RE: Am I employable?

["Murrell, Thomas" <TMurrell -at- alldata -dot- net>]

> From: 	Kay Robart[SMTP:kay -dot- robart -at- integratedconcepts -dot- com]
> 
> In hiring I have never stressed tools over writing skills . . . however,
> I DO stress initiative. A few years ago I was teaching a class of 
> technical writers and they started complaining to me that all the
> entry level jobs required FrameMaker. I said, "So? There's a computer
> lab with FrameMaker loaded just down the hall. You can work there
> anytime no class is scheduled. Go learn it." 
> 
Kay,

If I may piggyback off of your excellent response to highlight the above?

Your response to your class illustrates what is an important skill any good
technical writer needs: the willingness to learn new things.  I generally
lose interest in any prospective new hire who says, "I don't know that
software," or "I don't know anything about that," and just leaves that
answer there.

What I want to know of anyone I might recommend for a position is how they
are going to address their lack of knowledge.  That tells me an awful lot
about how they approach the job of Technical Writing.

That's another reason why I don't like to advertise "Will Train."  I'm
looking for people who can communicate and who "Will Learn."

Finally, I think it is a sad self-evaluation when any writer says, "I have a
bad resume."  Excuse me?  Did you say you were a writer?  What does that
term, "writer," mean to you?  No self-respecting writer should have a "bad
resume."

Tom Murrell