Professional writing is often surrounded by the stigma that it is boring and monotonous, and honestly, a lot of times it can be. But does it have to be? Of course we all enjoy writing, that’s why we do it, but I wanted to take a look at some careers that aren’t what you’d consider when you think about professional writing.
I first sat down with Jackson. Jackson earned a degree in environmental science with a minor in professional writing from Blackburn College in Illinois. He currently works for The Birmingham Zoo, previously at The St. Louis Zoo.
What kind of things do you do at the Zoo?
“When I worked in St. Louis, I mainly worked in the Animal Food and Nutrition Center. We started our days separating what food goes where. All of our animals had specific diets depending on their species, age, and health. It was up to me to keep track of all these animals’ feeding. I normally took buckets of fish to our penguins as well. We hand fed them so we could keep track of who got what, and it allowed us to get a good, up close look at them to make sure they were healthy.”
How do you use professional writing at the zoo?
“The writing aspect was a major part of my job at the zoo. After each feeding, it was my job to write up reports about the animals I had fed. I had to write how much they ate, and document any ailments or health issues I might have noticed. This was important because my reports were sent to our veterinary staff for review. They chose me for that job specifically because I had a background in writing. Actually, most of my day was spent writing up reports, but I looked forward to each day because I knew I got to see my animal friends.”
Next, I caught up with Jeanette who works as a professional dog groomer. She has a degree in professional and technical writing from the University of West Georgia. Before opening her own pet grooming business, she served as a technical writer for an engineering company in Georgia.
Could you explain what it is you do now as a Professional Dog Groomer?
“I am a Certified Pet Stylist, and just like a human stylist would do, I cut and style hair-only it is people’s pets’ hair. Sometimes I do simple trims, and sometimes I even dye their hair funky patterns. That’s the really fun part. Everything I use is completely safe and doesn’t harm the pet at all. The pets are always my number one priority.”
How do you incorporate professional and technical writing into pet grooming?
“I do a few things actually. When we first get a new client, I always write up a report about what the client wants, any special requests or needs that they have. All of my employees read these reports and they are extremely important, so we don’t mess up a client and so that everyone is always on the same page. I also run our website. That is our main form of advertisement, so it is very essential for us. I also run a sort of ‘dog blog’ where I write about the experiences I have every day. This allows people who are skeptical or worried about us and our process feel more comfortable. I absolutely would not have been successful in my business without my writing knowledge.”
Jackson and Jeanette are two great examples of professional writers who go to work every day to have fun. They both talk about their jobs with such enthusiasm. I think all professional writers could gain something from them. They show us that we need not sacrifice our hobbies and interests for our career. Professional writers, let’s remember to keep our minds open when looking for careers, and not just settle for one of those boring, predictable jobs.
