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Jay DoughertyBethesda, MD |
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Documentation or Training Manager / Technical Writer and Editor / Public Relations / Technology Journalist / English and Computer Instructor
Please inquire for salary requirements
Geographic preferences: East coast: Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, Bethesda, Rockville, and environs; California: San Diego, San Jose; Western Europe: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, London, Ireland, the Netherlands
Part- or full-time acceptable
- Outstanding record as a documentation manager, team leader, computer consultant, technical writer, trainer, software tester, and technical support director.
- Managed teams of from five to ten senior technical writers, editors, and training specialists for documentation, HTML, online help, and training projects for major companies in the Internet and telecommunications industries.
- Worked as a technical support manager, working with clients to impart technical knowledge of databases and to provide end-user training.
- Taught popular business applications to business professionals. Applications taught include MS Word, WordPerfect, desktop publishing, and various other Windows-based applications.
- Thorough knowledge of IBM-compatible computers; have installed computers and peripherals for individuals and businesses.
- Wrote weekly feature articles on computers and the computer industry for newspapers and magazines around the world. Hundreds of clips available.
- Operating systems: Windows 2000, Windows 3.1/95/98, Windows NT, UNIX, MS-DOS, OS/2, MacOS.
- Desktop publishing and graphics software: Visio, PageMaker, Ventura, Quark XPress, FrameMaker, Adobe Photoshop, CorelDRAW, Adobe Illustrator, Fractal Design Painter, PaintShop Pro.
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word 2000, Word 97, WordPerfect, WordPro.
- Other business software: MS Access, Excel, Lotus 1-2-3, PowerPoint, Freelance Graphics, Harvard Graphics,
ClearCase, ClearQuest.
- Knowledge of HTML and Web site design, MS FrontPage, Adobe PageMill
- Outstanding communications, leadership, and management skills.
Documentation Manager / Senior Technical Writer
Software AG
Reston, VA
2/01 to Present
- Manage a team of four to seven senior technical writers for the U.S. research and development wing of Software AG, Inc.
- Responsible for staffing, evaluation of employees, scheduling, and other managerial tasks.
- Train employees in use of XML, documentation procedures, and software.
- Documents written and edited include installation guides, system architecture, product overviews, and release notes.
Documentation Team Lead / Senior Technical Writer
UUNET/MCI
Ashburn, VA
5/99 to 2/01
- Manage a team of six to nine senior technical writers, editors, and training specialists for large-scale documentation, HTML, online help, and training projects.
- Ensure that large-scale documentation projects are staffed appropriately and completed on time.
- Train employees in use of HTML, documentation procedures templates, and software.
- Work with upper management on staffing needs.
- Develop user, administrator, and systems documentation for various UUNET products, including UUdirect Reporting System, UUsecure Reporting System, VPN SLA, NTP, NetCool, ForeData, NavisCore, CascadeView, and UUcast.
- Work with developers and managers in implementing style guides and standards.
- Tools and technologies used include HTML, MS Word, Dreamweaver, FrameMaker, Visio, Adobe PhotoShop, PaintShop Pro, PageMill, and FrontPage.
Technical Writer and Trainer / Software Tester / Technical Program Support Manager
Convergys Corporation
Reston, VA
07/1997 to 04/1999
- Formerly Cincinnati Bell Information Systems (CBIS).
- Designed curricula and courseware for proprietary and off-the-shelf software.
- Developed and wrote training materials for end users and developers.
- Chief designer and writer of book-length user guides for CBIS's Summit customer care and billing software. Documented in-house processes and standards for software developers.
- Courses taught included MS Office 97, Order Entry (software), Service and Tariff Definition (system maintenance software), and business writing (employee communications development).
- Promoted to program support manager position; responsibilities included assisting clients in understanding and working with custom database software.
- Completed RoboHELP 6 intermediate course with Sageline Publishing, 11/98.
- Began work with CBIS as a contractor; agreed to work full-time after nine months of contracting.
Chief Technology Editor / Writer
German Press Agency
Washington, D.C.
08/1994 to Present
- Launched the German Press Agency dpa's computer technology articles service, which now ranks as one of the most popular features of this international news wire's English-language service. My articles appear in many newspapers around the world on a weekly basis (search Google for "by Jay Dougherty, dpa" or "por Jay Dougherty"). Originals are in English, and each article is typically translated into other languages, including Spanish, Chinese, and German.
