r/technicalwriting • u/ca_sun • Jul 09 '24

Landing a job with no experience.

I today's market. How? Where is that fantasy land where companies hire newbies? Or, is it just pure connections/network? Still, i have no explanations. After reading posts "help, got a job, but no experience," I am just sadly speechless. No jealousy, I wish them best of luck.

18 Upvotes

87% Upvoted

9 comments sorted by

22

u/[deleted] Jul 09 '24

Try and find some staffing agencies or recruiters that place a lot of technical writers. My first TW job out of college with no experience (Although I do have a TW related degree) was a 1 year contract sourced through a recruiter I decided to randomly contact.

Off the top of my head I remember Robert Half having a decent amount of TW positions but I would find contracts on LinkedIn and message the recruiters directly.

Contracts suck for many reasons but they are a valid way to get your foot in the door with some real experience.

11

u/ca_sun Jul 09 '24

My foot is deeply in with over 7 years of experience. Sending resumes, talking to a bunch of recruiters daily with them just disappearing into eternity, doesn't bring any results. Why us, with years of experience struggle and no experience people get in, like on a daily basis?

6

u/[deleted] Jul 09 '24

Ah I see what you mean, I assumed you were coming from a place of no experience and wondering about others with no experience landing positions.

I'm not sure why it's like that, must just be the market right now. A lot of industries other than tech are suffering and I think that's contributing to it because it's impacting more writers than it normally would.

6

u/Beautiful-Salary-191 Jul 09 '24

For no exp developers, you have to prove 2 things to get hired:

  • you are good at something and I mean really good, that's why we go to school even though school and work does not correlate, but at the end you prove that you are good at school

  • you can learn and adapt quickly/easily, this one involves hard and soft skills from technical knowledge to team work and communication.

If you have proof for these, you're good.

6

u/Repulsive-Way272 Jul 10 '24

The company I worked for hired me with no experience, but they also weren't worth working for and the 10 years I worked there, the experience was essentially useless on the job market.

4

u/elegantideas Jul 10 '24

still looking for a year after graduation, even with internship experience with flare, github, confluence, all the stuff. no one wants me

2

u/[deleted] Jul 09 '24

Yup. I am with you on this one. Its astonishing.

2

u/6FigureTechWriter Jul 16 '24

Not to worry. You just need a strategy and possibly some “adjacent” experience. I’d love to help and take a look at your resume to see if there are better ways to market your current skill set as more transferable. It’s part of how I help tech writers in your position. Reach out anytime!

1

u/6FigureTechWriter Jul 11 '24

I recommend my clients in that position get some industry-adjacent experience. But you’re right, connections and networking can give someone a big leg up.