Why Do Resumes Get Rejected?

Tags

Good Resume, Resume Writing, Resumes, Technical Writing, why resumes get rejected?

Here is an interesting infographic posted by behiring.com on why resumes get rejected.

You can see the original post at http://behiring.com/blogs/7

A List of Terminology Often Misused in EU Documents

Tags

English, European Union, Misused Terminology, Misused Word, Technical Writing

Given that English is not the first (native) language for most of the countries in the European Union (EU), one can only imagine the myriad “varieties” of English used by EU officials.

The EU has a document that lists English words that are often misused in EU publications. This document is helpful because it also gives the actual meaning of a listed word and how it should be used.

Here is a link to the document: http://ec.europa.eu/translation/english/guidelines/documents/misused_english_terminology_eu_publications_en.pdf

 

Certificate Course in DITA: Live via GoToMeeting

Tags

Certificate Course in DITA, Darwin Information Typing Architecture, DITA, DITA Course, DITA Training, India, Onlien DITA Course, Structured Authoring, Structured Writing, Training

ibruk Consulting Pvt Ltd is pleased to announce a live, 10-hour, online Certificate Course on Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA). This course will be conducted as a series of 5 X 2 hour GoToMeeting sessions on Saturdays from 10 AM to 12 PM IST.

Course Overview

• Introduction to Structured Authoring
• Overview of XML
• XML and Single Sourcing
• Understanding the DITA content paradigm
• Working with DITA Topics
• Working with DITA Maps
• Working with Relationship tables
• Conditional Processing
• Working with the DITA Open Toolkit
• Generating the Output

Scheduled Dates

10 AM to 12 PM IST on the following Saturdays:

• May 2013: 25
• June 2013: 1,8, 15, and 22

For detailed information:

• Write to training@ibruk.in
• Speak to Aruna or Gomathi at 91-22-29204260/1

Of Homonyms and homophones…

Tags

Buffalo, Complex Sentences, English, Homonyms, Homophones, Humor, Linguistic Constructs, Technical Writing

“Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo”

Think we have lost it? Follow the link to see what we are talking of…

Of Homonyms and homophones – Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo

Consistency: Using Style Guides

Tags

Consistency, Content Management, Effective Content, Style Guide, Technical Communication, Technical Documentation, Technical Writing, The Chicago Manual of Style, The Microsoft Manual of Style

In an earlier post, Characteristics of Effective Technical Content, we listed predictability as being one of the characteristics of effective technical content.

Consistency is the key to predictability.

In today’s globalised world, organizations could have multiple technical writers working different pieces of documentation. However, at the end of the day, the documentation must have a consistent style and seem like it has been written by the same person. This requires all technical writers to follow a common writing style.

In addition, organisations use a variety of channels and media of communicate with the end users. Each medium or channel has its own list of dos and don’ts. As a technical writer—especially if on who is new to the team—it can be difficult to remember what to do and what not to do.

Here is where a style guide helps. Style guides for technical communication contain rules that tell the writers things like:

• the standard sentence constructs to use for certain actions. For example, Click <Button Name>. Or From the <UI Label> list, select XYZ. 
• the preferred terminology for various things or actions. For example, select and clear are the verbs to use with a checkbox.
• the formal way to refer to various products and technologies. For example, Always write the product name as Company Name^® Product Name™ when it is the first time in a chapter, and as Product Name™ thereafter. 
• grammar and punctuation rules. For example, Use the serial or Oxford comma after all list items except the last. Or Use the present tense.
• what not to do. For example, Do use the first person.
• how to write and format headings, part names, UI labels, etc. For example, Use title case for headings. Or Write UI labels in bold.
• the kinds of images you can use in a document and the formats of the images. For example, Images should have a resolution of 300 DPI and be saved in the PNG format.
• the layout to be used for various outputs.
• and much, much more…

Take a look at Microsoft’s Wiki: User Experience Guidelines

When a style guide is available, it becomes a ready reference for the technical writers and helps them help themselves.

Apart from helping maintain consistency, a well-written style guide can help in reducing:

• training time
• review time
• costs associated with running a technical writing team

If your organization does not have a style guide, you can use industry-standard style guide such as the Microsoft Manual of Style and the Chicago Manual of Style.

You can access to The Chicago Manual of Style online and download the Microsoft Manual of Style as an ebook.

So be consistent; use a style guide!