- Responsible for researching and writing weekly newspaper and magazine articles covering all facets of the computer industry.
- Initiated the "computer helper" and "PC novice" series of question-and-answer articles, which have become a weekly staple in dozens of newspapers around the world.
- The German Press Agency is the world's fourth-largest international news wire service.
Technical Trainer and Editorial Consultant
Tamaroff Associates (now Productivity Point)
Washington, D.C.
03/1997 to 07/1997
- Taught classes in Word 97, Windows 95, and Microsoft FrontPage.
- Training ability rated as "very good" and "polished."
- Edited and updated Microsoft Word 97 training manuals.
- Designed and wrote sections for new features in Word 97 training manuals.
- Training video available.
Senior Editor and Technology Consultant
Alpha-Omega Services, Inc.
Arlington, VA
06/1993 to 08/1997
- Managed editorial and desktop publishing teams during production of large-scale documents for the World Bank, Alpha-Omega's largest client.
- Desktop published documents using PageMaker, Ventura Publisher, and Quark XPress.
- Consulted with clients to determine their needs and priorities in both document production and technology.
- Coordinated work between writers and editors.
- Oversaw the company's computer-related purchasing decisions.
- Created and implemented company Web sites.
- Managed and coordinated freelance editors.
- Trained company employees in the use of various software packages, including word processors, spreadsheets, and databases.
- Documentation edited and desktop published includes software manuals, country studies, annual reports, technical documents, procurement guidelines, and multi-volume books.
- Established a successful marketing campaign, which included creating and maintaining marketing materials such as promotional brochures and newsletters.
English Teacher
John F. Kennedy International High School
Berlin, Germany
08/1990 to 06/1993
- Taught English and advanced English to Germans and native English speakers in grades 8, 10, 11, 12, and 13.
- Teaching performance was rated "outstanding" by an independent review committee.
- Tenure granted after serving one year at the school.
Lecturer, Department of English
University of Münster
Münster, Germany
04/1989 to 07/1990
- Designed and taught courses in advanced American language and literature, culture, and German-English translation.
Instructor
Technical University of Berlin
Berlin, Germany
04/1988 to 03/1989
- Designed and led courses in American literature and culture during the tenure of a Fulbright fellowship in Berlin.
Business English and Computer Instructor
Central Texas College Berlin
Berlin, Germany
01/1988 to 03/1989
- Taught day and evening courses to adults in Business English, Word Processing, and DOS.
English Instructor
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT
8/85 to 8/87
- Taught composition and literature during the course of my doctoral studies.
English Instructor
University of Maryland
College Park, MD
8/82 to 8/84
- Taught composition, literature, and creative writing while working toward my M.A.
A.B.D., English 1987
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT
Completed all coursework and 16-hour comprehensive written and oral examinations toward Ph.D degree. G.P.A.: 3.9.M.A., English, Pedagogy 1984
University of Maryland
College Park, MD
Special concentrations in teaching, writing, editing, publishing. G.P.A.: 3.9.
B.A., English, Journalism 1982
University of Maryland
College Park, MD
Undergraduate major subject G.P.A.: 4.0; overall G.P.A.: 3.8.
- Fulbright Fellowship to Germany, 1987
- Phi Beta Kappa, 1982
- Phi Kappa Phi (National Honor Society), 1982
- Various other awards: graduated cum laude (B.A), with honors in English, 1982; Writer's Fellowship Monetary Award, University of Connecticut, 1986; teaching assistantship awards, Universities of Maryland and Connecticut, 1982-87; multiple Dean's List appearances.
Twenty-five academic articles, several hundred newspaper articles (mostly on technology), various book reviews, interviews, creative writing. Full list available. Samples provided upon request. An academic essay I wrote long ago on Bukowski is posted here.
English (expert), German (fluent), French (rudimentary).
Available upon request.
Documentation Team Leader, Manager, Technical Documentation, Technical Writer, Technical Editor, Training, Technical Trainer, Program Support, Director, Manager, Software Tester, Public Relations, International Public Relations, PR, Team Leader, Training and Documentation Manager, Desktop Publishing, RoboHELP, Online Help, Word 97, FrameMaker, Rational ClearCase, ClearQuest, Visio, PageMaker, Excel, PowerPoint, Office 97, Office 2000, Windows 98/NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Telecommunications, Internet, UUNET, Language Instructor, HTML