Several weeks ago (couple of months now?), I applied for a job as a technical writer. I don’t have any formal technical writing experience, but what I’ve done I enjoyed, so I thought maybe it would make a suitable career option. Not knowing much about it, though, I wasn’t sure what sort of credentials I’d need.

The job posting seemed clear enough. I had most of them: background in IT, exposure to FDA regulation environments, ability to work with company templates, much make use of blah blah blah, familiarity with grammar and structure, etc. Basic stuff. I didn’t feel I’d be over my head, unless they wanted full SDLC experience and requirements gathering, but I didn’t see that listed as a requirement. Thinking to myself, “what the heck? All they can say is no,” I went ahead and applied.

A few days later, I got a very nice message from a lady asking me to fill out the form (a MS Word document) attached and send it back. The questions were straightforward and more specific: can you do this, are you able to do that, what’s your background in thus-and-such … that sort of thing. The last item on the document, however, threw me for a loop.

It said I needed to supply a one-page sample of my writing. It could be something I’d written before, or a one-page bio-data outlining my career and background.

I had no idea what a “bio-data” was, or how to write one. There’s no way to sum up my work experience and history in one page. If I could do that, I’d have a one-page CV and a job at Reader’s Digest making their condensed books. No, I couldn’t do that. And because all the writing samples I could provide were fiction — I mean, seriously, which company lets their tech writers take the documents they wrote for their portfolio? — I couldn’t complete the process. I had to withdraw.

I’ve not had an opportunity to get a tech writing job since then, but now I’m scared to apply for one even if it does come along. I mean, what can I provide in terms of a “bio-data”? Sounds like a dossier to me, but … I have no idea how to write one. Honestly, this would be good practice for pitching books, I’m sure. If I can sum myself up in an effective, interesting way, I can sell anything in writing. But … how to do it?

Any suggestions, blogosphere? Anyone out there know what the heck this is precisely and how I can write one? How do I make it less dry than GrapeNuts without milk and not exaggerate, and keep it to one page? My four-plus decades of life in a single page? I doubt it, but … what do I know? And is there anything more to tech writing than making technical information readily digestible by non-techie types?

Anyone?

Thanks, y’all. IF you can help.

God bless all.

-JDT-

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