Re: Would you hire...

[barryk -at- MDHOST -dot- CSE -dot- TEK -dot- COM]

On Mon, 23 Jun 1997, Chris Hamilton wrote:
> My question is this: if a technical writer were to take a year or two
> and program in COBOL because the money is incredible, would it hurt that
> technical writer's credibility with you if you were a hiring manager?


Greetings Chris,

Technical writing is not like engineering. If you take two years off from
engineering to pursue technical writing, you would have a very hard time
convincing a hiring manager that you engineering skills were current.

Technical writing is different.

If you take a few years off from technical writing to do some programming,
you are in fact GROWING your technical skills. It can only make you a more
valuable technical writer.

Go, program, and stash the cash! When COBOL turns back into a fix-er-up
maintanance work, slip back into technical writing.

You can't loose!



Barry Kieffer
Technical Writer
(ex-electrical engineer)
Tektronix, Inc.

My views only...

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