Re: Working Wages (getting long - now shorter!)

Subject: Re: Working Wages (getting long - now shorter!)
From: Bernie McCann <BernieMc -at- AOL -dot- COM>
Date: Mon, 29 Jun 1998 13:10:16 EDT

Well, anyway, fewer words!

In a message dated 98-06-29 11:08:50 EDT, you write:

<<
Until employers and clients understand ....

When will someone place some blame with Human Resources?

Someone can be good after only a short time, ....

But very, very rarely.

I believe it is our responsibility to educate ....

This brings us back to Human Resources.

> Demand: The demand for writers is less then that of other professions.

Perhaps.

> Supply: The supply of writers is exceedingly high in some areas.

Perhaps.

> Incompetence: Every time an incompetent goof-ball blows a job, he/she
> depresses the rates and salaries for the rest of us. If anything, we
> should "campaign" to keep the incompetent goof-balls out of the profession
and ....
>
That's not practical.

But, again, if Human Resource professionals became more knowledgeable.

> worry about our rates individually. I can't tell you how many times I
> have landed a contract where I was picking up the pieces after a goof-ball.
He
> left to go work another job and burned my client. Everytime he/she burns a
> client, my rates take a hit because the companies are paranoid about
> getting another goof-ball.
>
Most of us have...again, we don't have a lock on inferior workers.

Do I detect a note of defeatism here. Perhaps not, but it may be our
responsibility to get "a lock" on inferior workers by ensuring that a true
definition of a technical writer is accurately thought through. It would be
useful to reconsider the term "technical communicator" (I've often used it
myself) because one is able to define a writer, editor, illustrator, computer
operator, proof reader, useability specialist, etc., but is a tech.
communicator all of these rolled into one. I doubt it. In my opinion, this
is often the main part of the problem, ie there are too many Jacks/Jills of
all trades (I am reminded how many people became "writers" when the word
processor was invented) and H.R. hasn't been advised (In most cases). Could
we, perhaps, cross-post this theme to a H.R. NewsGroup? Just a thought.

P.S. Isn't the latest post "Document Departments" related?

Bernie
Canada




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