Re: To err is human

Subject: Re: To err is human
From: Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 1997 10:34:03 -0500

Our aim is perfection, of course. This should be especially true in
the case of resumes. However, errors happen to the best of us.

Yes. No matter how good you are there is still a finite probability that
you will commit an error. In large projects the probability compounds to a
near certainty. But all of us should be capable of producing at least a
couple of pages of mistake-free output.

And that's the point. If I'm writing two pages of vital material, I can do
it without blundering. That's a certainty. I'm also certain that I won't go
more than two or three email messages without blundering (bad spelling or
grammar, usually). But that's because I don't consider email vital. (Others
of you do, I realize. I'm happy for you. Just don't get upset at me or
bother pointing out to me how wrong I am not to agree with you.)

Look at it this way:

Plant Engineer: Those two pages showing how to clear a jam in the stacker
are wrong! The operator just lost three fingers trying to follow them!

Tech Writer: Oh, well. Nobody's perfect!

We all are expected to produce those two pages correctly. And I'm sure we
do. So we should take *less* care with our resumes?

Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 224

Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
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