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Subject:Re: Prospective Tech Writer needs Help in Atlanta From:"Bal Simon" <wordmuse -at- earthlink -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Fri, 23 Mar 2001 08:44:02 -0800
Eric's advice included this: * Networking your Way to Success, with a variety of tips for getting connections and jobs through the network you already have.
Great advice, this. When I moved to the Seattle area from L.A in early 1995, it seemed that every company here wanted a local reference before they'd even consider me. Six months of intensive looking and no one willing to give me a shot.
One day, I visited a head hunter. Don't recall the name. She said, "No - but ?." That "but" turned things around for me. She introduced me to the owner of a very, very small software company that was developing its first product. It had very little money, but the owner was willing to give me a shot - if we could arrange it. Arranging it turned out to be a barter of sorts. She agreed to buy me a copy of RoboHelp (this was in the days of Word 2.0). She agreed to pay me $400 fixed price. Not enough to pay rent.
I went at the opportunity with gusto - let me tell you. I did the best dang help file I could turn out for her. (Very crude by my standards today!) I got to keep the software, received the $400 plus a bonus of a couple hundred more. But most importantly, I got that local reference! From that point on, I have been working almost non-stop. Now I am between contracts again, and the job market here seems quite dismal compared to what I've grown used to (boy, am I spoiled!). But my problem is not credibility.
Paraphrasing Blade Runner: I'm not sure where my future lies in this business - who does?
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A landmark hotel, one of America's most beautiful cities, and
three and a half days of immersion in the state of the art:
IPCC 01, Oct. 24-27 in Santa Fe. http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
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