Re: Treatment

[Nancy Hickman <nhickman -at- GVI -dot- NET>]

Robyn,

I think you most certainly should take yourself to a place where you
feel valued. On the other hand, sometimes you are the very person that
can make changes in an organization and create something better that
didn't exist before. Leaders have to do this sort of thing, and even if
you don't hit the exact mark you wanted or decide to leave, you probably
raised the bar and learned some leadership skills in the process! I
applaud you for wanting to make things better, because we are all
affected by this sort of "professional environmentalism" effort. For
example, in your town, if you get your company to raise salaries or
improve educational support, other companies in your locality are more
likely to up the ante as well.

Ask for a reason why they refused the requests. Go over your manager's
head, if you don't get an answer after a reasonable time. It's got to be
cheaper to get training than to hire someone new or to cope with your
mistakes and slowness as you learn on the job.

Instead of a specific commitment, ask what is budgeted for professional
skills training. Ask what they base the budget on, and what they budget
for other areas. Get your education in the budget, if it is not there.
Are there a certain number of hours of training per employee? Is some
other department, through political moves, getting your hours?

Apparently they've justified the conferences for others, why not apply
the same standard to your job. For example, if they ask you for a
cost/benefit to your attending the training, ask to see one submitted by
those who have gone to training, just as a "model." Another tack is to
discover how you could write off the cost on your taxes. You may have to
get a letter declaring that they refused your request on the job, which
may ironically, spur them to action.

Finally, you are the trustee of your talents and gifts, and there are
employers who will expect for you to have continuing education and will
fund it.

--- Nancy Hickman
"Building Windows 95 Help"

robyn wrote:
>
> I work for a small subsidiary of a large company. While their Program
> Managers are sent to conferences almost monthly, my two requests to go
> to a conference were ignored. Also, I know that they're not competitve
> salary-wise. I'm not trying to find a new job, but what I am trying to
> do is to find out how Tech Writers are treated at other companies. I
> don't feel that the bigger company values its Tech Writers. If you DON'T
> feel that way, why? What does your company do to make you feel valued?
>
> I know this seems odd, but I'd like to seek out opportunities to make my
> company better, if I can.
>
> Thanks very much!
>
> --
> -robyn
>
>