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Re: Summary of Responses: Whirlers and Environments (Long)
Subject:Re: Summary of Responses: Whirlers and Environments (Long) From:Eric Ray <ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com> To:Sheldon Kohn <Sheldon -dot- Kohn -at- onlineinsight -dot- com> Date:Wed, 23 Feb 2000 06:28:37 -0700
> What type of whirler does well in a start-up environment?
>
> * Avoid hiring people who have worked in large companies with
> structured documentation departments
> * Be a former contactor or consultant
Does it matter that these two are often contradictory? Actually, if you're
trying to build a _good_ pubs department in the start-up environment, you
should probably seek out people who _have_ worked in large companies
with structured documentation departments. At least then you'll have
more rounded writers who can draw on a broader range of experience
in making decisions and recommendations. That is, all else being equal,
a writer who has worked in both a large and structured organization
AND a startup organization will be in a better position to assess
the situation and make meaningful and worthwhile recommendations.
I'd hate to imagine the documentation department of a post-startup
company if the structure and organzation was established by someone
with a startup mindset and no experience with functional
pubs groups in large organizations.
