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Subject:Re: Where is the ceiling in TW? From:Andrew Plato <intrepid_es -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 18 Jan 2001 10:17:17 -0800 (PST)
> You are
> making $60-70K a year as a full-time, salaried employee. Your employer is
> telling you that the company has reached its limit on your services.
> 1. If you don't want to relocate, but you also don't want to throw away all
> of your hard-earned experience, what would you (personally) do to ensure
> your income increases? How would you continue to "be a writer" and make more
> money than you're making now? What type of work would you look for? In what
> industry?
Become a contractor.
> 2. What is your personal perception of the financial "ceiling" in Technical
> Writing as a profession? Does one exist? If so, where is it? If not, where
> is the unlimited potential for millions in this business?
It exists. But it also depends on your level of skill. Non-technical writers
max out fast. Technically savvy writers can often command much more because
they have specialized knowledge.
> 3. If you are a "non-techie" writer who wants to keep writing instead
> becoming a programmer, where do you focus your job search? What fields and
> what job titles?
You can be a technically savvy writer and not become a dreaded programmer.
If you are not willing to learn the more technical aspects, your options are
pretty limited. Despite what many people may say, there really is not much of
a market left for "non-techies". Basically, when times are tight companies
layoff the non-techies first because they are the easiest to replace. Times
are getting tight, so the market for positions that do not demand "techie"
skills are rapidly drying up.
For example, I have a stack of resumes for project managers that's probably 2
feet tall now. Why? Nobody wants project managers any more. Most of them have
absolutely no technical skills but they want high salaries. A sno-cone in a
black Nissan on Labor Day has more hope.
I hate to be the bringer of bad news Nolan, but it might be time to become more
of a techie.
Andrew Plato
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