So, you’ve managed to land an interview. Congratulations! Time to prepare by going through possible interview questions and practicing in front of a mirror. Make sure you’ve done your research on the company and have some intelligent questions to ask them too.

Now what do you say once you’re sitting in the hot seat? Here are my top five tips for acing that tech-writing job interview:

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Canadian Business magazine has just released their annual report on Canada’s best places to live. Our cold and sober capital, Ottawa, graced the number one spot based on factors like household income, unemployment rate, and new cars (New cars? Really? What does splashing out on some smoking wheels have to do with livability?). Vancouver shuffled in at number 10. And what impoverished, crappy-car-driving town came in last at number 154?

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With the recent release of Firefox 3 Beta 5, the end is in sight for an official release of this popular browser (in the meantime, Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 has just come out). Here are some of the improvements Firefox 3 has over it’s predecessor:

• Faster (better memory management). Two to four times faster than Firefox 2.
• Safer. Scans for malware and checks for phishing.
• More intuitive address bar (with autofill feature).
• Improved history, bookmarks, and password manager.
• Better customization. Supports skins.

That said, here’s a word of caution if you’re thinking of trying out the Beta at this stage of the game.

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Every profession needs a theme song, right? Here’s one I found about technical writing, unashamedly cannibalized from the Beatles song “Paperback Writer.”   

This little ditty isn’t exactly inspiring with lyrics like these: “So I spend my day inside a lonely pod, but I need a job, so I gotta be a technical writer.” But hey, it’s worth a laugh anyway.

I mentioned in part one of this series that 80% of jobs can only be found in that elusive place called “the hidden job market.” About 20% of those gigs can be gotten through employment services, cold calling, and other tactics, such as information interviews. But the other 60% are landed through referrals. That makes networking your only way to access a big chunk of the job market.

So how do you rustle up some contacts in Vancouver, a city that has a reputation for being a tad on the chilly side?

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