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Subject:Re: Sample Requests From:MAGGIE SECARA <SECARAM -at- MAINSAVER -dot- COM> Date:Tue, 22 Jun 1999 12:48:50 -0700
The question isn't whether to have samples. I think that's pretty much a
given. The problem is when someone wants you to mail or worse, fax, those
samples in advance. That has always seemed inappropriate to me.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Mary Deaton [mailto:m_deaton -at- KWARE -dot- COM]
> Sent: Tuesday, June 22, 1999 12:54 PM
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Re: Sample Requests
>
>
> It is very hard to assess someone's ability without seeing
> samples of their
> work. However, I have frequently had candidates who could not
> bring samples
> of key pieces because they were internal or otherwise
> proprietary. In such
> cases, I may ask them to produce something as a sample or
> critique something
> I give them or otherwise demonstrate that they know what they
> are doing.
>
> During a career, people need to be saving things and looking for
> opportunities to create portfolio items. There are times when
> an employer
> will let you show samples to someone, but not leave them
> behind. But from an
> interviewer's stand-point, I need to look beyond what is on a
> resume and see
> demonstrated ability and samples provide that demonstration.
>
> Mary Deaton
> President, KNOWware, LLC
> (206) 682-6113
> * Smart User Assistance and Training http://www.kware.com
> * Microsoft MVP for HTML Help
> * Program Associate, Winwriters 2000 Online Conference
>http://www.winwriters.com/ohc.htm
> * Speaker, Help Technology Conference,
>http://www.winwriters.com/htc99.htm
>
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Olive, Eric [mailto:EOlive -at- GLHEC -dot- ORG]
>
> The end of a job posting for a tech writer appears below. The
> request for
> samples in this posting is common. Often, employers seem to
> think that they
> have a right to request mailed/emailed samples that,
> presumably, they will
> not return. I wonder about the ethics of this request. The
> desire to see
> samples is understandable but the request that the writer
> part with her
> samples is less so. The argument that careful review requires
> hanging on to
> writing samples is valid but does not hold up against client
> confidentiality. My clients are not always open to letting me
> keep samples
> when I complete a project (some agree others don't). I'm
> certain my clients
> would not allow me to keep samples if they thought I would
> blindly mail them
> around the country.
>
> Once, I replied to an ad that included a request to mail in
> samples. In my
> cover letter, I explained that client confidentiality
> prevented me from
> mailing samples but that I would gladly bring the samples to
> an interview. I
> got the interview and the other tech writers made a point of
> appreciating my
> discretion. Turns out they were writing highly sensitive documents. In
> short, I think the other writers were comforted by my
> "protective" attitude
> toward my clients.
>
> I wonder of J.L. Fraser (or Fraser's boss) would like it if
> his/her writers
> mailed/emailed their writing samples to other companies.
>
> Opinions? I did not find this topic in the archives nor on
> the STC site
> (perhaps I missed it?).
>
> Eric O.
>
>
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