RE: Fitting a Job Ad (was Re: Misguided Love)

[skwpt <skwpt -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

--- v2cdisrc -at- us -dot- ibm -dot- com wrote:
> What I am trying to do is examine what appears to be
> a conflict between what hiring people (those who 
> aren't tech writers themselves) think makes a
> good technical writer and what technical writers
> think make a good tech writer. 

This question interests me because I just went through
it not six months ago. I was toiling away at my
previous job when my new employer's HR called to
poach.  I was interested and accepted an interview.

During the intewview, each of the three people with
whom I met asked me, "So what does a technical writer
do, anyway?" They knew they needed documentation, but
none knew exactly what TWs did; they were more
interested in the tools until we went over writing
samples, etc., etc.

Rather than run screaming, I saw this as a trendous
opportunity. Once hired (at that time as the lone
writer in the company), I could build a technical
communications "group' from the group up: choose
software, set standards, recommend guidelines, write a
style guide... It's been a great six months, and now
we have the beginnings of a tiny documentation
department (just me and three).

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