Re: working with an inexpereinced writer

["Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>]

If your boss has locked you into one outsourcing company,
then your ability to "insist on someone with more experience"
is limited to (a) how many people the outsourcing company
is able or willing to send you before saying, "that's all we
have," and (b) how long you can manage the existing work
without having someone in to help, regardless of experience
(or lack thereof).  The rest of your questions are all pretty
much the standard ones you'd ask any tech writer candidate.

Keep in mind that even an experienced new writer will
require some familiarization time and assistance with your
company's workflow and organization, and there is probably
no way you can avoid having to devote at least some time
to training.  Be careful to avoid falling into the trap of
"holding out" for a more experienced person for so long
that by the time you find one (if ever) you could have
trained one of the less experienced ones, because in the
meantime you still have to get the work done.

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carrie Baker" <carriebak -at- gmail -dot- com>