Building a Winning Portfolio | Olga Kostiouchina

Building a Winning Portfolio

A Guide for Tech Writers with no Work Experience

by Olga Kostiouchina

2011

Table of Contents

1. Why have a portfolio?

2. Content creation strategies

3. Revising and editing for quality

4. Assembling the portfolio

Introduction

This short guide is created as an aid for anyone wanting to break into the technical writing field but finds oneself in a catch-22 position of “To get experience I need a job, and to get a job I need experience”.

One of the ways to get yourself out of this predicament is to create something that will show your potential as a technical writer – and not just in the form of a couple of lines in the resume or CV.

This something is a portfolio!

1. Why have a portfolio

A great portfolio may convince an otherwise hesitant employer to hire you instead of someone boasting tons of experience but having nothing to show for it.

Even if the job ad doesn’t ask for a portfolio – bring it to the interview; you’ll demonstrate your being proactive and make a favorable first impression. Send a link to an online version along with you cover letter and resume when first applying for the job; you’ll immediately gain advantage over other applicants because the employer will have an opportunity to look at what you’re capable of even before the interview.

A portfolio is your chance to brag! Make the most of it and reap the rewards!

This means you should always have your portfolio ready and current.  Even if you’ve never held a technical writing position, you can still come up with an impressive portfolio. Let’s get to it!

2. Content creation strategies

What to write about?

This is probably the hardest question you’ll have to answer before you can get to work.

I suggest that you take a long serious look inside and figure out what field of specialization really interests you. After all, why would you sweat over the software manual if this is not what you want to do as a technical writer?

I -- Create new content!

Select an industry you’d like to target and a topic you’d enjoy exploring. By doing this you’ll be more diligent and enthusiastic when researching the subject and writing about it. And you’ll still be able to show off your skills, whether it’s a cookbook, a business proposal, or an installation guide.

Here are a few suggestions for potential documentation you may create, just pick what strikes your fancy and document it:

II -- Find an open source software title even if it’s already documented (it’s as easy as going to cnet.com and downloading any free program).

• Installation guide
• Quick reference guide
• Online help
• User guide
• Technical glossary

III -- Pick a business you’re familiar with (or do the research and get familiar with it). You may try to approach a real business and offer pro bono or discounted work. This way you may score some testimonials or recommendations as well.

• Operations manual
• Training guide (how-to procedures and such)
• Process description
• Specification of a product
• Marketing brochure
• Business proposal
• Flowchart
• Style guide and templates

IV -- Pick a device – any kind really, as simple as a stapler, or as complex as a turbine.

• Technical description
• User manual
• Troubleshooting guide
• A set of diagrams with callouts  

This approach should cover much of the industry-specific documentation and you’ll have a nice collection to demonstrate your knowledge. Try using a combination of authoring tools and make sure to include some diagrams, screenshots and charts.

Other methods often recommended for creating new content is writing for the web, specifically for how-to websites and Wikipedia.

V -- Use academic work!

Now go through your school work.  You’ve written a lot for your homework assignments, so go ahead and select some of the best (or promising) pieces and get to work. Rewrite the not so good parts, expand if the piece is very short, and add visual elements if there are none.

VI -- Use your current or previous jobs to find content!

Try to find any documents you may have written at your places of employment, such as business letters, marketing materials, and procedures. If you’ve done some training of other employees – try to document the process as a training guide. Try to re-create your company’s policies yourself. Same goes for process descriptions. If you have access to existing company documents, try editing them for grammar and style and use the before and after versions in the portfolio. Make sure you obtain a permission to use whatever materials result, and erase any evidence of proprietary content.

Now you should have a good idea where to get the content for your portfolio. Let’s move on to the next step.

3. Revising and editing for quality

Once you’ve written or re-worked the documentation you want to include in your portfolio, you have to proofread it.

Go through each document and follow this checklist:

• Spelling. Spell check is good but it will miss many of the common typos, such as “form” instead of “from”. This means you have to read and find and fix these. No typos allowed!
• Grammar. Use a good grammar reference when in doubt.
• Plain language. Avoid slang and jargon, write in short concise sentences.
• Consistent terminology. This is one of the more important attributes of quality documentation.
• Style. Are you writing for the specific audience? Make sure it’s apparent.
• Format. Use different styles for formatting to present your work well.

4. Assembling the portfolio

Now that your documents are polished, it’s time to assemble them in a meaningful way.

