GitLab Technical Writing, 15 Mar 2022

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From YouTube: Technical Writer role discussion

Description

Fiona, Evan, and Rupert discuss the role of a Technical Writer at GitLab. We cover onboarding, tips for interviewing, and how the role at GitLab is different from other Tech Writer positions.

Useful links:

Values - https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/values/
Technical Writer handbook - https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/ux/technical-writing/

A

So fiona, evan,, thank you so much for taking some time to join me. Today.

A

The purpose of this call is just to give anyone watching some insight into the role of a technical writer here at gitlab.

A

It would be great to start with some introductions. Fiona,. Do you mind going first?.

B

Yeah my name's fiona neill., I'm based in amsterdam.

B

I'm a senior technical writer, and I'm the technical writer for the fulfillment, manage,.

B

Growth, and secure stages.

B

And I joined gitlab in july 2021.

A

Awesome! cool, and over to you, evan.

C

Yeah, my name's evan read., I'm from brisbane, australia., I'm a senior technical writer working with the gitaly, pipeline, insights, compliance, and the authentication and authorization group.

C

and I started at gitlab in august. 2018.

A

Awesome, cool. and I'm rupert, I'm one of the technical, recruiting team here.. One of the departments that I support is the ux team, and the technical writing function makes up that department.

A

And I've been here for just over three years: now.

A

So, evan,, it would be good for you to give me some insight into.

A

How your role as a technical writer here at gitlab differs to previous companies that you've worked in and how your role as a technical writer there was different to the one you're in now?.

C

Yeah,, I think the main thing you know, apart from the things that are very similar working with content, editing, writing,, those sorts of things.

C

I think something that sets gitlab very much apart.

C

Is the amount of support that technical writers get from engineering.

C

And from the wider gitlab company.

C

We get a lot of help from engineers and the whole company.

C

In solving problems that we need to solve for the team and for customers.

A

Awesome, cool. and same question to you, fiona.

B

Yeah,, I suppose the biggest difference is that docs, as code is widely used throughout the company..

B

It's been adopted, company wide, so from marketing to engineering and you know, for us, as technical writers,.

B

That means we fit seamlessly into all the engineering workflows and the most rewarding thing from that is we see our documentation being shipped super fast,, so we might make an mr in the morning to make a docs change..

B

It goes through a few review cycles and by that afternoon it's shipped with the product and your documentation has been published,. So it's really great to see that fast, turnaround.

A

Yeah, perfect, perfect.. I think that velocity is consistent across gitlab and, fiona, as a newer team member here.

A

Can you give me some insight into what your onboarding process was like?.

B

Yeah, sure., so I suppose it can be nerve wracking, for anybody to join a remote company, but gitlab's onboarding,, especially for technical writers, is really exceptional, and it gave me everything I needed to help me integrate into the role so, first of all,. I had all the instructions to set up my environment.

B

I did that without hardly any problems and then for the onboarding to help you ramp up, there's different phases that you complete before you even take on being a technical writer. For a product group.-.

B

So you start out by shadowing a technical writing peer.

B

They give you information about how to complete processes in an async way through merge requests.

B

And issues., and then you move on to being a trainee. during this time. You've full support from your team and your manager., and you do that for a couple of releases until you finally take on your own product groups., so through the whole way, you've full support from your team, from your manager. and then even afterwards., I've taken on a few groups now, and I'm still getting great support from the team, and continue to do so..

B

It's a great team as well. You know., I was never short of coffee chats after joining, it's been a really good experience.

A

So glad to hear it. and evan, as a more tenured team member here at gitlab,.

A

It would be wonderful for me to hear about a standout lesson from your time in our team.

C

Yeah,, I think that something I've really learned from gitlab.

C

And something that has really stood out to me during my time at gitlab is how important it is that.

C

Gitlab not only focuses on the work that we do, but also the context around our work.

C

You know, gitlab spent a lot of time.

C

Thinking about how remote work works, and how asynchronous communication works., so it's not just about delivering software.

C

It's about the way in which we go about doing that.

C

And part of the context is our values, and.

C

Something else that stands out to me.

C

Is just how important gitlab's values are.

C

And also the degree to which gitlab lives out those values.

C

Sometimes, values are something that you are introduced to when you start at a company and then you never really hear about them. Again.

C

at gitlab, people link to our values in everyday conversation.

C

And I just think that that's a really important part.

C

Of gitlab, and something that really stands out to me, and has stood out to me during my time, here.

A

Yeah, definitely agree.. Those values are implicitly and explicitly present in pretty much every interaction that I have here.

A

for. Anyone, that's not familiar with them, I'll share a link to them in the description. and also,. For some additional context, we've been an all remote company since around 2014.

A

we've been thinking about how we work as an all remote.

A

Organization since then., some viewers of this may be considering applying,.

A

Or going through the interview process., so it would be wonderful for me to hear from both of you a piece of advice you'd give to someone that is both interviewing, and then a bit of advice that you'd give to someone. That's been successful through the interview process, and is now joining.

A

fiona,. Do you mind answering that?.

B

Yes,, so I suppose my advice for anybody going through the interview process- and it goes back to what evan was saying recently about values,- is really take the time to learn about our values.

B

they're, really important to how we work, especially as a remote company,. We want to work with people who are aligned with our values. It helps us get the work that needs to be done.

B

when looking at the values,, try and think of how they tie in.

B

To your previous work experience and try and make that come out in your answers. and I'd, say my advice for anybody joining is.

B

There's a lot of information when you join, but give yourself the grace and time to become used to being.

B

Uncomfortable with not knowing everything. and,, as I said, before,, there is so much support in the company.

B

There's no such thing as a bad question.

B

You'll get through it, and you'll, be better for it.

B

And evan, the same question to you.

C

Yeah,, so I think for anyone who is considering interviewing,.

C

Just learn as much about the company as you possibly can.,.

C

The company is very open., the team,, the technical writing team.

C

Is very open. the way that we work, the context that we work in.

C

All of that is open for anyone who is interviewing.

C

To look at, look through., so you can really size up the company.

C

And you can really come to the interview process.

C

If you are able to get to that point, knowing a lot about us and about how we work and you're able to tailor your answers along those lines.

C

and I think to anyone who makes it through the interview process, and someone who is starting with the team very much. What fiona said. is that it is a really long, and fairly steep onboarding process.

C

It just takes time., and so you need to give yourself the space,, the grace to just onboard at your own pace.

C

The team isn't in any hurry for a new starter to.

C

To start churning out work.

C

we're ready for contributions from you.

C

When you are ready to give them.

A

Perfect. well fiona, evan,. I really appreciate your time today.

A

I'm sure this insight will be very useful for candidates.

A

And other viewers of this.- and I hope you have a great tuesday!.

C

Thank you very much!,.