Re: more #$ -at- %#^&$# secretary stuff...

[Marilynne Smith <marilyns -at- QUALCOMM -dot- COM>]

At an interview, I was told that taking notes would be a regular part of my
tech writing job at xyz company; however, I would have a laptop to use so I
wouldn't look like a secretary.  The interviewer also said that they used
note taking as a way of getting into the engineering meetings.  When they
called, I was sorry, but I was not available.

When they're up front about taking notes, you have to be up front about
whether or not you'll do it.

Marilynne

At 2:09 PM -0400 5/12/98, John Posada wrote:
>DURL wrote:
>
>>         Went to talk to a potential client today. Talked to the Project
>> Coordinator, the lead engineer....got past them, apparently, because they
>> brought in the Project Manager.
>>         He asked a few relevant questions (no cannonballs, no grenades)
>> and then said, "Are you willing to take meeting minutes and make copies?"
>>         Does this *happen* to you gentlemen?
>
>Yes, I've been asked to do that type of function. However, my response is that
>I cannot since I'm busy taking specialized notes for my use.  Since I take
>many
>notes with a different goal in mind and I cannot satisfy two goals at the same
>time, my notes would not be appropriate for the audience intended by meeting
>minutes.   However, since my notes will end up in the documentation anyway,
>everyone on the distribution list will be getting mine anyway. If that is good
>enough...
>
>Regardless of what question you are asked, there is always the right
>answer and
>wrong answer. If you give the right answer, it will be accepted.
>
>John Posada
>
>


~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~  ~!~ ~!~
Marilynne Smith                 marilyns -at- qualcomm -dot- com
Sr. Technical Writer            (619) 651-6664
QUALCOMM                AE-203B
                "We'll have the whole world talking"