hasta la vista!

[Glen Accardo <glen -at- SOFTINT -dot- COM>]

E-mail glen -at- softint -dot- com
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Well, a week ago I started looking for a job.  I got one.  A really good one.
I'll be signing off the list next week until I get my new email address
and such set up.

Some final words of advice about reading job offers.  All of this is
highly opinionated, and I'm sure that folks will disagree with some of it,
but hey, that's why we have a list!  Some of this comes from my efforts
in looking for a new job, and some of it comes from looking for someone
to hire.

What they say:                    What they mean:
------------------------------    -----------------------------------------
"Fast-paced environment"          We are nearing the outlet of the
                                  proverbial unsanitary tributary, and we
                                  not in possession of a proper means of
                                  propulsion.  Literally, there are too
                                  few people or there is too little
                                  management to get the work done.  If a
                                  company describes itself in this way,
                                  watch out!  (We did [do], I know.)

"How do you handle the            See "fast-paced environment."
 situation where you have
 10 weeks of work to do in
 5 weeks?"

"The last writer couldn't         The company's demands are unreasonable.
 handle the stress."              People can take tremendous amounts of
                                  stress -- for a short period.  Tech writing
                                  is not supposed to be a high stress job.
                                  If a company makes it one, DANGER!!!!

"competitive benefits."           Horse shit.  Tech writers range from
                                  typists to engineers.  Companies offer
                                  somewhere between minimum wage and really
                                  good salaries.  You'll be insulted.
                                  You'll be amazed.  Bottom line: keep an
                                  eye on STC figures, this list, job offers,
                                  etc.  It'll take a while for you to
                                  calculate your worth, but in the long run
                                  you'll be glad you did.  Employers have
                                  a set idea of what you are worth, and
                                  probably won't change.

"must know word, write, ????"     You are gonna be a typist (unless the
                                  company is looking to fill a contract
                                  position, in which case these skills
                                  make/break a person's ability to do a
                                  job.)  You need to know technology, but
                                  hey, most of this stuff is easy to learn.


Be aware of how documentation is perceived in the company.  If you are not
in a "development" area, reporting to the same boss as the folks making
the product (okay, I'm biased towards software documentation), you should
keep on looking.  Tech writing is not a clerical position.  It is not
administrative.  Period.  People who accept positions like this make it
harder for others with real documentation skills to get meaningful jobs.

How do you determine perception?  Well, see if things like release notes
are part of the release schedule.  Ask how you get information.  Ask about
how manuals are reviewed, by whom, and for what.  If folks assume that
"the writer said it's okay, and it's a good looking manual, it must be okay,"
NEXT!  Would you buy a pacemaker that was tested like this?  Would you
want to work for a group that won't schedule known processes?  I'm sure
that others can add to this list.

Want ads vs friends for finding a job?  That's not a real question, is
it?  Who said "Serendipity favors the prepared mind. (or something like
that)"?  If you see a sign on the side of the road, your next door
neighbor tells you about the job, or whatever, you now know that there is
a job -- go get it.  If you have the skills and the desire, you'll be
ready.  The more you need a job, the more you need to look for one.
This includes using different methods and exploiting the available
information more aggressively.  I've found good candidates through
the newspaper and had a few people recommended to me.  I've found jobs
through newspapers, friends, and through a really muddy guy on a bike.
Every time, I was able to send (or was sent) a resume and cover letter
which were correctly targeted.

Check who'll be editing your work.  What skills do they have?  Background?
A good editor is such a blessing (why do you think 90+ percent of all
authors thank their editors in prefaces?).  If you have faith in your
editors and reviewers, your overall confidence in your documentation
will grow tremendously, as will the quality of your work.  If you think
your editor is stupid or vicious, you can never be happy with a final
product, and you will consequently never be fully happy with the job.
If you have to edit your own work, you are in nasty situation.

As a final note, be very wary of Software Interfaces.  No job has been
announced yet, and I can't speak for the company on that issue anyway.
I will gladly speak privately with anyone persuing a position here --
there are things you should know.

------------
glen accardo                         glen -at- softint -dot- com
Recovering Technical Writer          (713) 398-0661

Someday I'll know whether or not the Corinthians wrote back.
And, I'll tell you guys!