RE: Integrating a new writer

[Kate Salm <kate_salm -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

I've never trained anyone to do a job, I haven't been
working that long.  Because of that my advice comes
from the other end... that of the person being
trained.  

I think someone else mentioned this, but make a list
with the new writer of everything they will need to
learn.  Make a list on your own, and then on the first
day there sit down with them, and just make a list
with them of people they will need to know, the filing
system, the best way to approach certain people (such
as not emailing the guy who hasn't checked his email
in 7 months), established style guidelines, the dress
code, the best place to get coffee, if it's a group
printer who they are supposed to call to fix the thing
when it breaks, where extra supplies are and who to
ask to get them, and anything they think of that they
want to know.  Don't just hand them a list and say
learn this.  

And tell them they need to do A, B, and C before they
start the project, if A, B, and C need to be done. 
Don't have the new writer do something, then review it
with him/her and THEN tell them that they did it wrong
and that they were supposed to do A, B, and C.  There
are people out there who do this, and it's not fun to
experience for the person it happens to.  



Subject: Integrating a new writer
From: technical -at- theverbalist -dot- com
Date: Tue, 15 Feb 2005 12:17:32 -0700
X-Message-Number: 25


Hi Wr-lers, 
So my team population is doubling on Monday, when I
have a new writer
starting. He's worked as a junior/intermediate writer
before, but I've
never had an apprentice, as it were. Any suggestions
for getting him 
into
the groove?

I'll be pretty much his direct supervisor and mentor
as far as writing
goes, but I'm used to being a lone tech
writer/contractor type who just
gets dropped in drink to learn how to swim, so I
haven't really had 
much
experience being mentored or mentoring. I've checked
the archives and 
read
the TECHWR-L articles on first day stuff, and that all
seems fine, but 
I'd
like a little more long-term advice to make sure his
experience isn't a
sink-or-swim one.

I?m also looking for some advice on sharing the
work--my initial greedy
thought of 'I'll do the interesting stuff; you do the
boring scut work. 
Oh
and also? Indexing." doesn't seem like the best way to
parcel things 
out.
Any thoughts on how to split up a two-product, 15-doc
set?

So, does anyone have any working-with-a-protégé
experiences and advice
they can share with me? I'd like to be the best water
wings that I can 
be.

Mandy...also figuring out how to get my hair looking
like there's a big
orange marmot living on my head...



		
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