October At-a-Glance
October At-a-Glance
In this Issue
October 4: Thursdays @ STC Chicago
October 18: Cyber Law & You
Annual Competition: Call for Entries
Coming Soon: Workshops @ STC Chicago
Subscribe & Save!
Are You an Experienced Technical Communicator?
Other Meetings, Events & Workshops of Interest in October
New Job Opportunities
October 4: Thursdays @ STC Chicago
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Looking for a place to have lunch or dinner with colleagues this Thursday?
 
Meet with members of STC Chicago. They'll be gathering at locations in Schaumburg, Lincolnshire, Downers Grove, Arlington Heights, and the Loop. Walk-ins are welcome, but RSVPs are recommended.
 
For details, see Thursdays.
October 18: Cyber Law & You 
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Are you a technical communicator who develops content for the web? Do you own your own web site? Do you want to know more about the legal aspects of doing business online?
 
Join us on October 18th for Attorney Chris Juillet's presentation on copyright, trademark, defamation, and contract law. Juillet will discuss UCITA, the Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act, which will be considered by many state legislatures. As UCITA is adopted by the various states, it will drastically alter the way in which independent consultants will conduct business online, as well as the liabilities they will incur as business owners. Don't miss this opportunity to learn about doing business online in today's complex web environment.
 
Annual Competition: Call for Entries ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
You still have time to enter the 36th Annual Chicago Technical Art, Publications, and Online Communication Competition.
 
The deadline for submitting entries is October 12, 2007. Entries must contain sufficient technical, scientific, medical, or similar content to qualify as technical communication. While there are student competitions, students who enter professional-level competitions should expect their entries to be judged against professional criteria.
 
Entrants receive results and feedback in early January, and an awards banquet is held in March to celebrate the winners.
 
STC competitions are open to everyone. Submit your entry today!
Coming Soon! Workshops @ STC Chicago 
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We're still working out the details, but we know you're interested in workshops, workshops, and a few more workshops. 
 
STC Chicago will be offering several exciting workshops soon. Some of the topics we're considering include: 
  • Business Proposal Writing
  • Introduction to Adobe® FrameMaker®
  • Introduction to Adobe® RoboHelp®
  • Applied Psychology for Technical Communicators: An Introduction to Information Mapping®
  • Career Strategies for Technical Communication Professionals

Check our web site in a few weeks for details. Or, better yet, tell us what you'd like us to offer. Contact education@stc-chicago.org with suggestions.

Subscribe & Save! 
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You still have time to subscribe and save with a Season Pass to our meetings! These passes reward regular attendees with the convenience of one-time registration, as well as a reduced cost per meeting.
 
Are You an Experienced Technical Communicator?
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Consider volunteering to be a judge in our Annual Chapter Competition. It only takes a moment to sign up!
 
As a competition judge, you'll gain experience in giving feedback, see work in new formats, and network with other technical communicators. The responsibilities are minimal but very rewarding. Judges will attend an orientation session on Saturday, November 3rd. They'll receive instructions, support, and a small number of entries to review.
 
Consensus judging takes place approximately one month later in early December. Judges work together to evaluate the entries and to assign the appropriate award levels.
 
To register to be a judge, visit Information for Judges. This page has more detailed information and a link to the judges' volunteer form.
Other Meetings, Events & Workshops of Interest in October 
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Midwest Literary Festival
October 5-7 | Aurora, IL
Isadora Wagner, organizer of the Midwest Literary Festival and member of STC Chicago, invites you to join book lovers and 50-70 national bestselling authors for a free celebration of the written word. Join in on readings, panel discussions, one-on-one live interviews, and book signings. You'll find events for the entire family, from candid talks by the nation's leading luminaries, to children's storybook hours, to back-to-back book discussions and a Friday Writers' Workshop for aspiring writers. STC Chicago will be there, too. Attend the Sunday afternoon panel discussion on "Careers in Writing." STC Chicago will offer advice and expertise about the field of technical communication. For details, visit the festival's web site.

 

 
NEO STC Conference: The Crucial Communicator
October 12 | Cleveland, OH
This regional STC conference will feature presentations and discussions on how technical communicators can become indispensable in the workplace. There also will be software demonstrations and opportunities to network with fellow professionals and software vendors.
 
Don't miss the "Rock 'n Write" welcome reception on Thursday, October 11. Meet STC members as well as those from the ISO JTC 1 SC7/WG2 group, international experts in standards and user documentation from the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. To learn more, see NEO STC Con.
 
 
ACPI Meeting: Hiring Trends and Practices
October 16 | Chicago, IL
This is the first of two sessions in the Fall Series offered by the Association of Career Professionals International Chicago Chapter (ACPI-Chicago). A panel of experts from corporate staffing and contingency recruiting will discuss hiring practices with an international twist, as well as technical innovations on screening for new hires. For more, see the ACPI web site.
 
 

LavaCon/PMI GNO Professional Development Summit

October 27-30 | New Orleans, LA
LavaCon is partnering with the Greater New Orleans Chapter of the Project Management Institute chapter to co-host a Professional Development Summit in New Orleans in October. The conference will present proven best practices in the fields of documentation and project management, as well as innovative techniques for meeting challenges that project leaders face in today's work-a-day world. See LavaCon for details.
New Job Opportunities
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Don't forget to check the Career Forum at STC Chicago for new job opportunities.

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www.stc-chicago.org
 
www.stc-chicago.blogspot.com 
 
www.flickr.com/groups/stc-chicago
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