Re: Samples from *employers* (was: should I say something)

[Martha J Davidson <editrix -at- SLIP -dot- NET>]

Chris Hamilton asked:
>How many people ask
>to see a sample of the employer's work to see if they fit in? And if you
>do, how do you react when you see substandard work?

I do whenever I get the chance.  If nothing else, I can get a flavor of the
company style, the sorts of documents they produce, and the general
quality.  I use this as an opportunity to ask a number of questions,
including whether there is a company style guide, what other documents they
have, what they see me working on as an initial assignment, and perhaps
other things that occur to me as I look.

I don't, as a habit, go into much detail when I see work that disturbs me,
but I might offer an editorial comment, to see how they respond to
feedback.  As at least one other poster mentioned, I'm not sure I want to
work with folks who are not interested in critique of their current work.
If nothing else, I can ask about their plans for future releases of the
documents they show me, to see what they describe, and whether they are
aware of some of what I'm seeing.

In addition, when I interview writer candidates, I often show a
representative sample of our documentation, to see how they respond to it.
No, I don't do it as a "test" of any sort; I genuinely want to see what
sort of conversations can develop as they look over documents similar to
those they may have a chance to work on in the near future.

martha

--
Martha Jane {Kolman | Davidson}
Dances With Words
mailto:editrix -at- slip -dot- net

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
 If I am only for myself, what am I?
 If not now, when?"
        --Hillel, "Mishna, Sayings of the Fathers 1:13"

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