Re: Job hopping

Subject: Re: Job hopping
From: Tammy Sudol <tammy -at- ZEUS -dot- ATS -dot- QC -dot- CA>
Date: Tue, 8 Oct 1996 10:26:23 EDT-500

On 6 Oct 96 at 12:52, you wrote:

> I'm considering > changing jobs again -- for the third time since 1994. > I'm
> interested in feedback about my career history, which follows, from
> writers and writing managers in the Midwest.

Okay Jim,

I'm giving you my impressions--as asked. Please be aware BEFORE you
read this that I'm not asking you the questions that I've written.
I'm only giving you an idea of what would be running through my head
when I interviewed you and you gave me these answers. Please don't
take offence.

> My career's first five years were spent as a technical writer at one
> company. My experience there was great until my last year there,
> when the company's fortunes took a drastic downturn. <snip - you
quit>

I would accept this reason, without question. The five years
indicates that the problem was the company's--not yours. I'd be
impressed with the 5 year commitment.

> I worked as an editor. I enjoyed the work at first, but the workload grew steadily until I
> could no longer do work of quality acceptable to me, even within
> fifty- and sixty-hour weeks. <snip> This review adversely
> affected my next raise and bonus. The job's stress continued to
> increase; So I left in February of this year.

Okay, at this point, I'd be a little cautious. I'd start to think,
that you may have trouble adjusting to a new situation. I'd think
that perhaps the five years in one place has given you unrealistic expectations about
what a workplace accepts....however, if you were expected to work
over 40 hours on a regular basis, I'd phone for a reference and try
to give you the benefit of the doubt. You didn't say how long you
were there....that would make a difference as well, but at this
point, I'd still be considering you.

> I now develop Windows Help, design computer-based training, and
> perform usability testing for a small software company. We
> disagree sharply about how to communicate to our audience. Now she constantly asks me to show her what I'm
> doing, and then tells me to change most of it.

Hmmmm. This one is bad. I'm thinking....personality
problems....Do you have trouble with authority? Will you be
constantly questioning my decisions? Why are you
accepting jobs that are so different from each other? Why does she
want to change your work? Is it sub-par?

I'm not saying that I definitely wouldn't give you the job, but you'd
have to have a great personality to get the job. In the interview,
you'd have to convince me that you'd have no problem taking direction
from me and working with others. I'd be looking at you very
carefully.

> I also want to know the secrets for spotting a bad situation before
> I agree to work in it, but I suppose that's another post. Besides,
> I'm learning as I go! :)

At this point, you should be getting an idea of what you DON'T want.
Try to spot the personality traits in the interviewer. Ask to see
some of the work that has already been done, and see if it follows
your style.

I hope that I haven't offended you and that I've helped by giving you
some feedback.

***************************************************

Tammy Sudol
Documentation Manager
ATS Aerospace Inc.
1250 Marie-Victorin, St. Bruno, P.Q. J3V 6B8
(514) 441-6744 ext. 301
tammy -at- ats -dot- qc -dot- ca

***************************************************


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