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Subject:Re: Working Wages (getting long - now shorter!) From:Bernie McCann <BernieMc -at- AOL -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 29 Jun 1998 13:10:16 EDT
Well, anyway, fewer words!
In a message dated 98-06-29 11:08:50 EDT, you write:
<<
Until employers and clients understand ....
When will someone place some blame with Human Resources?
Someone can be good after only a short time, ....
But very, very rarely.
I believe it is our responsibility to educate ....
This brings us back to Human Resources.
> Demand: The demand for writers is less then that of other professions.
Perhaps.
> Supply: The supply of writers is exceedingly high in some areas.
Perhaps.
> Incompetence: Every time an incompetent goof-ball blows a job, he/she
> depresses the rates and salaries for the rest of us. If anything, we
> should "campaign" to keep the incompetent goof-balls out of the profession
and ....
>
That's not practical.
But, again, if Human Resource professionals became more knowledgeable.
> worry about our rates individually. I can't tell you how many times I
> have landed a contract where I was picking up the pieces after a goof-ball.
He
> left to go work another job and burned my client. Everytime he/she burns a
> client, my rates take a hit because the companies are paranoid about
> getting another goof-ball.
>
Most of us have...again, we don't have a lock on inferior workers.
Do I detect a note of defeatism here. Perhaps not, but it may be our
responsibility to get "a lock" on inferior workers by ensuring that a true
definition of a technical writer is accurately thought through. It would be
useful to reconsider the term "technical communicator" (I've often used it
myself) because one is able to define a writer, editor, illustrator, computer
operator, proof reader, useability specialist, etc., but is a tech.
communicator all of these rolled into one. I doubt it. In my opinion, this
is often the main part of the problem, ie there are too many Jacks/Jills of
all trades (I am reminded how many people became "writers" when the word
processor was invented) and H.R. hasn't been advised (In most cases). Could
we, perhaps, cross-post this theme to a H.R. NewsGroup? Just a thought.
P.S. Isn't the latest post "Document Departments" related?
