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Subject:Re: FWD: Good Company Fit From:helen cygnarowicz <bigh -at- slip -dot- net> To:Karen Field <kfield -at- STELLCOM -dot- com> Date:Wed, 05 Apr 2000 22:17:08 -0700
Karen Field wrote:
> Angela brings up some good questions to ask. Another way to find out about a
> company's turnover rate is to read the classifieds each week. I habitually
> read the classifieds every week, even when I'm very happily employed. I
> started this practice to stay informed about what tools tech writers are
> expected to know. But as 've done this, I've noticed a trend: Certain
> companies in my city place ads for tech writers about every six months. This
> tells me that they have a hard time keeping employees.
I don't think this type of repetition means high turnover. Many newspapers
require a certain number of ad publication times throughout the year to give the
company a favorable rate. So the company says run this specific employment ad
four times a year or two times, etc.
I too read the classifieds every weekend to keep up on what employers think TWs
should be capable of doing for next to no money. I think sometimes reading them
is funnier than the comics pages.
Most ads are wish lists. If the work looks interesting, and the company has a
decent reputation, and I can make sense out of their web site, etc., then I'd
take a chance and send in a resume or make the phone call, even if I can only
fulfill 75%-85% of the job requirements. Sometimes, I can even bump it up to
about 95% during the interview with a statement like "I've done things like that
before. It's a question of adaptability." A meaningless statement, I know. But
it gets that extra few per cent of the job requirements fulfilled. I think
hiring managers just might be glad to find someone who can provide a quick read
on the job and get it done.
So don't be afraid if you aren't the answer to all their dreams. Very many times
hiring managers do not get across to HR what kind of person they need because
they do not go to the trouble of writing the job description. Thus are wish
lists born.
