Offsite Writing

Subject: Offsite Writing
From: Jon Leer <jleer -at- LTC -dot- MV -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 1998 12:56:31 -0400

Recent responses to my original post regarding ways to get offsite work are
listed below.

Unfortunately, the predominant response was reflected in the following
comment:

John,

Could you please list to the group when you get this overwhelming list
of opportunities? I would like to do the same offsite work for a
different reason.

Thanks,

Richard

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In a message dated 98-06-19 12:35:55 EDT, caslonsvcs -at- IBM -dot- NET writes:

<<
I hope I'm answering your question --- there are lots of angles to
this one! >>
Many of which we've already discussed - this subject comes up like
clockwork
every month or so.

Check the archives for off-site, then sit back and read. (You might want to
fix yourself a snack first - there's a lot there.)

Jim Chevallier
North Hollywood
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I assume you're already set up as a contractor.

=46rom there, market yourself. Make it clear in your marketing materials
(or in the phone calls) that one of the benefits you offer is your own
equipment. Instead of focusing on the fact that you want to work at
home, focus on the fact that you can save the client overhead costs:
software, desk, cubicle, computer, phone, and so on.

I have found that new clients usually want flat-rate quotes if you
work off-site. You can sometimes get that changed around after they
get to know (and trust) you.

I hope I'm answering your question --- there are lots of angles to
this one! Feel free to contact me for more information.

Regards,

Barb

Barbara Philbrick, Caslon Services Inc.
Technical Writing. caslonsvcs -at- ibm -dot- net
Cleveland, OH
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Funny you should ask...I actually did one of those contracts also. All we
cared about was the final product. We had project points where they were
required to be present for initial discussions, project reviews and the
like...but the bulk of the work was done off site. Worked for us cause we
didn't have to provide office space, equipment, and support staff.
Don't know if this is applicable in your case...

Susan

> What would the powers that be (contracting organization) be willing to
negotiate to allow a technical writer to work offsite?

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Jon--
We are in the process of reorganizing our Computer function and outsourcing
it. Our expectation is that while we have the equipment we need in house,
much of the "work" will be performed off-site. This is definitely one of
those areas where it is probably more efficient to have work done offsite.

I have outsourced other functions--some worked on-site, some off. It
depended on the nature of the function, the location of the bulk of the
tools/equipment, and the "druthers" of the contracting organization and the
vendor.

Hope this helps,
Susan
----------
> When outsourcing services, under what circumstances are HR managers
willing to hire offsite contractors?

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I'll hire a contractor who would work offsite when the project is very well
defined and doesn't require much interaction with other team members and
the
contractor has a proven track record for getting things done. We've done
this in the past with technical writers as long as they came in weekly for
team meetings so they could stay in the formal and informal loop for
changes
in the product and provide input on usability. We've also done it for
developers when we specifically needed a separation between the code for a
new project and our existing code (ie, creating a clean room environment)
or
when it was a smaller self contained project. Unfortunately, for most of
our projects we need the person to interface frequently w/ other team
members so they need to be on site most of the time and trying to bring
them
up to speed on the project from off site takes too long. Also if they're
working on an existing product, we're not always comfortable w/ the person
having our code offsite.
Hope this helps.
Julie

> ----------
> From: Jon Leer[SMTP:jleer -at- ltc -dot- mv -dot- com]
> Reply To: jleer -at- ltc -dot- mv -dot- com
> Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 1998 2:24 PM
> To: Human Resources Net
> Subject: Outsourcing with Offsite Contractors
>
> When outsourcing services, under what circumstances are HR managers
> willing
> to hire offsite contractors?
> The reason I ask is that there are many computer contractors who are
> looking for companies willing to allow them to work offsite. In such
areas
> of expertise as programming and technical writing, much of the work
itself
> does not require onsite resources.
>
>
> Jon Leer
>
>




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