Re: Question re: Contracting Experiences LONG RESPONSE

[John Posada <jposada01 -at- YAHOO -dot- COM>]

Hi, Rebecca

> I'm curious -- one of the things that worried me
> about going contract was
> the issue of staying up to date with subject matter
> technology.  I knew I'd
> learn a lot about my chosen field, and that becoming
> effective and efficient
> and learning to set myself apart in matters of
> document design, layout,
> graphic look, readability, usability, all that good
> stuff would come
> naturally as part of the effort.

Actually, this is one of the strengths of contracting.
Was I an employee, I might learn all aspects of a
particular "something". However, that's broad
knowledge of a very limited subject. Also, what
happens if what I'm learning about becomes obsolete.
I'm sure there was once a technical writer that knew
everything there was to know about constuction,
usability, design, layout, graphic look, readability,
and usability about buggy whips and whip documentation
in the late 1800's.


OTOH, as a contractor, I've been able to expose myself
to a whole range of subjects and approaches. Remember,
I'm a tech writer. The goal is to learn as much as I
can about tech writing and as important, how to
increase my ability to extract information to create
my product. Do I know more about any one particular
thing than anyone else? No, not at all. However,
through the varied assignments, I can write proposals,
user content, programmer content, web pages, API
documentation, telemarketing scripts, Oracle
Financials, Access databases, help files, hardware
content, software content, Lotus Notes scripts, UNIX
command line instructions, Win GUI instructions, Word,
Frame, RoboHelp, etc...I think you get the picture.

What may also help me is that when a contract is
ending and I need a replacement contract, I'll
specifically request that the next contract be geared
toward my current weakness. If I think I'm lacking in
online help, I'll look for a contract that has a
concentration in that area. In this way, I'm
continualy upgrading my weakness. In fact, one of the
things I look to this list for is to see what the
"hot" skill is based on how active it is being
discussed and also, when I notice that the discussion
about it is tending to be over my head, then I know I
need to re-examine my skills.

What did I believe I could learn from this contract?
Localization, translation, and international
documentation issues, plus to be able to add a
"packaged software" documentation.

>
> On the other hand, I was deeply concerned that by
> really only "dropping in"
> on a project for the documentation phase, that by
> not being actively
> involved in the lifecycle development of a system or
> a software package or
> things of that nature, that I could fall behind in
> terms of subject matter
> knowledge.  I'm working for a company now where I'm
> learning a huge amount
> about a very interesting (to me) technology, and I
> feel confident that if I

But what if that technology has a very limited niche.
If the job or contract should end, maybe I would have
a hard time finding a replacement situation to use
that knowledge.


> had been brought in on a contract basis, I wouldn't
> be getting this much
> exposure.
>
> Do those of you who are happy with your contracting
> careers ever feel like
> you are losing the chance to get involved in the
> product development end of
> things?

I don't want to be involved in the product development
end. I'm not a developer. I'm a technical writer. I
want to know just enough development to be a very good
technical writer.
===
John Posada
Western Union International
(w) jposada -at- westernunion -dot- com
(p) john -at- tdandw -dot- com
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