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As usual, you make some interesting points. What goes around DOES come around.
Do unto others...etc., etc. (Don't want to go to far into the sayings thread
<g>).
I have a question for you, and for others who are in the business of supplying
writers. As a writer who has been around a few blocks, I get at least one
solicitation phone call a month. When I'm in, I take the calls and generally
politely decline interest in changing positions at this time. (I really am
happy where I am at the moment.)
What I wonder at is whether there is some obligation on my part to return calls
from recruiters and contract houses who are soliciting me (unasked by me), when
I am not currently looking. (I do try to keep my networking up, because the
only thing I know for sure is, "You never know." <g>)
My personal feeling is that I shouldn't be under any obligation to return an
unsoliticted phone call or email, especially if I'm not on the market. Just
because I support the resume bank at TECHWR-L, which clearly states that I'm
not on the market at the moment, doesn't mean, to me, that I owe a return of a
call or email. But perhaps I'm hurting myself in the future.
No question that if I was out on the market I would be returning these calls
and at least considering what was on the other side. But I'm not, even though
my resume is posted in a couple of places. (Make me a tremendous offer, and I
will consider it seriously, but I'm not soliciting anything at the moment.)
Just some thoughts I'd like to see discussed more, if you or others have any
comments.
Tom Murrell
--- David Orr <dorr -at- ORRNET -dot- com> wrote:
> The wheel always turns with supply and demand.
>
> Last June, we had requests for 15 tech writers and instructional designers
> and could only fill three of the positions. Now, we're flooded with resumes,
> but have fewer projects to fill. Last year some tech writers behaved
> arrogantly, not returning calls, bailing out of commitments at the last
> minute, and so on. The same writers will now have to compete with those
> writers who behaved courteously and professionally even when demand was on
> their side. We remember which were which.
>
> The same applies to recruiting organizations like ours. We must treat
> writers courteously and professionally when supply is on our side, because
> writers have long memories too, when the wheel turns again.
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