There are several approaches to organizing your portfolio. Some examples are:

• Chronological order (from oldest to newest)
• Genre (categories of documents – graphics, web content, training guides)
• Specialty or subject (medical writing, business writing, user support)
• Development (from brief and first draft to a final document)
• Team and individual projects

Most portfolios combine all of the above and then some, choose the way that you think will work best for the particular job you’re seeking to get.

Make sure you include the following items along with your writing samples:

• A cover letter
• A current resume, updated for the specific job you’re applying
• A table or numbered list with brief descriptions of each sample. It’s very important to include a brief description of each portfolio piece, outlining what exactly you’ve done when creating the document (write, edit, create graphics, layout) and which tools you’ve used (authoring or editing software, programming languages, any other specific tools).
• A CD/DVD, containing an electronic version of your portfolio

Once you’re clear on the structure – create a TOC and include it at the beginning.

Now start assembling the portfolio. Always use high quality paper for your printouts, especially resume. Find a nice looking 3-ring binder, put your documents in clear sheet protectors (2 pages per protector), and insert them into the binder. You may want to use some page separators to make it easy to go from one document to another. This is your master portfolio. You can add and remove the documents easily depending on the position you’re applying for. Just don’t forget to update your TOC each time accordingly.

You might want to create a light version of it as a leave-behind. Use a nice presentation folder that can hold loose leaf paper and select the best and most appropriate samples. Do not use sheet protectors, but make sure to include your resume. After the interview, offer to leave this portfolio with the employer.

In addition to the paper based version of your portfolio, I recommend creating a CD/DVD version, which you may also use a as an inexpensive leave-behind, and an online version as well and making sure your potential employer is aware of this. You will look great if you can give them the link to your website with an online version.  As a bonus, an electronic version will allow you to include any media content you might want to use, such as training videos.

Copyright © June 2011 

Edited by Jacob De Camillis

Writing for the Web | Olga Kostiouchina

Writing for the Web

by Olga Kostiouchina

“Content is king” as the old (or not so old) adage goes, and many technical writers choose to specialize in creating content for the web.


Indeed, as the web has become a major information resource for anyone who uses it, many of us turn our heads to it in hopes to contribute and make a living at the same time.


What do you need to know and do to become a web writer:


Ground rules! Writing for the web is different from writing for print. Review the “Writing for the Web” course that was part of the Technical Writing program at BCIT to freshen up your knowledge. In addition, check out the multitude of resources on the web that explain the best practices for web writers.


Keep a blog.
Blogging is not a new phenomenon any longer, it’s a huge online force that keeps people with similar interests connected. If you keep an interesting blog and contribute regularly, you will be found, linked to, may become popular, or even go viral! This will increase your exposure as a specialist (if you position yourself as one), will improve your writing skills, promote these improved skills, can become part of your writing portfolio and much more.


Comment on other blogs.
To further increase the exposure and speed up your blog’s popularity growth, be sure to find other bloggers (people or businesses), who have interests in the same areas as you, make thoughtful comments and include a link to your own blog, too.


Use social media tools.
Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and many more tools available for socializing through the web also provide excellent networking opportunities. If you’re active in social media you immediately position yourself as web savvy.


Learn about SEO.
Since  web writing goes hand in hand with marketing, it’s very likely that whoever hires you to write web copy will be looking for content that promotes their business on the web. And you can’t promote anything on the web without at least a basic idea of Search Engine Optimization. Take out a good book from the library, find Internet resources, you’ll be ahead of the crowd if you add SEO knowledge to your skill set.


Learn HTML/CSS.
If you become a web writer, there’s a good chance you’ll have to upload and format the content yourself. Therefore, some knowledge of main front-end web development tools will come in handy. Take an introductory web development course and you’ll be on your way. Practice using the new skills to become more confident and creative.

Copyright ©  June 2011 || Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

Editor: Jacob De Camillis

Business Writing | Olga Kostiouchina

Business Writing

by Olga Kostiouchina

A technical writer is often called to the duty of writing many business related documents for companies. By creating a comprehensive set of documentation that describes and assists in every aspect of the business a technical writer does an invaluable service to the company. As a result the business runs more efficiently, all processes are handled on a highly professional level, eliminating miscommunication between departments and increasing productivity.

If you acquire skills in this area of specialization, almost any business can benefit from hiring you.

What do you need to know to become a business writer?

