I came out of retirement on February 15, 2016.
- I am working in the exact same department (The Content Team), for the exact same company (Red Hat), as I was before I retired.
- If you’re wondering why I went back to work, you can read why in this blog entry of mine: “Why I’m coming out of retirement.”
I retired on my 57th birthday, on October 13, 2014!
Are you afraid I’ll get bored? Have no fear. See how I intend to keep busy.
What I did for a living up until I retired
I worked for Red Hat with a smart and fun team, editing web-based content written for Red Hat’s platform and middleware products, and for Red Hat’s training services and partners.
For a little over two months before becoming a Red Hat employee, I worked in the same job as a contractor with The Select Group. I feel like I hit the jackpot being converted to a Red Hat employee so quickly. Before Red Hat, I worked at NC State for 5 years, and before that I worked at IBM for 21 years, with a hiatus of 7 years during which I held various positions—details in the table below.
In October of 2008, I was part of the Technical Communication Professional Delegation to the People’s Republic of China. I blogged leading up to, and during, that trip.
Specialties: Making technical and marketing information relevant by communicating it always with audience, context, and purpose in mind.
What I’ve done for a living over the years
|
Time Period
|
Employer
|
Type of Work
|
|
February 15, 2016 – present
|
Red Hat |
Content writer and editor
|
|
October 20, 2014 – February 14, 2016
|
The Select Group (TSG) |
Content writer and editor (contractor, assigned to Red Hat)
|
|
December 12, 2013 – October 13, 2014
|
Red Hat |
Content writer and editor
|
|
September 23, 2013 – December 11, 2013
|
The Select Group (TSG) |
Content writer and editor (contractor, assigned to Red Hat)
|
|
September 12, 2008 – September 20, 2013
|
NC State University –
Office of Information Technology |
Technical Communicator
|
|
July 2005 – September 12, 2008
|
IBM – Information Developer
|
Technical Editor
|
|
July 2003 – June 2005
|
IBM – Quality Assurance
|
Quality Assurance
|
|
March 2002 – June 2003
|
IBM – Information Developer
|
Technical Writer
|
|
June 2000 – February 2002
|
IBM – Authoring Tools Support
|
Support
|
|
March 1998 – June 2000
|
Broadreach Consulting – Testing Consultant
|
Tester
|
|
June 1997 – February 1998
|
Verity, Inc. – Software Consultant
|
Tester
|
|
July 1994 – June 1997
|
Tascor, Inc. – Professional Staff Assistant
|
Support
|
|
July 1993 – July 1994
|
Freelance Writer – Proofreader & Editor
|
Technical Writer
|
|
October 1990 – July 1993
|
IBM – Communications Team
|
Technical Writer
|
|
January 1988 – September 1990
|
IBM – Network Performance Team
|
Support
|
|
October 1987 – December 1987
|
IBM – Information Developer
|
Technical Writer
|
|
October 1986 – October 1987
|
IBM – First Line Manager
|
Manager
|
|
May 1980 – October 1986
|
IBM – Software Tester
|
Tester
|