RE: Calling all Technical Editors again!; Was, "RE: Writing Corrective Actions for customers?"

["McLauchlan, Kevin" <Kevin -dot- McLauchlan -at- safenet-inc -dot- com>]

Leonard C. Porrello observed to Ned B:
> The reason I asked what you studied is that I'm still wrestling with
> your statements from an earlier post:
> 
> "The minimum [qualification for a technical writer], to me, is a
degree
> in the technology you'll be documenting or editing".
> 
> This criterion would easily (and unjustly) disqualify every technical
> writer I've ever worked with.  [...]

I believe that this is one of the primary mechanisms by which creeping
credentialism sets in.

New writers (or wannabe writers) try to get their specific education and
other credentials recognized as being pre-requisite requirements for a
particular job or industry, such that they (the writer) will be a
perfect fit when somebody comes looking.  Old-hand writers, who either
don't have a degree, and have done just fine in the work, or have a
degree in an unrelated field and have done just fine, inexplicably list
a field-specific degree that they don't even have themselves as a
requirement for anybody who would dare to replace them or work alongside
them.

What the second crew (the old hand) fails to recognize is that these
little lapses can find their way to the computer screens of hiring
managers and HR gnomes, who might:

a) not hire the old hand writer because s/he doesn't meet the
overly-exclusive qualifications (years of experience notwithstanding...
it's a checkbox thing, y'know) 
or
b) tell the currently employed old hand that s/he doesn't meet the
now-standard qualifications to hold her/his own current job and will be
impossible to promote (give raises) until that lack is rectified.


Kevin
The information contained in this electronic mail transmission 
may be privileged and confidential, and therefore, protected 
from disclosure. If you have received this communication in 
error, please notify us immediately by replying to this 
message and deleting it from your computer without copying 
or disclosing it.


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.