Hooking-Up Freelancers and Employers in Montreal

Last year, the Montreal members of the Canadian AMWA chapter organized a mixer to help freelancers connect with potential employers in the area, and vice versa. The event was really succesful. The event is repeating again next week. It's also open to non-AMWA members. Bring plenty of business cards!

American Medical Writers Association – Canada (Montreal area) Chapter presents:
2nd ANNUAL FREELANCER – EMPLOYER MIXER
Mesa 14, 1425 Bishop, Downtown Montreal, 284-0344
Wednesday, August 5th 2009, 6:30 pm

The pleasure of your company is requested at the 2nd annual American Medical Writers Association freelancer-employer mixer. This dinner event will encourage medical writers (and related professionals) to interact with the companies that hire them.

Freelancers, now is your chance to “show your stuff” to prospective employers who may be looking for talent like yours! We had a great event last year with a large turnout, so anyone who missed it is welcome to attend (AMWA members and non-members alike).

Please feel free to forward this invite to anyone who may be interested, writers and employers alike! For anyone who may know an employer (pharma company, medical communications firms, and CROs, etc.) and is shy to invite them, please advise me and I will send them an official invite. We’ll only have a successful event if we have a mix of both! Please ask them to RSVP by email with me so I can keep a tally of how many people to expect (medicalwriter@videotron.ca).

There is no fee, only what you order for food/or beverages. Don’t forget to bring lots of resumes, business cards, etc. Also feel free to bring your portfolio (if you have one) and put it on display. You will have the option to provide a very brief description (roughly 2 mins) of your services in an informal manner and to mingle with prospective employers. Employers will also be invited to give a brief description of their needs as well, be it medical writing/editing or graphic design etc.

Please RSVP by July 31st (although don't think you can't come to the event if you don't RSVP in time!), but please give me as much notice as possible, so I can let the restaurant know how many chairs to set up. Mesa 14 is a wonderful Mexican restaurant on Bishop near the corner of St. Catherine's.

Crystal Kaczkowski, MSc.
Freelance medical writer
medicalwriter@videotron.ca
(514) 585-3077

PAAB Answers Questions About Social Media

I was very pleased to see that the PAAB is offering a panel discussion and learning event around the use of social media in pharmaceutical advertising in Canada. Pharmaceutical companies are already using it, so the session is sorely needed.

The panel will consist of representatives from PAAB, Health Canada and marketers. According to the announcement on the LinkedIn group for the PAAB, by the end of the event, attendees will be able to:

• Define what “Online Social Media” is and explore its most common applications;
• Identify the most popular social media websites and their key demographics;
• Determine the various applications and benefits of using online social media in Canadian pharmaceutical marketing;
• Undertake approved and acceptable practices for using online social media for marketing and advertising efforts;
• Examine and identify specific examples of acceptable social media marketing practices within the Canadian regulatory environment

This looks like a great event. Dates are set for September 29th in Montreal and September 30th in Toronto. 'Hope to see you there!

Upgrading my Laptop: Part 2 Displays

Most of the time, I work in my office with my laptop hooked up to a docking station and a second monitor. However, I have been known to pack up and head to a cafe to work, and in the summer I like to sit outside. So what kind of screen is best?

While the glossy screen options like TrueBrite or UltraSharp look great indoors and for multimedia, I'm told that they can be very difficult to see outdoors or if a light source, like a sunny window, is behind you. Matte, anti-glare screens won't reflect light sources, however they tend to be less bright unless you find one with an LED backlight option.

In terms of a graphic card, most websites say that an integrated card that shares processing memory with the main computer is fine for most business users. I run Photoshop, and use video conferencing and multiple monitors. I also sometimes need to view graphics-heavy websites or e-learning programs. Apparently this means that I'm not a typical business user. My IT friends all recommended that I get a discrete graphics card. These come with dedicated memory for the display. The drawback is that they tend to be more power hungry, however some can be set to default to an integrated option when conserving battery life is a consideration. Perfect!

Upgrading my Laptop: Part I Warranties

I'm in the process of buying a replacement laptop. I like to buy things that will last and serve me well; and I'm willing to invest a bit more upfront, both in time and cost, to make sure I get a product that fits my needs. I am not a 'tech-geek' by any stretch of the imagination, so navigating the cyber-scape of laptops features is quite intimidating.

In my next few posts, I'm going to share my process as I research my new laptop. Input is always welcome!

My first two requirements are fairly simple. One is an 'office' edition operating system. This gives me extra networking options that I've found useful in my work and, especially, travels for work. The other is an integrated camera and microphone since I video conference with some of my non-local clients. Sure I can perch a camera on top of the monitor, but it's one more thing in the bag while travelling.

My third requirement is proving to be more difficult. I'm looking for a three-year on-site service warranty. As a writer, my computer is my livelihood; and as a medical writer, much of the contents of my computer are confidential. If I need a repair, I simply can not afford to package up my computer and send it off for depot servicing. I want the repairman to come to me. Every computer I've owned has required servicing at some point or another, so the request isn't exactly unfounded.

The 'office' edition operating system and warranty requirements seem to rule out purchasing my laptop from any of the box stores. Most computers only came with a 'home'" edition operating system and one-year warranty. Sure they'll extend my warranty to three years, but it is always return to depot. If I want an 'office' operating system, I'll have to buy it separately.

That leaves purchasing from the manufacturer, which was my preference anyway since it offers better customization. The only three manufacturers I've found who offer 3-year warranties as standard, or the option to upgrade your warranty to a 3-year on-site warranty are Dell, Toshiba and Lenovo. With Sony and HP, I can extend my warranty to three years, but no on-site service. LG might do it, but their website was so user unfriendly, including streaming sound with no 'off button', that I gave up looking.

My next step is to compare products, features and reviews. With only three manufacturers to choose from, at least my choices are already sufficiently narrowed to be manageable. Stay tuned!