John Swenson
Technical & marketing writer
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425-736-4474
johnswen1@gmail.com
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Bend, Oregon
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Hello! I'm John
I’m a skilled writer and editor with diverse experience creating many types of content at Microsoft and other tech companies, large and small. I’ve written everything from consumer marketing web pages and blog posts to short help topics and long, technical user guides for IT pros. Whatever the assignment, I always aim to exceed expectations and finish on time. I’m efficient at working remotely from my home in Oregon, and often visit Seattle and Portland where I can meet with clients. I have great references from my former managers.
EXPERTISE
I’ve done many kinds of writing and editing in my career at Microsoft and other tech companies.
I have experience writing all these types of technical and marketing content.
Long and short help guides
Four years writing help guides of all lengths and technical levels for enterprise users of Microsoft volume licensing applications.
Help topics and "how-to" content
Six years writing help topics about Windows for consumer users of Microsoft Windows, as an employee on the Windows User Assistance team.
Marketing writing
Multiple positions writing headlines, promotional briefs, and other marketing content for Microsoft.com product sites and Bluetooth.com, the official global site for Bluetooth technology.
Blog writing
Two years writing weekly blog posts for Bluetooth.com and experience writing blog posts for Microsoft, including three months in my most recent 2019 contract writing blog posts for an Azure team blog.
Journalism writing
Worked as a reporter at daily newspapers and magazines before starting my career at Microsoft. Wrote hundreds of newspaper stories, earned a journalism degree, and completed a graduate journalism fellowship at Columbia University in NYC.
User Interface Text writing
Five years working with PMs and designers on user experience (UX) teams for the Microsoft 365 admin center, and before that for the Volume Licensing Group at Microsoft.
EXPERIENCE
January 2020-July 2022
UX writer
MICROSOFT - Microsoft 365 admin center
(Contract through Steyer Content)
I worked with a large team of program managers and designers for the Microsoft 365 admin center, Microsoft's primary tool for IT admins. I spent most of my time reviewing new pages with them and writing and editing UI text. My main area is the user experience (UX) for Microsoft Search.
July-October 2019
Technical & marketing writer
MICROSOFT - Azure team
(Contract through Rational Consulting)
I spent several months helping launch a blog for the Microsoft Azure web team, interviewing team members about their projects and writing blog posts for them.
2016-2019
High school track & cross-country coach
RIDGEVIEW HIGH SCHOOL (Redmond, Oregon)
This was my side job and personal passion for three years, coaching a team of up to 25 high school distance runners in my spare time. As head cross-country coach, I was responsible for every aspect of leading the team, with help from two assistant coaches.
Nov 2018-July 2019
Technical & marketing writer
KINIVO (Redmond, Washington)
I did a variety of writing projects as an independent contractor for this fast-growing tech company founded by former Microsoft and Amazon employees, also updating its Amazon sales site.
Jan 2013 - July 2018
Technical & marketing writer
MICROSOFT - Volume Licensing Group
(Contract through Murphy & Associates)
I spent more than five years as the sole writer in a group of more than 500 employees working on volume licensing applications at Microsoft. IT Pros at large companies use these important apps to purchase tens of billions of dollars annually of software and services from Microsoft. I was responsible for all help content and user interface (UI) text, as a member of the user experience (UX) team.
2010-2012
Web Marketing Manager
BLUETOOTH SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP (SIG)
I left Microsoft after 12 years to work for the worldwide trade association for Bluetooth technology at its nearby headquarters in Kirkland WA.
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Planned, wrote, edited, and published all content on Bluetooth.com, the official global website for Bluetooth products and technology.
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Continuously refined our web strategy to promote Bluetooth technology and products, improve usability and site design.
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Used search engine optimization (SEO) techniques to improve site traffic.
2003 - 2010
Senior writer
MICROSOFT - Windows User Assistance team
I spent six years as a writer on the team that created all the help content for Microsoft's biggest product, Windows.
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Authored a wide variety of help articles, help topics, columns, and video scripts.
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Helped create the content for a new help system with more than 2,500 topics and articles to assist people using Windows
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Worked with program managers, usability researchers, and designers to craft user interface text that goes into many screens and menus in Windows
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Recorded, wrote and narrated videos about using Windows
2001-2003
Writer
MICROSOFT - Engineering Excellence Group
I interviewed software engineers and engineering leaders at Microsoft and wrote articles and blog posts about their projects for this internal training group at Microsoft.
1999-2001
Managing editor & writer
MICROSOFT - Microsoft.com web teams
Wrote and edited marketing and technical content for the Windows Server website. Managed four other writers and oversaw content planning.
1997-1999
Managing editor & writer
MICROSOFT - Microsoft Developer Network
Started my career at Microsoft writing and editing developer content for the MSDN website.
1990s
Journalist
Newspapers and magazines (various)
Began my career after college working as a newspaper and magazine journalist covering business and technology.
EDUCATION
Columbia University (NYC)
Knight-Bagehot Fellowship in Economics and Business Journalism
I began my career as a newspaper and magazine journalist covering business and technology. This graduate program provides journalists with an intensive academic year to study business, economics and finance.
Eastern Washington University (Spokane WA)
Bachelors degree in Journalism
Washington State University (Pullman WA)
Bachelors degree in Business Administration
CONTACT ME
John Swenson
Technical & marketing writer in Bend, Oregon
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Phone:
425-736-4474
Email:
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