Re: Certification

[Robert Plamondon <robert -at- PLAMONDON -dot- COM>]

John Bell writes:
>A writer who is released due to poor work performance can find other jobs
>because of the following factors:
>   - Their resume lists yet another paid experience in a high-tech company
>   - They have a strong writing sample (due to the work of their editor!)
>   - There is a strong demand for tech writers (at least in the D.C. area)
>   - Many high-tech employers do *NOT* know how to judge a writer's
>     competency
>   - Reference checks are hampered by legal concerns

You neglected to list what I think is the main reason for poor writers
finding jobs:

   - Their new employer has very low standards, due to complete
     ignorance of what good writers can achieve, and management styles
     that will prevent this result in any event.

How many of us have worked for managers who were a net loss to our
projects?  How many of us have been on projects where we were
blocked at every turn, and virtually forced to produce inferior
work?  Raise your hands . . . I thought so.

I believe that really bad writers are a better match for these horrible
snake-pits than the rest of us.  If you don't want to die of stress-
related diseases in one of these positions, you need to have low standards,
low ambition, and preferably a complete ignorance of high-quality work.
Either total ignorance, or a perfect, saint-like serenity.

So I feel that the marketplace is working with its usual efficiency.
Bad writers have sprung up to fill the positions in which bad writing
is the only conceivable outcome, leaving the good writers free to
look for real writing positions.

        -- Robert

--
Robert Plamondon * President/Managing Editor, High-Tech Technical Writing, Inc
36475 Norton Creek Road * Blodgett * Oregon * 97326
robert -at- plamondon -dot- com * (541) 453-5841 * Fax: (541) 453-4139