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Re: Post on Technical Writing vs. Technical Communication
Subject:Re: Post on Technical Writing vs. Technical Communication From:"Peter Neilson" <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Wed, 04 Apr 2012 12:34:49 -0400
<curmudgeon-mode>
I see the job listings referring to "skills," a term I used to associate
with "how to use a circular saw without removing your fingers."
Technical writers are supposed to do something very much like newswriters,
which is to produce written material that people actually want read and
understand. The profession of writing is intellectual, and as such often
pays poorly. I know a sports writer who tends bar so he can afford to
write news stories.
"Technical communicator" to my mind suggests an attempt to inflate the
title in the hopes of getting around the HR person who has defined
technical writer as, "Typist, pay grade 3.2."
My lack of the "skill" of using proprietary "communications" software that
I can ill afford to buy has kept me out of shops that require it for
interviews. Perhaps the requirement is good for filtering out those who
have not recently graduated from a Tech Comm course. They'll instead get
younger people who cannot write but are cheaper, and often adequate if
nobody's going to read the stuff anyway. Or if it's videos they're making,
the viewer can safely sleep through the presentation. I've watched
required HR video courses at various jobs. Not a one of them was useful in
any way. Not one. Some Camtasia how-to videos and sales videos are good.
Only some.
</curmudgeon-mode>
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