On April 14, STC San Diego held an inaugural virtual happy hour. Meeting TechComm peers: Check. Learning new skills: Check. Having fun: Check. San Diego STC Pub Socials are great when we meet in person, but I enjoyed the virtual happy hour just as much. Just like at a regular happy hour, I was able to …
Expand my network
I always make new and interesting contacts at in-person events. But for this digital version, we had folks from LA and Orange Counties, and as far as Philadelphia and Seattle. An added perk of virtual events–nationwide networking!
Learn new technologies
The virtual Pub Social was a chance to play around with some online tools–with support from the group.
We toured some of the new features in Slack, which has just completed a major UI update. Some SD STC Channels to check out (anything with # rather than lock is an open channel):
- #general, for general STC San Diego communication. This one’s important since it’s the primary communication method for the chapter.
- #knowledgeshare, for—sharing knowledge. Add a line or two about your skills, and use this channel to support and be supported by other TechComm experts.
- #slack-space, a playground for Slack within Slack! Use it as a dress-rehearsal for something new you want to try, like creating a poll. You can use your personal channel for this too.
Join the STC San Diego Slack workspace!
If you’re like me, Zoom is a big part of your life these days. But have you taken the time to explore all the cool features? We looked at custom backgrounds, used tools to “react,” tried a multiple screen share, and tested breakout rooms. I really appreciated this last one; experiencing the breakout-room countdown in a setting like this was much nicer than seeing it for the first time in a professional setting.
Develop my career
Have the recent world events impacted your job? Or just looking to be ready for the next career move? As we chatted as a group, attendee and recruiter Jack Molisani offered to review resumes, even if you’re not currently looking for a job. His top tip: watch for a mix of hyphens and en-dashes in date ranges (Word’s “helpful” auto formatting!). Jack also noted that structured authoring is an important skill in the marketplace right now. If you’re looking to learn more, he mentioned www.LearningDITA.com and simplyxml.com.
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Events like these are a reminder that SD STC is a great resource for the TechComm community. Want to get involved? Do you have time and skills to contribute? Would you like to run for office? These are fantastic ways to grow your skills and contacts while serving the community. Check out the STC website for more information about volunteering and running for office.
