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what to do without marketable skills... netto 04/08/03
    I've been looking for another position in a different city, and I find that I have no marketable skills.

    I've been with my current company for over 12 years, in a couple of different positions, but I'm not at all marketable. Nearly 3 years as a tech writer.

    The jobs that are close, copy writing, PR, etc, and even tech writer jobs, all wants skill I don't have.

    Also, since I'm relocating, I'm at an added disadvantage. I don't think employers want to hire someone from hundreds of miles away - or even interview them. Why bother, they have 200 locals that sent in their resumes too.

    The thing is that the jobs that are close look for SO many different skills I don't have, there is no way for me to play catch up. In other words, I can't pick a single skill to attain that would help me. I have no way of knowing what would help the most.

    What does a lost, apparent generalist/underqualified tech writer do?

    Here's the deal, I know Word very well, I know RoboHelp/HMTL and RoboDemo pretty well, I know Adobe Photoshop and Acrobat pretty well, I know PowerPoint and Publisher enough to make something decent.

    THAT'S IT!!!

    The tech writing jobs I find want QuarkXpress, FrameMaker, C++, VB, .NET, Java, and all sorts of other stuff and acronyms. The other writing jobs want 3 years or more of writing experience doing that exact job.

    It's like they blow off a tech writer as not being creative, talented, or capable of writing anything readable. Once employer who I called, after not hearing from them, said, "Oh, so you like the assembly instructions for my kid'd bike?"

    I write user and service manuals for computer software and hardware.

    Before doing this I have 14 years of PC and peripheral experience, with minor networking. Those jobs all want MCSE, MDBA, CNE, CNA, ...etc....

    So how can I possibly find another job. I feel trapped.

    I'd try to learn a programming language, but am cluess on which one, and w/o experience or a computer science degree, who would even talk to me.

    I feel like I've wasted so much of my life.

    What do I do?


    Thanks.

      Clarification/Follow-up by CeeBee on 04/18/03 3:58 pm:
      I'm so sorry no one answered you. Do you still want some suggestions, or have you figured out what to do?

      Clarification/Follow-up by netto on 04/21/03 4:49 pm:
      Hi CeeBee...

      I definitely could use some help. I'm so discouraged.

      Thanks...

 
Summary of Answers Received Answered On Answered By Average Rating
1. I think working together through email will be faster and ea...
 04/21/03 CeeBeeExcellent or Above Average Answer
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