Re: working with an inexpereinced writer
I would like to hear your opinions on this please.
need a person who knows the tools, knows how to work, and be up and
going fast.
The outsourcing company will very kindly let me meet the person for
about an hour.
How in a short meeting can I best find out whether this person will be
the right person for the job?
I can ask, whether they enjoy learning new tools?
How they cope when they do not get comments from the SMEs
How they work with deadlines,
If they like technical writing and why.
Carrie:
If the new person (and the agency) are agreeable, why not a short
practical test, where the writer does a small bit of exactly the work
they would be doing if they were taken on? The proof of the pudding,
as it were :)
Choose a couple of tasks in FrameMaker that you do often but a new
writer wouldn't have used, that would take you approximately 20
minutes to complete, at your level of knowledge and ability. When the
writer comes in, explain what you need done, and settle the person at
the computer. Check how long it takes for the writer to finish. From
this exercise, you will be able to observe how well the writer:
a) Understands your instructions (verbal or written), and asks for
clarifications.
b) Researches _how_ to do what you need done, and what research tools
they use (help file, Google, ...) and how fast they learn.
c) Knows Frame and can work without fumbling
d) Works under pressure (especially the pressure of having you sitting
behind, watching!) :-)
You'll know, compared to your own speed, whether the writer is fast,
acceptable or slow... and all the other points mentioned above.
And you can still ask your questions.
My 4.22 cents ;-)
Ed.
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working with an inexpereinced writer: From: Carrie Baker
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