TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:RE: when is it ok to leave a contract job? From:"Will Husa Documentation Solutions" <will -dot- husa -at- 4techwriter -dot- com> To:"'Becca'" <becca -at- di -dot- org>, "'tech2wr-l'" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Thu, 1 Nov 2012 19:38:22 -0500
It wouldn't hurt to ask the person-in-charge if you could help them with
something else while your end of the original project ramps up.
It may place you in a favorable light.
A similar situation occurred to me recently when the project wasn't ready
for me. I asked the person-in-charge if I could help them in other areas. He
was impressed with my suggestion. He responded by having me research and
write some elementary HR policies. When the original project got to the
point where I could jump in as a TW, my HR contribution was assigned to
someone else.
=============================
Will Husa
Technical Writer
Will Husa Documentation Solutions
Phone: 708.927.3569
Skype ID: william.husa
will -dot- husa -at- 4techwriter -dot- com
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+will -dot- husa=4techwriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+will -dot- husa=4techwriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Becca
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2012 12:12 PM
To: tech2wr-l
Subject: when is it ok to leave a contract job?
I just started a contract writing job - it's supposed to go through October
- March.
At the interview, it was implied that I'd be developing procedures -
actually getting to write them. As the project is shaking out, however, I
won't do any writing at all, only some (light) editing and (heavy)
formatting to put things into a Word template. And since the template
we've spent the last few weeks developing will be given to the people
who are actually writing the procedures, mostly what I'll be doing could be
done by someone a few steps above a clerk/secretary.
I started the job on October 8. So far I've been lucky to spend 20 hours
at work, and that mostly checking my email and reading blogs, because
they're not ready for me yet. They *may* have more for me next week, or
maybe the week after that. But again, I was told pretty definitively in the
last
meeting I was in that all I'll be doing is ensuring that the formatting
is correct, even when the work does start coming in. (we have a hard
deadline by March, so I anticipate February will be very busy)
Is it kosher to start looking for a new contract, this early in a project?
and if so, should I even mention this current project on my resume?
i should add that the company I'm contracting for has spent a lot of time in
my first 2 weeks training me - marketing, and a clinical discussion
(this is a medical devices company) and regulations (that have no effect on
my work, but do on our general field)... I hate to leave so soon
after they've invested so much in me, but... lordy, I'm bored.
Regards,
Becca
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Writer Tip: Create 10 different outputs with Doc-To-Help ― including
Mobile and EPUB.