It’s good if you have general knowledge of how businesses operate, however, no business degree is required. If you’re not confident, a couple of specific courses could help you get some pointers in the right direction. Some available and very useful courses at BCIT will teach you the basics of marketing and business operations, rules of business correspondence, writing proposals and much more. You might want to look into the document control processes as well, specialists in this area are hard to come by. Interdepartmental communication plays a vital role in how smooth the business runs, and document control is one of the main ways to improve it.

What are the examples of business writing?

Business documentation can include anything that directly relates to how the business is run:

• Letters
• Business and grant proposals
• Reports
• Meeting minutes
• Business plans
• Operation manuals
• Policies
• Procedures
• Templates
• Training materials
• Process descriptions
• Various flowcharts and graphs
• Annual reports

How can you improve your portfolio in order to apply for a business writing position?

If you have a job, try writing the procedures and policies you’re familiar with from scratch. Create a few graphics that show the processes used in the business.
If you’re unemployed approach a business, such as a non-profit organization, and offer to write documentation on a pro bono basis or for a small fee.

If you took a course in Proposal writing - include academic samples from that course.
If you’re self-employed, you’re bound to have some procedures in place on how you run your own business. If they’re not in the form of existing documents and templates -  it’s time to put them in writing now!

You’ll gather enough samples to include and show off the skills you possess when applying for that a job.

Further reading and resources:
http://www.lupinworks.com/roche/index.php : lots of good concise advice both on technical and business writing best practices

http://www.prismnet.com/~hcexres/textbook/acctoc.html : an excellent educational resource on technical and business writing with many examples

http://www.amazon.com/Power-Tools-Technical-Communication-McMurrey/dp/0155068989/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1307464601&sr=8-1 : an enhanced textbook version of the above resource by the same author

Copyright ©  June 2011 || Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

Editor: Jacob De Camillis

Writing for Information Technology | Olga Kostiouchina

Writing for IT

by Olga Kostiouchina

The continued rapid development of the software industry prompts the creation of many positions for technical writers. Writing for IT is probably what the vast majority of technical writers does. They document the software, create API for programmers, often serving as liaison between the developers and end users.

What do you need to know for specializing in IT:

You don’t need a degree in Computer Science to start writing for an IT company; however, there are a few useful things you could learn to improve your chances of landing a job and do better in this field.

Take some courses in web development; many employers require experience with HTML authoring.

Get acquainted with some of the more popular programming languages as well as databases; job descriptions often list the ability to understand the source code and create database queries as an essential and required skill.

Knowledge of XML is especially useful and not just for working in an IT company, it’s essential for structured authoring, single-sourcing and using such technologies as DITA for creating a broad range of documents from a single master document.

You can learn all this part-time at BCIT. You can also learn on your own using books and online videos.

Oftentimes the programmers use the auto-generated documentation which you as a technical writer would have to clean up, organize and bring it to its final publishing stage.

The specific knowledge will help you better understand your SMEs and decipher whatever documentation may have been already created in the software development process.

What can you expect to write in IT industry:
Here’s a sampler of what kind of documentation you may be creating as an IT technical writer:

• Installation guides
• User guides
• Quick and thorough reference guides
• Troubleshooting guides
• Online help
• Glossaries
• APIs  (Application Programming Interface)
• Training modules
• Various manuals for end users, system administrators or technical support stuff
• Marketing materials explaining what exactly the software does

If you decide that writing for software industry is your cup of tea, make sure you include appropriate samples in your portfolio. Pick an open source software program and try to create as many documents from the list above as you can. If the software is complex, pick a few aspects that you can document thoroughly, and include something like a quick reference guide.

The usual rules for technical writers apply and are strongly encouraged: consistent terminology, concise language, usage of style guides.

Copyright ©  June 2011 || Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

Editor: Jacob De Camillis

Writing for Engineers | Olga Kostiouchina

Writing for Engineers

by Olga Kostiouchina

No doubt heavy industries are big here in BC. It’s good if you have an engineering degree and transition to technical writing. But what if you’re not so lucky? Can you still write for engineers?

Engineers' job duties often include a lot of writing. However, not every engineer can do this well, that where technical writers come in and take over.

What if you don’t have the engineering or other technical degree? Can you still break into engineering writing field?

The answer is yes! You have to have a strong technical aptitude and like going into the depths of how things work. You have to be able to grasp the technical and mechanical concepts and learn the terminology quickly.

To help you get a better understanding of all sorts of mechanics, you might want to take a few classes and learn at least the basics. For example, BCIT now offers a few engineering and technical programs on a part-time basis, which means you don’t have to sign up for the entire program;  taking a few courses in your areas of interest will help you get up to speed and start talking the same language engineers do. Try also learning the basics of AutoCAD  - many job ads for technical writers require the knowledge of this drafting software, but even if not – you’ll be much better off knowing how to manipulate the graphics for engineering.  

Of course it’s great to demonstrate your knowledge when applying for the job, but it can be trying to absorb and retain the highly technical information without putting it to regular use. So here’s  the caveat before you dive into all this learning -  if you find a job in the engineering company quickly – learn as you go.

What kind of documentation can you expect to write in the industrial company?

Engineers write such documents as:

·         Business correspondence (letters and memos)

·         Reports (design, laboratory, progress),

·         Proposals

·         Instructions

·         Specifications

·         Training materials

You can expect to author many of the similar documents, based on information you gather form interviewing engineers; you may also help develop presentations and create all kinds of graphics.

Pick up a book and find out what’s involved in writing as an engineer.

Further reading and resources:

http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Writing-as-Engineer/dp/0470417013/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1306785479&sr=1-1 – highly recommended by engineers, this volume provides guidance with many examples

http://www.writing.engr.psu.edu/index.html - useful educational resource on writing guidelines for engineering and scientific students

Copyright © 2011 || Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

Editor: Jacob De Camillis

Medical Writing | Olga Kostiouchina

Medical Writing

by Olga Kostiouchina

Medical writing is a great career choice for technical writers who have studied medical sciences before, such as biology, anatomy or pharmaceutical sciences.

What do medical writers do?

Medical writers develop documentation about drugs, medicine, health and related technology. Some of the materials a medical writer may be creating are: articles for health care professionals, medical research grant proposals, training and marketing materials for pharmaceutical industry, patient education materials which may include brochures, flyers news articles, both for print and web. There are many more various documents that medical writers create;  it’s a broad field where you can apply your skills and make a good living.

What if you don’t have a degree in medicine or the sciences?

You can still develop a successful career as a medical writer! Enroll in some basic courses, such as Medical Terminology, Anatomy 101, or join the professional association which may provide a lot of necessary training. Professional association in US called AMWA (American Medical Writer’s Association) has a great website with lots of training and certification courses you may take if you’re a member. If you want to try your ambitions in Europe, they have their own membership association that offers courses in medical writing – EMWA. Both associations have job boards as well.

Salary and Outlook for Medical Writers

According to many sources the absolute majority of medical writers are very satisfied with the money they make. You can expect a pretty high entry level salary, especially if you have a degree in science or health care. What’s more, the employment prospects are growing all around the world, which means that the outlook for those entering the medical communication field is very good.

Looking for work

Network! Attend medical conferences, join professional associations and web communities, research the local industry – medical or pharmaceutical. Start or update your LinkedIn profile by listing your new skills and joining professional groups that often have job boards. Participate actively in discussions held by the groups you’ve joined. Create or update your website. Add medical writing pieces to your portfolio. To do this try contacting many non-profit organizations dealing with health care issues and offer some pro bono work. You may end up getting employed!

Further reading and resources:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0813812534?tag=mediwrit-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0813812534&adid=0WG5BY8E3CTY3S23H5YK&  : An excellent guide for present and future health writers

http://www.amwa.org/default.asp?id=1  : American Medical Writers Association

http://www.emwa.org/Home.html  : European Medical Writers Association

http://medicalwriter.blogspot.com/  : A resource-rich Canadian blog maintained by medical writers.

http://intercom.stc.org/2011/05/medical-writing-and-editing-opportunities-for-the-independent-consultant-or-contractor/  : A success story article from the current (May 2011 issue) of STC Intercom publication – accessible without STC membership.

Copyright © 2011 || Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

Editor: Jacob De Camillis

Instructional Design | Olga Kostiouchina

Instructional Design

by Olga Kostiouchina

Whether or not you have a background in education, you as a technical writer may often find yourself in the shoes of an instructional designer.

What is instructional design?

Here’s a dictionary definition:

"It is the process by which instruction is improved through the analysis of learning needs and systematic development of learning materials. Instructional designers often use technology and multimedia as tools to enhance instruction."

In other words, every time you sign up for creating a training manual or an e-learning course, you effectively become an instructional designer and perform all the tasks commonly associated with this occupation: research of the topic you’re supposed to write about, analyze the needs of the proposed user and design the material according to these needs.

What credentials you may need?

There are instructional design academic programs out there, and there’s a lot to be said on how complex the process of designing the training materials can get, but don’t despair! You may grow to be an excellent instructional designer and be able to create high quality training materials if you have the right aptitude and desire to succeed even without an advanced degree. Of course instructional design is a science in itself with its theory, methods and models, so be sure to read up and take some courses that will help you master at least the basics. There are courses at UBC within the Master of Educational Technology program, this program is broken down into 2 certificate programs, so you can chose to take one, or the other, or both for your Master’s degree. They’re taught completely online, can be taken at your own convenience, the only catch is – you have to have at least a Bachelor’s degree to be accepted into the program.

Software that is good to know:

Certainly you will need to know the usual authoring tools, but one advantage you can definitely gain is by learning screen and video capturing tools for e-learning such as Adobe Captivate or Camtasia Studio. Another group of e-learning authoring tools widely used by instructional designers is made by Articulate and includes the following titles: Presenter, Quizmaker, Engage and Articulate Online. Instructional design goes hand in hand with usability experience and GUI (Graphic User Interface) development, so knowledge of web development  and computer graphics software is exceptionally useful as well.

Further reading and resources:

http://www.stcsig.org/idl/resources__info.shtml : STC’s Special Interest Group  (SIG) excellent collection of links related to instructional design.

http://www.instructionaldesign.org/ : A website kept up by notable instructional and learning professionals.

http://met.ubc.ca/ : UBC Master of Educational Technology homepage.

http://intercom.stc.org/2011/05/you-may-be-an-instructional-designer/ : An article from the current issue of STC Intercom publication – accessible without STC membership.

Copyright © 2011 || Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

Editor: Jacob De Camillis

Specialization Options for Technical Writers: Introduction || Olga Kostiouchina

Specialization Options for Technical Writers: Introduction

by Olga Kostiouchina

As a new graduate of the technical writing program you’re probably aware that there are many specialization venues open for someone like you. If you haven’t already decided where you want to use your new skills, read the articles in this new series, they may help you figure out where your passion lies. 

We will discuss how and where you can get additional training if you lack some of the essential specific knowledge and how to enhance your portfolio with pieces that will help you get the job in the area you want to specialize in.

We will cover the following main areas of specialization, but keep your mind open to find your own unique niche even beyond these fields:

Instructional Design

Medical Writing

Writing for Engineers/Science

Writing for IT

Business Writing

Writing for the Web

Marketing Communication or MARCOM

It’s obvious that almost all of these fields overlap so you may find yourself specializing in one and at the same time acquiring the skills and work experience in the other, making yourself more marketable and versatile. 

There are many more directions you can choose as a technical writer, it’s just a matter of starting to think out of the box and pursuing your true calling in this profession.

Stay tuned for the next article about Instructional Design. 

Copyright © 2011 || Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

Editor: Jacob De Camillis

Adobe Captivate for Technical Writers || Olga Kostiouchina

Adobe Captivate for Technical Writers

by Olga Kostiouchina

Companies that are looking for instructional designers often require knowledge of and experience with Adobe Captivate. So if you plan to look for work where you’ll need to create lots of training materials for other employees or any kinds of e-learning courses – you’d better get a good handle on this versatile software tool.

It would be nice to enroll in a course and learn it in the classroom doing projects, but so far I haven’t found any in Vancouver. That’s why I suggest you take the same route as with MS Visio – learn it yourself!

What can you do in Captivate?

One of the opinions I heard of this program is: “It’s Flash for the rest of us.” While learning Flash would definitely be a plus,  not all of us have patience, determination and time that would be required to master it enough for everyday use in the workplace… Captivate is not as cool and can’t do many things Flash can, but it will help you create movies – an essential part of learning in today’s video saturated virtual world.

So, what kinds of movies can you make in Captivate?

You can go as simple as a slide show demo clip for a product, kind of like a self-running PowerPoint presentation, or as complex as a highly interactive learning video with audio, animations, captions, cursor movement and quizzing capabilities, such as software simulation.

The output formats offered are:

• ·       Flash movies (.swf)
• ·       Executable files (.exe)
• ·       Stand-alone files for Windows, Mac and Linux
• ·       Handouts – printable MS Word files (.doc/.docx)

Captivate allows you to create movies from scratch, from image files, from existing PowerPoint presentations, or from Captivate templates. Once the basic movie is recorded you can customize it in a variety of ways and add visual elements (captions, highlight boxes, rollovers, text entry boxes, click boxes, animations), customize cursor movement, include audio and sound effects, add interactive tasks (quizzes and questions) – the possibilities are endless.

How can you learn Captivate?

Once again, my advice is to pay a visit to the local library and check out something like Adobe Captivate 4. The Definitive Guide by Brenda Huettner.

Next step would be downloading a trial version from adobe.com and blocking out an hour a day to practice. In a few weeks you’ll learn enough to be able to create your portfolio piece.

Adobe website is a treasure for self-motivated learners! Check out their TV (tv.adobe.com) to find many free learning resources for almost all Adobe products.

You can also find training videos on sites like YouTube (free) or lynda.com (paid subscription – highly recommended!).

The newest version is Adobe Captivate 5, it is available both for Windows and Mac. It supports many kinds of rich media, and is available in multiple languages.

How to include the product of you learning efforts in your portfolio? You can choose the ”screen capture” route for your regular paper-based portfolio;  you can embed a movie created in Captivate in your website if you have one (and you should!); or you can burn the Captivate movie (and you whole portfolio) on a CD/DVD to show the prospective employer.

Whatever you chose – you will sure impress your interviewers! 

Copyright © 2011

Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia

MS Visio -- A Cool Tool From Microsoft? || Olga Kostiouchina

MS Visio -- A Cool Tool From Microsoft?

by Olga Kostiouchina 

If you have been searching for a technical writing job and have scanned a good measure of job ads, you’ve probably noticed that working knowledge of MS Visio is often on the list of required or desirable skills.

The Technical Writing program at BCIT doesn’t have a course that would teach you how to use Visio though. So I decided to take a plunge and learn it myself.

Turns out, it’s a really special tool that could make your portfolio look great and help you in your workplace when you get that job!

What can you do in Visio?

First of all it comes with an enormous beginner’s help – templates, and lots of them! Even a complete newbie can start using Visio to create all kinds of excellent visual aids for the technical and business documentation and presentations.

Here’s a list of all eight categories of templates available in Visio Professional 2007:

Business  (business process flowcharts, diagrams and maps; design charts, graphs and diagrams; brainstorming diagrams)

Engineering (electrical, circuits and logic diagrams, industrial control systems, part and assembly drawings, etc.)

Flowchart (basic  and cross-functional flowcharts; work and data flow diagrams, etc.)

General (basic flowcharts and general-purpose diagrams)

Maps and Floor Plans (simple 2-D or 3-D directional maps; home, office, building and site plans)

Network (physical and logical network designs)

Schedule (Gantt charts, timelines and calendars)

Software and Database (tools for modeling and design of software, databases and user interfaces)

Impressive, eh?

How can you learn Visio?

If I did it – you can do it, too! Here’s a short step-by-step:

1. Go to your local library and check out a pretty decent Microsoft published resource: Microsoft Visio 2007 Step by Step. (BCIT library has an electronic version of the book, or you can order a hard copy though Interlibrary loan if your local library doesn’t carry the title)

2. Once the book is in your hands (or electronic version is on your screen), go to:

http://download.cnet.com/Microsoft-Office-Visio-Professional-2007/3000-2064_4-10704836.html and download the 2007 free trial version.  

-    The reason I’m suggesting you try to learn the 2007 version is that many employers are not too fast to upgrade to the latest and greatest, so there’s a good chance you’ll have to work in Visio 2007, not 2010. But I won’t discourage you from learning the latest 2010 Visio – it will give more power to you!

3. Now bring the two together! Set aside some time each day to practice and you’ll have a good handle on the program’s functions within a week!

Alternatively, you might want to explore the training courses right on Microsoft’s website, available for 2003, 2007 and 2010 versions, so you can learn right at the source. There’s also a plethora of training videos on YouTube, be sure to check them out if you’re more of a visual learner. However these are mostly unorganized as they come from different sources. For a quality video instruction, visit my favorite learning website - lynda.com. There’s a lot of free “teaser” videos there, but for $25 a month you get access to all of them – and they are abundant!

The final step is to create the material you can use in your portfolio. Start thinking about the processes you could present in forms of flowcharts or diagrams. Visual aids are always great and make things easier for everyone. Pick a few and fire away using your newly acquired knowledge. Now print the results and insert them in your portfolio folder with brief notes; add a line in your resume’s list of software skills – you’re done!

Copyright © 2011

Olga Kostiouchina

Vancouver, British Columbia