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Subject:RE: Are we just secretaries? From:BMcClain -at- centura -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 26 Oct 2000 15:16:35 -0400
Except for translating for a non-English-proficient ("limited" combined with
"proficient" is an oxymoron), you've described a large component of my
current job, too.
No, we TWs are quite different animals from executive secretaries. In
addition to acting as his/her personal communicating assistant, an executive
secretary fundamentally runs the boss' job for him/her. Executive
secretaries act as a buffers -- "speed bumps" so that bosses' time doesn't
get wasted with minor details. And for the big major objectives and events,
they're organizers so that the boss' time is used as efficiently as
possible. Ex-military types out there will appreciate that a good executive
secretary is like a highly senior staff NCO. Lots of people can look good
at the big desk outside the heavy door, but like good technical writers,
good ExecSecs are born, not made.
And a lot of what we think of "prettying up," as aggravating as it is,
really can make a document a great deal more usable. At least, that's what
I'm telling myself through gritted teeth some days! :P
Bill McClain
("Writers are always selling somebody out." - Joan Didion)
-----Original Message-----
From: Mariposa BY [mailto:mariposa625 -at- yahoo -dot- com]
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 2:02 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Are we just secretaries?
(sigh)
<snippage>
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