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From: Dianne Blake
Sent: Wednesday, April 05, 2000
Subject: How Skilled Are You?
> To add insult to injury, the person who wrote this didn't check their
> grammer or spelling.
> What is your feeling on this?
My feeling is that one shouldn't throw stones if one lives in a glass house.
Grammer? Do you mean Kelsey? They didn't check with Kelsey Grammer? Did YOU
check your "grammer?"
Perhaps you meant GRAMMAR? <sigh>
> Two year degree of equivalent experience is required. Must
> have 6 months
> experience with Web development of a Microsoft NT environment be
> familiar with HTML, Web page design/graphics creation layout, internet
> and directory design and posses a willingness to learn new skills.
> Desired skills would include Database application using
> Oracle, SQL+ and
> Microsoft Access, Network Management, NT Server, Netscape Enterprise
> Server, Microsoft FrontPage, and Adobe Acrobat.
Other than FrontPage and Acrobat, I'd say that this advertisement
discourages responses from all but the ballsiest tech writer. It reads more
like a Network Admin/DBA type of job. At the beginning of the ad they ask
for education OR equivalent experience (presumably equivalent to the
education), and then they ask for ridiculous additional experience. So which
is it?
Yes, I agree with those who think that this is another example of
unrealistic employers looking for skills that 90 % of tech writers (who are
honest) would have to admit they don't have. Unlike Andrew Plato, my opinion
is that if you are already a DBA or NT administrator, you MAY be at a
disadvantage as a tech writer because you'll write with the god-like
knowledge of a DBA or network admin. If you know all the answers, you may
not think of all the relevant questions, or may (wrongly) assume a question
is superfluous or redundant (or just too lame to ask).
I'd still apply, if I DESPERATELY needed a job. Chances are they won't find
anyone with all of those skills, so if you have some of the skills you may
be their best (only?) candidate. A red flag goes up, though, with those
first two sentences. It sounds like they want to hire a junior/intermediate
applicant with senior (god-like) experience, so they can nickel-and-dime
that lucky guy/gal.
