Re: The 4-month itch

[Misti Anslin Tucker <matucker -at- MMM -dot- COM>]

Actually, there are situations that are pefect for both types of people.

If you are a "just settling in after four months" sort of person, find a
job with a long-term employer and settle to your heart's content.

If you are a "these boots are made for walking" sort of person, specialize
in short term contracts, either on your own or through a contract house.
On that sort of project four month swould be just about right.

I've made a specialty of short term contracts these last half dozen years
because in this area there just aren't that many permanent positions for
technical writers, as far as I can tell.  (I'd love to find out otherwise,
though.)

Misti Tucker
matucker -at- mmm -dot- com





Scott Miller <smiller -at- PORTAL -dot- COM> on 09/03/98 01:45:37 PM

Please respond to Scott Miller <smiller -at- PORTAL -dot- COM>


To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
cc:    (bcc: Misti Anslin Tucker/HC-MPG/3M/US)
Subject:  Re: The 4-month itch [WAS: Coping strategies]




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.

- 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?
>

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