Re: Samples from *employers* (was: should I say something)

[Jan Stanley <janron -at- CONCENTRIC -dot- NET>]

Chris asked, "How many people ask to see a sample of the
employer's work to see if they fit in?"

I didn't know enough to ask to look at _their_ samples until I
learned the hard way, several jobs ago.  The first day on the
job, I was given a stack of nearly finished manuals to go
through, both to get familiar with the material and to
"proofread".  After about three paragraphs I got that sinking
feeling, and it didn't leave me until I left the job a year
later.  I spent that year scaling back the quality of my work to
"fit in" with the company/department, and feeling not only that I
was _not_ gaining new skills, which I sure like to do in a job,
but that the skills I had were atrophying through lack of use.

I'm happily doing freelance editing and writing now, but if I
ever look for a full-time documentation writing job again, I'll
be sure to ask for samples, to ask questions that help me learn
why they're doing what they're doing, and to think very carefully
about whether I'll fit in.

Regards,

Jan
janron -at- concentric -dot- net

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000=