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Subject:Re: Writing Samples: What to look for From:Elizabeth Vollbach <vollbach -at- PACBELL -dot- NET> Date:Tue, 20 Jan 1998 19:51:20 GMT
If I was writing that article I'd mention that often technical
writers' samples aren't exactly written and/or formatted the way they
would have chosen if they had had a choice. So the interviewer should
keep this in mind. And it'd be wise, although most interviewers don't
do this, to discuss whether this was true for a particular document.
It would also be wise, although most interviewers don't do this,
either, to ask whether the interviewee actually wrote the document or
edited it. Another good question would be whether the interviewee
actually did either one or just did the DTP. It surprises me that many
DTPers have the nerve to call themselves technical writers.
On 19 Jan 1998 11:51:01 -0600, Rebecca Rachmany
<purple -at- netmedia -dot- net -dot- il> wrote:
>Hi Techwhirlers:
>
>I am writing an article for my company newsletter about what to look for in
>writing samples when interviewing technical writers. (The newsletter is
>distributed to our customers and can also be viewed at our web site.)
>
>I have a lot of good ideas about what to write, but I can always use more
>input. What do you look for when you review portfolios of job candidates?
>What things are musts and what are nice-to-haves? What makes alarms go off
>immediately to tell you someone is not qualified?
