Associates, Inc. Competitive bidding has always been an integral part of American business. In the current economy, it has its advantages for companies who are seeking the best delivery of product for the best price. At JPG, we believe that competitive biding also has its place in the [...]
Multiple pressures are converging to create a skills gap in may professions (for example, we are just beginning to see it in technical communications): 1) wave of retirements, 2) expansion of content delivery methods, 3) changing rate new tools and methodologies for delivering content, 4) rates of new enrollments into the tech. comm. profession tied [...]
Here is a list of professions from which a transition into technical communication can be a relatively easy goal to achieve. Reason why? Because these professions develop and sharpen many of the primary skills necessary for a successful technical communication career: --Journalism --Marketing Communications --Engineering --Software Development --Computer Science --IT --Healthcare --Life Sciences --Teaching/Education --Scientific [...]
For the new tech. comm. graduate, internships are vitally important to getting a career off to a fast start. Hiring managers view an internship job as validation of a candidate as a proven performer. Here are some websites that post internship opportunities: Internships.com, Indeed.com, & Simplyhired.com
As a professional communicator, it is recommended that you subscribe online to (or purchase a hard copy) of at least one style guide that you can refer to during project development. Suggested reference publications include: Chicago Manual of Style, UPI or AP Style Books, and Microsoft Manual of Style.
The future looks very bright for the technical communication profession, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics: "Employment of technical writers is projected to grow 15 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations. Employment growth will be driven by the continuing expansion of scientific and technical products and by growth [...]
Engineers who are considering a career change--and who have a passion for writing--should seriously explore the technical communication profession as a viable option. With an improving economy, there is a growing need for technical writers with strong technical backgrounds. If you are interested, contact JPG at info@jpgassoc.com and ask us to send you information on [...]
Due to the ever-improving opportunities in the economy for tech. comm. professionals, undergrads in tech. comm. programs should start building a visible presence and awareness in the marketplace at least 12-18 months in advance of graduation. This includes: establishing a LinkedIn account, attending in networking events, talking to experienced peers, joining professional communication organizations, and [...]