Re: Unpaid?

["Benson, Tasha" <Tbenson -at- UNIFI -dot- COM>]

I would disagree with the statement below that you will not get a raise to
bring you in line with what you should be making.   I've worked at several
companies that when pointed out what the going rate for a technical writer
was compared to what they were paying me or one of my staff members have
give 20-50% raises.  Sometimes they've done it all at once and sometimes it
is spread out with 2 smaller raises over a six month period - made it easier
to get it through HR, so there is hope.  I would be careful in how you
request the raise however.  Put together a list of accomplishments and
samples in addition to bringing in the salary information you've been
getting.  Then see what your employer does.  If nothing happens within a
week or two you need to consider your options.

Tasha Benson
UNIFI Communications, Inc.
900 Chelmsford Street
Lowell, MA 01450
<mailto:tbenson -at- unifi -dot- com>
<mailto:tboireau -at- ma -dot- ultranet -dot- com>


-----Original Message-----
From: Nancy Hickman [mailto:nhickman -at- gvi -dot- net]
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 1998 2:37 PM
To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
Subject: Re: Unpaid?


I do think that you are underpaid, and I gather from your description
that you are not a salaried employee with benefits, so even the advice
below (as good as it is) is too low for a contractor and even as a
"training" rate. At ten dollars an hour (especially low for someone who
is responsible for their own taxes and benefits) you make less than a
receptionist answering the phone and routing mail. Is that correct, even
at a training wage?

There are a number of problems accepting that really low rate. It would
be rare that you would get an extraordinary raise to raise you up to
even a "low to median" rate, despite what they've promised. They will
not all of a sudden, see your extraordinary value and worth and reward
you with a king's ransom. That's Disney, not real life. It's cheaper for
them to string you along. Worse, they'll continue to offer that rate
until they're burned, at which point they'll likely judge all writers
and the profession as unworthy and gossip to others about it.

On a professional-personal level, you have to ask yourself, is my
chief value my cheapness or my quality of work?

-- Nancy Hickman


Kathryn Marshall wrote:
>
> You are underpaid!!!! Demand a raise or leave. Entry-level tech writers
> make 30,000 -35,000/year. That's $15-$18/hr. We pay interns $15/hour.
> You like the profession and now have some experience under your belt.
> You deserve more $$.