Career advice--which application to focus on: FM or Word?

[Jim Light]

> ...would you advise them to seek out positions
> where they would be using FrameMaker, or would you tell them not to
> worry so much on which application would be used, but instead focus on
> the position and the work itself?

Mark,
Position and work and more important, depending on what you mean. The
key thing is that you know how to write clearly. The information should
flow into the reader's brain without them taking any particular notice
of the actual words or format.  

I understand that the tech writers at Microsoft use FrameMaker, which if
true, should be a clue. (Maybe that's an urban legend, but I'd like to
think it's true.) I started with Wang Word Processing, and have used
WordPerfect, vi, XyWrite, Ventura Publisher, and FrameMaker. I like
FrameMaker best, but the tool you use is not what makes you a good
writer, how well you write is.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: framers-bounces+mark.levitt=betfair.com at lists.frameusers.com
[mailto:framers-bounces+mark.levitt=betfair.com at lists.frameusers.com] On
Behalf Of Andy Kelsall
Sent: 11 May 2006 16:40
To: Framers at frameusers.com
Subject: Career advice--which application to focus on: FM or Word?

Hello everyone,

           I would like some advice from anyone who has worked in the
technical writing field for more than 3 years. My question is this:

          If you knew someone who was looking to enter the technical
writing field at this time, would you advise them to seek out positions
where they would be using FrameMaker, or would you tell them not to
worry so much on which application would be used, but instead focus on
the position and the work itself?

          The reason I ask is that on various listservs I subscribe to,
it seems that most people are big FM advocates and are not too fond of
Word.
I've spent the last month trying to learn the basics of FM, and I can
see why people choose FM over Word when it comes to serious technical
writing.
Granted, there is a steep learning curve, but it *is* a lot more
versatile than Word.

          I'm moving away from a 17 year career as a technician and
engineer in the telecom field and I want to make sure my first step into
technical writing isn't a misstep. As a quick note, I have given the
career change quite a bit of thought, and went as far as completing a
technical writing program at Duke. Any and all advice is appreciated.


Thanks,

Andy
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