I am a technical writer

Another day of interviews. Me doing the interviewing, not being interviewed. 

And another day of trying to explain to people what I actually do. 

And another day of explaining just what makes up a technical writer. 

The HR Rep was a smirking when I tried to explain to her that tech writers come in all sorts of forms, but we're cut from the same cloth. 

• Most of us can be considered quirky
• Many of us will have have at least a toenail on the spectrum
• Most of us are grammar and spelling Nazis
• And we're all pretty nerdy in our own ways
• And we're used to working on our own
• A good number of us are older
• And have had many jobs other than technical writing
• Many of us also have the titles of business analyst, instructional designer, trainer or tester on our CVs
• And most of us will have fallen into this job
• And we're forced to be good at lots of things
• And we can pick up things quickly
• And nothing phases us
• And nothing surprises us
• And most of us have seen everything and expect it all to happen again

Tech writers are also used to being on the bottom of the food chain as we have to wait for everything to be done and tested, tried and settled before we can finish our documentation. 

And our first reaction to anything is to say under your breath, "FOR FUCK'S SAKE!" before smiling nicely, nodding and assuring whoever is asking the impossible that will be done on time and under budget. 

So speaking to a lot of technical writers over the last few weeks, you know the pukka ones from the ones who are just pretending. 

Oh, and did I mention that we're not the most sociable of people. Misanthropes, introverts and grumpy bums. That's us. 

But we can be personable, sociable and appear normal if we try. In interviews we really try. 

Today was interesting as we interviewed somebody who displayed every last one of these character traits in an hour interview. Not the sociable, personable, can-do attitude bits.

We got out of the interview, closing off the call. The HR girl called me straight back. 

"Well?" she asked. 

"Umm. Yeah."

"Oh, my goodness."

"Umm. Yeah"

"You're not saying much."

"Umm, yeah. They're just saying everything I say in my head out loud. No filter. On the spectrum. Used to working on their own. They're probably very good at their job."

"I hear a but."

"But she's never fit in around here.We'd be too touchy-feely for them."

"You'd consider employing them?"

"Not for this job. No filter. Recipe for disaster around here."

"But..."

"They've been badly burned at their last job. I get it. I would have been the same if I was interviewing straight after a bad job."

"But..."

"We can't move them forward. They'd eat my manager alive. No point."

"But you're considering them?"

"Nope, but it is interesting for you to see what a real technical writer looks like."

"But you're so .... so bubbly... and good with people..."

One day, the HR girl will find out it is all an act. 

Today's song: