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This is the largest professional organization for technical writers. It maintains a large job bank and career center. Joining this group is a great way to learn about job openings and trends in the technical writing field. Read the "Intercom" and "Technical Communication Journal" to get a background on what is currently being published in the technical writing field. The "STC Notebook" is a public blog maintained by the STC. Subscribe to its RSS feed for updates. You will need samples of professional technical writing to create a portfolio. The following are ways you can volunteer your time in order to produce these samples: Contact your local STC chapter. Ask if they have volunteer projects available to help you gain experience. Many times, you'll be able to find people who are happy to help a new writer gain the experience they need. Call local businesses and ask them if they need help creating an instructional manual or technical document. Most businesses will jump at the chance to have someone with a writing education do a manual for free. Make sure to specify the hours you are willing to work, your time line and what you can produce. Work on an open source project. A quick internet search for open source projects will connect you to these projects all over the world. In addition, every summer Google hosts a "Summer of Code" project that pairs students with mentors to contribute to its many open source projects.Volunteer and track your hours spent improving their instructional or technical text. Draw from your own learning experience to write something original. If you've recently done an open source project, for example, make a brochure explaining how to create open source material, as if you were writing for a client. If you're interested in writing particular kinds of technical material, start writing for yourself. An employer is more likely to see your potential from your work than from anything else you could offer. Alternatively, rework an existing piece of technical writing that you think you could make better. Take a badly designed brochure, and rework it so that it's more effective. Document both "before" and "after" for your portfolio. A freelance writer is someone who works as an independent contractor to a business or other professional organization. It's possible to make a living as a freelance writer, but many people do freelance writing to supplement their income while working other jobs, or when they are students. Freelance writing is a good way to gain professional work experience as a technical writer. Online sites such as Upwork, Freelancer, and Squidoo serve to match freelance writers with potential employers for a percentage of the writer's fee.Others, such as Craiglist, are free to public use. Freelance writing will allow you to try out a number of different styles of writing to find the areas that most interest you. Developing an online profile as a freelance writer can help you be more attractive to a prospective employer. Make sure your samples are impeccable. Proofread your work carefully to ensure high quality throughout. You should include attractive, well designed digital and physical samples of your work in your portfolio. Include 10 to 15 diverse examples of technical writing experience. For example, include video tutorials, journal articles, quick user guides, help files, an excerpt from a business manual and anything else that touts your experience. Write a brief introduction explaining the work you've done, its purpose and any tools you used. Post your digital portfolio on a website. There are many sites that offer free hosting. Make sure your portfolio is well-designed and easily accessible. Include any relevant educational experience at the end of your portfolio. Although this will be in your resume, it is important to highlight any honors, essay publications and high marks you received while training as a technical writer. Format it to highlight your experience, including volunteer work, and education. Remember that a well-designed resume is built on strong visual imagery as well as well-chosen words. You should change your resume for every job application. Highlight the skills that apply to the job posting and industry, rather than producing a general resume for every job. Look at sample resumes written by other technical writers for ideas on how to structure your own resume.

summary: Join the Society for Technical Communication (STC). Volunteer to do technical writing jobs. Become a freelance writer. Create a portfolio. Design your resume.

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Before the date, you might feel anxious, nervous, excited, or any combination of the 3. To help calm these pre-date jitters, try doing something relaxing that can take your mind off the upcoming occasion and put you in an easygoing, happy mood. Some different ways to calm down include: Working out or doing yoga Reading a book Watching a movie or TV show Singing your favorite song If you're nervous about what to say on the date, try coming up with some conversation starters you can fall back on if necessary. These can revolve around topics like family, pets, art, hobbies, and current events. If you can't think of anything, try general questions like: "What are some things on your bucket list?" "What are your favorite movies/musicians/books?" "If you could get a front row ticket to any event, which 1 would you choose?" Before your date, take a bath or shower and make sure to clean every part of your body. Then, put on some antiperspirant or deodorant, brush your teeth, and get your hair ready. If necessary, freshen up 1 more time right before the date. If you have facial hair, make sure to either shave it off or trim it down so your face looks nice and clean. If you want, put on some first date makeup that matches your outfit. A small amount of perfume or cologne can make a powerful statement. If you're going to a high-class restaurant or similarly fancy place, put on something elegant like a nice dress or good-looking suit. If you're spending your time in a relaxed environment like a movie theater or putt-putt course instead, go for something casual that flatters you. No matter what you wear, make sure it doesn't restrict your breath or movement too much. First dates are all about getting to know each other, so something that makes it difficult to interact will lead to a bad first impression. If you're going to a place that requires a lot of walking, leave the heels at home. A dirty car may drive perfectly fine, but it will give your date a bad first impression. To avoid this, clean out the inside of your car to remove any trash or unwanted objects. If there are a lot of crumbs inside your car, use a vacuum to pick them up. If the outside of your car is noticeably dirty, run it through a car wash. If the inside of your car has a distinct odor, purchase a hanging air freshener. Giving your date a small present will create a great first impression, especially if they aren't expecting it! For a more formal or traditional occasion, try bringing a bouquet of flowers or a small box of chocolates. For something more casual or unique, consider bringing a small stuffed animal or baked treat. The point of the gift is to show that you care, so avoid giving anything big or expensive on your first date. If you're going to a place that sells small gifts, like a museum or fair, try buying your present during the date instead. Though most people give their gift at the beginning of the date, you can save it for the middle or end if you prefer.
summary: Take some time to relax. Prepare some simple first date questions. Take a shower and groom yourself. Put on nice clothes that match the occasion. Clean your car if you're using it on the date. Pick up a small gift for your date as a pleasant surprise.