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Subject:Persuading company they need me as a TW From:Lmrye2 -at- aol -dot- com To:TECHWR-L -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com Date:Thu, 6 Apr 2000 11:28:57 EDT
I am currently employed with a medium sized manufacturing company. This past summer I had done some TW work for my employer as part of my certification requirements. The course began in July, and ended in August. However, the project of *revamping* 2 employee handbooks did not actually finish (big surprise) until January. During this time, I also welcomed the opportunity to work on a couple other projects just to "show my stuff". Well, here we are in April, and another large project looms on the horizon for the same department, and I am still considered the "Sr. Sales Secretary". I really enjoy working for this company, I have been here 3 years, and I truly believe a TW would be a positive asset. I believe the time has come to push the issue. I am developing a proposal (with my supervisor's support I might add) to the Director of Human Resources (for whom all the past work has been done) to revamp my position to include TW duties as for the majority of my time and to include *!
Technical Writer* in my position title. (I am not sure at this point if there would be enough to keep me working full time as a TW, so I don't want to propose my way out of a job, if you know what I mean). I am planning on listing my qualification (education, time with company, yada, yada, and I am putting together a portofolio of samples including what I have done for the company, and what I have done in classes, including an award for a proposal I had submitted in a contest at the community college I attend. Now I am getting to the tough part of justifying the increase in pay, and the idea of informing the rest of the company that a TW is available for any and all writing projects. The question that comes next is, what projects do I believe are out there? I have come with some, so I am not TOTALLY trying to pick brains here, but suggestions would help. As some background, we do have a company intranet structure, a website, R&D, a couple of specialty divisions, sales force an!
d several manufacturing plants. Thanks! Lynn Rye
