Re: What I want to say....

[Goober Writer <gooberwriter -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

> This is in response to you recent post for a Sr.
> Technical Writer. Unless your web application is 
> fairly small and simple (and from you web site it
> doesn't appear to be), you may be setting yourself
> up for failure. Here's why:

Your resume will hit the round file. Never, ever, open
on a negative, and never come off as openly
pretentious. There are much better ways to get your
points across with a friendly tone.

> First, you're asking for a "high level of technical
> writing ability," yet you want someone with a 
> degree in a discipline other than Technical
> Communication. Does this make sense to you? Do you
> look for web programmers with an MBA? A CFO with a 
> degree in Political Science?

You don't need a techcomm degree to be a damn good
technical writer. Their degree requirement sounds
perfectly fine - at least a bachelor-level education
with experience in a related field. I certainly did
not read that requirement as "we don't want a TC
major", and I'll bet they'll be looking at TC majors
pretty closely.

> I just finished a contract ... This took about 5 
> months. I'm wondering: if you have no one as a part 
> of your team experienced in the discipline of 
> Technical Communication, where did you get a 3-
> month estimate for the work you need done?

You don't need a TC to estimate a deadline. Their
timeframe sounded very reasonable. I'd expect, given
how detailed they were in their job posting, that they
know exactly what they are looking for. What this says
to me is that they probably have good specs out there
and have probably laid some of the groundwork for the
documentation process out already. Plus, given they
are looking for a contractor, they very well may have
had a TC on-hand to help them set this all up. You
don't know. For example, they might have had a TC
leave on disability, maternity, or another contract TC
who, for whatever reason, had to leave before this
project took flight.

> Learning about a product is not done in a vacuum.

And they made that clear in the job posting.

> While I (and many other technical waters) are quite 
> technically competent, are programmers and other
> members of your team going to be available to
> transfer product information, or will they be "too 
> busy" to work with me?

They made sure to highlight interviewing subject
matter experts several times in the job description,
and even went so far as to note that the ideal
candidate must be able to foster these relationships
in order to get the job done.

> From what I can see on your web site, your product
> is aimed at a specific industry. "Avoiding the use 
> of jargon" should *not* be one of you goals.

I think you should back off this point. Jargon can be
advantageous as well as detrimental, and it sounds
like they do know who they want to target. Who
knows... This work that you or whoever gets the gig
do/does (awkward - my bad) might end up being
translated, in which case jargon should be avoided.

> if you try to avoid the terminology that is a part 
> of their life, you will make them work harder
> to understand what you're trying to say. 

Not so. Jargon and job-specific terminology are
different. Just because some people call a fishing
lure a "jig" does not make it appropriate to refer to
a lure as a "jig" to a broader audience.

> More than likely, someone is going to put in some 
> very long hours (not that there is anything wrong 
> with that) and take shortcuts that you'll both be 
> unaware of and not understand to meet that 3-month
> deadline.

Never speculate what others might do.

> As a matter of fact, if you truly want to release in
> April (if this is for the product on your web site 
> touted for an April release), then the task
> actually isn't writing in 3 months, but in 2. The
> rest is needed for reviewing, editing, and 
> debugging, and the reviewing part takes the time of
> other members of your team. Is that in your
> schedule?

I'd expect that's be YOUR schedule. They just want it
ready by the launch date.

> Why working under the CEO and not the product
> manager? Does the CEO have experience working with 
> technical writers? 

This is best reserved for the face-to-face, AFTER you
learn all about the position and the project. They may
explain why in the course of the interview. It's not
your place to question why outright.

> Does the CEO understand the basics of planning, 
> designing, and producing technical documentation, 
> the tools needed to do the work, and the information
> needs from other members of the development team?

Who cares? That's not his job, and it's obvious they
are looking for someone who is capable of running the
show without the need to get management on their side.

> I just have to wonder about what the working 
> conditions in such an environment where it appears 
> that there is an undercurrent of unrealistic 
> expectation fueled by an ignorance of what the job 
> probably requires.

That's what the interview's for! Don't potentially
trash your chance of landing what looks to be an
excellent project in your cover letter.

> But as I mull over whether to apply for this one (is
> the stress this might induce worth it, but then, 
> it's not like jobs are coming out of the woodwork, 
> I need to pay the rent, and I've had only one in-
> person and one phone interview since the start of 
> the year), there are probably dozens or hundreds of 
> others filling up the recipient's mailbox. My 
> experience tells me this one's a fool's errand, 
> while my hungry stomach says to go for it, that 
> something good could happen. Which gut do I listen 
> to?

Play it cool. I got a completely different impression
from the posting. It sounds like they know what they
want in a candidate and know what it takes to get the
job done. It was a very detailed job description,
perhaps one of the better ones I've read in a while.

If I were you, I'd play it cool and get yourself in
there for an interview. Let it run its course, and ask
about anything that needs clarification after the
initial briefing on the project. It's obvious they
want someone who can go in on day one and know
(generally) who to hit up for what information...
someone who needs no hand-holding, and can conduct
themselves in a manner that's productive and
beneficial for all.

FWIW, I notice that you're scheduled to be in
Hollywood for the last week of March... that may not
fly well with the deadline for this project... 

Food for thought.

=====
Goober Writer
(because life is too short to be inept)

"As soon as you hear the phrase "studies show",
immediately put a hand on your wallet and cover your groin."
      -- Geoff Hart

We can't all be as creative with sigs as krautgrrl. ;-)

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