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Let's think about this....since I spent over a decade working in health care
as a tech writer, I have to point out that the risk is the same, and poor
performance by a technical writer can also kill you.
Some examples:
- Ever documented a home kidney dialysis machine? Get those
instructions wrong, and the user (patient) can die of an embolism, have
severe damage to their kidneys or other internal organs, have heart failure,
or other serious problems.
- Tell a radiology tech to use the X-Ray or MRI machine incorrectly,
and you could have a patient with burns and with a really high risk of
cancer.
Another example:
- What about instructions for installing brake pads in a car? If they
are wrong, and someone uses the instructions, and then has an accident
because their brakes failed?
It really does depend on what you are documenting. And the US courts have
determined that technical writers can be held accountable for errors in
documentation that harm others, even if they are employed by a corporation.
This doesn't happen often, but it has, and I have had a judge friend tell me
so.
As far as the money goes, I make as much (a little more, actually) as my
family doctor. He works in a group practice, and he told me what his yearly
take home is. It's about what a mid-range tech writer makes in this area,
and I make about 15% more than he does. Anyway, it's like so many other
things: not black and white. It just depends. :-)
It's too bad your company does not realize your worth. They should and that
sucks that they don't! The STC Salary Survey comes in handy for
asking-for-raises situations. I use it, and that alone is worth the dues
every year.
Good luck to you,
PT
On 5/23/07, Stansbury, Stan <SBS -at- dolby -dot- com> wrote:
>
> So far in this thread no one has mentioned the one factor that I think
> is crucial in understanding it: the consequences of poor performance.
>
> Poor performance by a doctor can kill you.
> Poor performance by an engineer can kill you and/or ruin equipment.
> Poor performance by a lawyer can jail you or cost you millions.
> In the vast majority of cases, poor performance by a technical writer
> can inconvenience you or delay your work, usually slightly.
>
> We don't make as much money because our work simply isn't as important.
> The consequences of having it done badly are simply much, much lower
> than other professions.
>
> I'm not trying to belittle us, I just calls 'em as I sees 'em.
>
> Stan Stansbury
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: techwr-l-bounces+sbs=dolby -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-
> > bounces+sbs=dolby -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf Of Elizabeth J
> Allen
> > Sent: Wednesday, May 23, 2007 3:41 PM
> > To: Ned Bedinger
> > Cc: TECHWR-L
> > Subject: Re: Professionalism and pay (was RE: 'Know thy audience')
> >
> > Sadly, I document hardware. Semiconductors to be exact. I write
> > reference manuals, datasheets, document pinouts, signal mapping, and
> > register specs. I am very good at my job and have been called "the
> > best technical writer we've ever worked with" by a previous employer
> > (another semiconductor company). Documenting semiconductors is a
> > fairly rare skill in the realm of technical writers.
> >
> > But I am not, according to my employer, an engineer. Therefore I am
> > perceived to be not as valuable as an engineer.
> >
> > I have to wonder at the wisdom of a company that decrees that a level
> > I engineer, straight out of university is inherently worth more in
> > terms of compensation than an experienced technical writer.
> >
> > Well, I can say the company has successful motivated me. I'm just not
> > sure they want me to be motivated in this way.
> >
> > Elizabeth
> > --
> > Elizabeth J. Allen
> > Samurai Consulting Inc.
> > eja -at- samurai -dot- com
> >
> > "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler." -Albert
> > Einstein
>
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--
PT
pro -dot- techwriter -at- gmail -dot- com
I'm a Technical Technical Writer!
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