RE: Finder's fee

["Carnall, Jane" <Jane -dot- Carnall -at- compaq -dot- com>]

Hi Marilynne, 

> Since the fee would not be paid to the 
>finder for a few months, and no fee would be paid unless I was successful 
>ein the position, the person sponsoring me was my friend at work, <

That sounds like it would work well in a small company, or where the finder
was in your department or at least working nearby. In a very small company,
often that kind of sponsorship is pretty haphazard and informal, and that's
good or bad depending how friendly the company is.

>from showing me where the pop machine was to showing me how to find my
files >on the system.  She was the one person I could ask questions of
freely.  She 
>was motivated to help me.  When the few months passed and she won the 
>finder's fee, I felt she had earned it.  It never occurred to me that she 
>might share the fee with me. I found it a  very comfortable arrangement.
I >had a great start at a great new job.  That was my benefit.<

In a medium to large company, I'd expect the company to provide a "friend"
at work to show you basic stuff like where the pop machine was or (vital
stuff) how to find files on the system. What happens to people to come into
the company who are "found" by agencies or answer a job advert? Who looks
after them? Are they just left to muddle through as best they can, since no
one will benefit if they stay on the job?

But it sounds like it worked well for you. Congratulations on your job!

Jane Carnall
Technical Writer, Compaq, UK
Unless stated otherwise, these opinions are mine, and mine alone.