Next Meetings:
Wednesday July 14, 2004
Beau Cain
Here's a fast-paced, high-level demonstration about how to build books using Microsoft Word. Word's user interface is designed for general use rather than for book building, so it doesn't intuitively lead users through the book building process the way other software tools might. But users can build books with Word once they know how, and that can help them become more marketable to clients and employers who insist on using Word exclusively for their documentation.
The demonstration shows how to turn The Chicago Manual of Style's divisions of a book into a Word template that you (or your authors) can insert or link topic files into. It includes instruction on how to place Word's all-important Section Breaks, how to manage Word's maddening "Same As Previous" header link, how to change Word's slippery pagination style and sequence, and how to insert topic files that update automatically.
Beau Cain is a technical communication consultant ("I troubleshoot documentation projects") as well as an instructor at San Jose State University's Professional Development Center. His growing list of presentations reveals his colorful background in marketing, healthcare, petroleum, career management, and computer technology.
Beau diligently served STC members in the Silicon Valley chapter as Public Relations Manager (three years), President, and Employment Information Manager. During its initial year of operation, he served the six chapters of STC NorCal by helping produce two very well received Leadership Events. For this Region 8 conference, Beau served as stem manager (Captain's Mast), Sponsorship Committee manager, and seminar moderator. Currently, he serves as a member of the Society's Communication Support Committee. He is the current Director for Region 8.
Beau Cain created his "Book Building With Microsoft Word" class for San Jose State University in 2003, and after one presentation it became part of the technical communication certificate program's core curriculum. Since then, he's been creating courses for SJSU in PowerPoint presentation skills, designing and presenting animated instruction, using Microsoft Office drawing tools, and editing English for machine translation. He's also taught "Writing White Papers" from which he extracted his highly-evaluated "White Papers In Your Future" at STC's conference in Baltimore.
As well, he was a volunteer workshop presenter and the publicity coordinator for the Houston chapter, and served the Silicon Valley chapter for the past five years as Public Relations Manager, Employment Information Manager, and President.
Wednesday
August 11, 2004
The Ten Biggest Mistakes Technical Communicators Make in Job-Hunting
Jack Molisani, ProSpring
Have you ever submitted your resume for a position but never was called for an interview? Or interviewed for a position you wanted but didn't get? Chances are you made one or more mistakes that sabotaged your employment goals.
In this meeting, professional recruiter Jack Molisani will present the top 10 mistakes technical communicators make when looking for work, with proactive tips on how to avoid these pitfalls and increase your chances of landing that next job or contract.
Jack Molisani has been a project officer in the Space Division of the United States Air Force, a project manager in a multi-million dollar software company, and currently is the founder and president of ProSpring Inc., a technical staffing and placement firm (www.prospring.net).
He is also producing LavaCon: The International Conference on Technical Communication Management September 26-30 in New Orleans, LA, and September 2005 in Honolulu, HI: www.lavacon.org.
He can be reached at 888-378-2333 or jack@lavacon.org.
STC-Berkeley
Chapter Meeting Details
Continuing in August 2004 and for September 2004, we will meet at the Shattuck Plaza Hotel in downtown Berkeley.
Networking and conversation start at 6:00 p.m., and dinner at 6:30 p.m. If you want to eat dinner, reservations are required and must be received no later than 12:00 noon the Monday before the meeting. Reservations are necessary so that we can order the right amount of food. Do not contact the restaurant.
RSVP Online Use your credit card to order meeting reservations via the chapter website. The meeting fee with dinner for those with advance reservations is:
$18 for members with prepaid reservation
$15 for student members with prepaid reservation
$21 for nonmembers with prepaid reservation
If you come for the program only, starting at 7:30 p.m., the fee is $12 for members and nonmembers, and $10 for students. If you are not eating, payments may be made at the door.
RSVP by Mail Send checks to Treasurer, Berkeley STC, P.O. Box 1007, Berkeley, 94701.
All material ©2004 Berkeley STC/Ragged Left.
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