Re: TW and relocation

Subject: Re: TW and relocation
From: "Warren, David" <David -dot- Warren -at- NEXTEL -dot- COM>
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 1998 13:19:00 -0400

Howdy!

The wise and resourceful mgr. will first try to recruit through
local
networking, then national networking, then internet job groups, and

only as a last resort turn to an employment agency or job shop. As

many companies are neither wise nor resourceful, some of these
options
might not be available, due to either policy, politics, or poor
planning.

Obviously, we would prefer to hire locally first. No relo.
involved,
much less hassle and expense to bring a candidate back for a second

interview, etc. Also, less time charged to relo. overhead for the
new
hire to pack, load, move, house-hunt, etc., all during the worst
time
of distraction at the new job.

One factor is how the relo. expenses are charged. Some companies
charge relo. expenses to the Pubs. Dept. directly, while others
absorb
them as Personnel overhead. The money's got to come from
somewhere,
after all, and we've got to account for it.

Another factor--small companies and start-ups tend to not pay as
much,
or as generous, a relo. package. Often they prefer instead to make
a
grant of stock or stock options.

That said, it is somewhat rare to pay relo. for a junior writer,
and
fairly standard to pay relo. for a Sr. or Lead Writer.

Now, a strange dynamic affects the Silicon Valley job market.
Companies there are *extremely* reluctant to do a full relo. for
those
coming from outside CA. The cost of temporary and permanent
housing
is so very high there that of every 20 job offers made, only 1 is
accepted and followed through. People coming from most of the US
don't have enough equity in their current houses to even make a
*down
payment* on a house in the SF Bay area. The *average* middle-class

American house (4 br/2.5ba/2-car garage) costs anywhere from
$300-500+k...good deals on 1br apt. rents are in the $1500 range
*if*
you can stand being on a waiting list for a few months.

The companies fear that anyone relocated to the Bay Area will
immediately jump ship for a competitor that offers $10k more
because
they *didn't* have to pay for a relo.

We in the DC, NYC, and Boston areas encounter the same problems,
but
to a lesser degree.

Perhaps I've not answered your question, but given you some insight
to
come up with your own answers. In any case, HIH.

David T. Warren
Pubs. Mgr., Nextel
(laboring under a hiring freeze at the moment)


______________________________ Reply Separator
_________________________________
Subject: TW and relocation
Author: Bergen, Jane [SMTP:janeb -at- ANSWERSOFT -dot- COM] at NEXTELUS
Date: 6/30/98 11:30 AM


Hi gang,

We've had some discussions lately about "hot" areas (in the sense of
buzzing, not heat...Dallas was 108 F <THI> yesterday!) that occasionally

I get the urge to move. I see so many interesting jobs posted on this
list (and the WinHelp, Framers, and Word lists, too) for tech writing
positions, but most of them are not in this area (Dallas, Tx).

Does anyone know how common it is to pay relocation or moving expenses
for tech writers? Are we considered enough of a necessity in any areas
of the U.S. to warrant such amenities? Have any list members had success

in asking for moving expense reimbursement?

Just curious,

Jane
Jane Bergen, Technical Writer
AnswerSoft, Inc.
Richardson, TX (972)997-8355


~~~




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