Re[2]: JOB POSTING: Technical Marketing Writer

["Alexandria G. Khalil" <akhalil -at- SUNGARD -dot- COM>]

     John,

     AMEN! For God sakes folks, if you don't like the Job post you don't
     have to apply. I was planning to post a position on this board but now
     I am not so sure. Also, I think people have short memories. I was one
     of those technical writers who found herself without a job in the late
     80's and early 90's. I like and appreciate the job posts.

     Alexandria Khalil
     Documentation Manager
     SunGard Capital Markets
     Phila., PA
     akhalil -at- sungard -dot- com


______________________________ Reply Separator _________________________________
Subject: Re: JOB POSTING: Technical Marketing Writer
Author:  John Posada <jposada -at- NOTES -dot- CC -dot- BELLCORE -dot- COM> at Internet
Date:    4/24/97 8:39 AM


I feel I must get something off my chest.

I'm a technical writer.  I'm also the employment manager for the Central NJ
chapter of the Society for Technical Communications.

I happen to use the job postings from this board, along with many other
sources, to alert my members of job opportunities.  I do this without charge, I
don't restrict who gets the information, and based on that, I present to almost
150 technical communicators a list of about 50-70 jobs every two to three
weeks.  All I ask is an email directed to me privately, asking to be included.
They then contact the prospective employers directly, and if they are
successful in getting employment (as have a number of people), then all I ask
is a "thanks" so I know if it's working.

I'm getting really tired of people reading job postings and trashing the
company that posted the job, the description of the job, the language of the
posting, and anyone that may have considered responding to the job.  The
organization or person posting the job doesn't have to put up with that crap.
They have other routes to solicit writers, and pretty soon, they will simply
not bother with this forum.

Pretty soon, we are going to find ourselves talking to ourselves, and
discouraging the input of others who feel that maybe their input doesn't meet
the "standards" of the active 20% who contribute 80% of the activity.

Companies with jobs available should be encouraged to present opportunities,
not be subject to the criticism of someone just because a single word,
somewhere in the message, may rub someone wrong.  There aree many people out
there that take the opinions posted in this forum alot more seriously than you
may think.

The following response (among others) to the posting was totally uncalled for
and to come up with those criticisms, digging pretty deep..I think the company
or person that posted the position deserves an apology.

John Posada
Technical Proposal Writer
Bell Communications Research
jposada -at- notes -dot- cc -dot- bellcore -dot- com
(908) 699-5839




I know, I know, the following response is not well-advised... but I can't
resist...

> To be successful in this position, you require 2+ years experience
> in technical writing [snip]

I require 2+ years experience of whom?

Who do I require this two years experience from?

Am I requiring someone to provide *me* with 2+ year's experience (gimme a
job), or am I requiring someone to show up who *has* 2+ years of
experience?

I just *hate* job-hunting....

<grin>

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