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Hiring practices WAS: RE: FW: New TECHWR-L Poll Quest
Subject:Hiring practices WAS: RE: FW: New TECHWR-L Poll Quest From:Dan Hall <Dan -at- cooper -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 12 Dec 2000 13:25:14 -0800
John Posada and Bruce Byfield rightly pointed out a number of reasons why "a
day in the life" type test might be unfeasible. Their main points concerned
the cost of the time to the interviewee, and the possibility of unfair
advantage being taken of folks who "work free" for a day - excellent points.
I think that they're right - in most cases. In the current market, many
folks wouldn't be willing to give up a days work. In my case, I was nearing
the end of a contract, so I decided to give it a whirl.
One solution to this cost issue was suggested earlier (six months or so ago
- boy these same discussions just keep commin' back like bad pennies!<g>)
They said that their company (agency?) pays for the interviewee's time,
which might help.
For me, the day I spent here was well worth it. For one thing, this is a
company I really wanted to work with.
For another, I have what I sincerely believe is the coolest job on earth. I
work as a technical writer on products that hasn't even been created yet.
Clients bring us ideas for new products or ask for input on product
revisions, and we work out an interaction framework, and do detailed design
on their product. Then I get to explain how the thing should work. It's like
writing a combination functional spec. / user manual for ideal products. We
get to specify exactly how they should work, since there's no code written
yet. No more trying to explain why software works in some crazy,
non-intuitive fashion dictated by its implementation model. It's a real
relief not to have to fight those fights with developers about important
controls being buried 15 levels deep in the menu system.
Also, teamwork is really important here, as every technical writer works
closely with an interaction designer. In fact, teams do all the work
together. That makes the "team fit" fairly important.
I definitely see their point of view, though. If a company could afford to
pay, that would remove the burden of the cost of a day, and might make it
more palatable. If I hadn't been about six weeks from the end of a contract,
I might not have made the time to come up here.
Dan
dan -at- cooper -dot- com
All opinions in this e-mail are solely mine, and
Cooper Interaction Design disavows all knowledge
of and responsibility for them.
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