Re: The 4-month itch [WAS: Coping strategies]

[Scott Miller <smiller -at- PORTAL -dot- COM>]

4 months? After 4 months, I'm just getting settled in. I might have
finished a project, but am more likely to be in the middle of one. I
think you're unusual; people who up and leave after a few months are not
common. Maybe because they don't get hired, and with good reason. I
mean, it takes months to get up to speed on your tools, processes, and
the stuff you're documenting. I think it's reasonable to move around
every few years, and it's your duty to move on when a company is
collapsing, but there are certainly advantages to sticking around in one
place.

My advice: have kids and buy a house. At that point, there is nothing
more appealing than a rut.

- Scott Miller
smiller -at- portal -dot- com

-------------------------------------
> I'm curious about whether other tech writers out there have the
> same 4-month itch?  How do you cope with it?  Does it go away
> after a few years?  How much does the high tech environment
> feed into the "these boots are made for walking" mentality?
>
> Also, do you think that constant movement from job to job helps
> or hinders a technical writer's career?  I've learned extremely
> valuable skills from every job I've had, so I can see the value of
> "moving on".  On the other hand, I can understand why an employer
> would be nervous about hiring someone who can't seem to stay
> in one place for more than a few months.
>

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