Re: What constitutes a senior tech writer and how to get

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

When I start a contract, and additional times during a
contract, I tell my management that it is in their
best interest to keep me very busy because if I get
bored, I get in trouble and start sticking my nose in
areas that I shouldn't be.

If a person, ESPECIALLY, a contractor, doesn't have
enough to do, it is their responsability to make that
known to their management.

I've NEVER been in a situation where something
couldn't be found:

- develop or update the department style guide
- learn a new application that helps the department
and issue your own little white paper on using the new
application. (This lets people know that you are doing
this, and maybe it can be used as a portfolio sample)
- sit with a SME and have them go over the next
version of the software. (makes you look good in their
eyes)
- make a better index for an existing manual (makes
you look good in the user's eyes)
- send out an email to appropriate parties asking for
more work (makes you look good in management's eyes)
- convert a manual to a format not used (html, online
help) so when someone gets the bright idea that it
should be done (and you know someone will), you will
have been there already and know the issues, rates,
speed, problems, etc (who knows, you might even be
made the manager of the project).
- etc.

An important part of this is to let management know
what you are doing. At the most, you will be assigned
more work, and at the least, it shows you have
initiative.

Reminds me of my first job ever. I was 16 and worked
in a Carvel (soft ice cream). When there wasn't a
customer, I walked around with a rag in my hand, and
every once in a while, I would wipe something, even if
it was clean already; a counter, a machine, a glass. I
wasn't doing anything, but I sure looked good doing
it.

--- Ed Gregory <edgregory -at- HOME -dot- NET> wrote:
> A former fellow contractor was lamenting the fact
> that his contract was not
> extended along with mine. He "figured" that somebody
> in the client
> organization didn't like him.
>
> He emailed me yesterday to say he found out who: a
> senior manager who saw
> him too many times doing nothing, or doing personal
> business, or surfing
> the web.
>
> Who did he blame? The guy he worked directly under
> "for not giving me
> enough to keep me busy."

>
> At 09:23 AM 8/2/99 -0400, William Swallow wrote:
> >Let's all blame management for everything.
> >
> >You are in charge of yourself. Period. Management
> is there to manage the
> >process. If you have nothing to do or if you feel
> you are spinning your
> >wheels, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!!! You're not 10
> years old anymore. Mommy's
> >not there to hold your hand and make sure you have
> something to do with
> >yourself. There's no more hand-holding.
> >

===
John Posada
Western Union International
(w) jposada -at- westernunion -dot- com
(p) john -at- tdandw -dot- com
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