TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
In my experience, marketing gets short shrift, but a lot depends on if
you're a public or private company.
I think Bruce is right... it's seen as a cost cutting move, but it's also a
golden opportunity that very few of us have been able, or willing to
exploit. Perhaps because I started in marketing, I tend not to look on them
as the enemy, or as something inferior to tech com.
There's a lot to be said for integrating the communications efforts between
the two disciplines--getting the customers to pony up, and then providing
them with a satisfactory experience. I've done it very successfully for 8
years. Proving that the "spin doctors" and "doc formatters" have a great
deal to contribute to corporate strategy isn't easy, but it is worth it if
you have ambitions to enter management levels where strategy gets developed.
And it adds a few extra dimensions to the career path. Not everyone is cut
out for it, but for some of us, it's just plain fun!
Connie
-----Original Message-----
From: quills -at- airmail -dot- net [mailto:quills -at- airmail -dot- net]
Sent: Thursday, September 27, 2001 5:29 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: RE: Job Market: More Openings for Marcom than Tech-Writing?
Gee, sounds like a sure fire disaster to me. Tight deadlines on the
Marcomm, tight deadlines for the techwriting. Guess which gets
shorted?
Combining two jobs under one title surely indicates that one is
working for one of the duller tools in the shed.
Scott
>Connie commented:
>
>Would that it were so! Over the past 17 years, I've been laid off four
>times from marcomm jobs, and once from tech comm. Mar Comm is looked at
>with even more disdain than tech comm, at least in the U.S. mid-Atlantic.
>In general, if you're a wordsmith, you're expendable.
>
>However, I am seeing a trend towards incorporating both in a single
>communications position-which makes me a bit of trend setter, since I've
>spent about the same amount of time in each niche. Wow, who'duv thunk it?
>
>Those that are considering a move, the methodologies are more similar than
>might first appear, however, the mindset tends to be VERY different. You
>must know your product, and your audiences, and craft the messages
>accordingly. However, to be really successful in marcom, you need to be
>more mercenary than is generally true in tech com.
>
>MTC
>
>Connie Giordano
>MarCom/TechCom battle veteran
Planning to attend IPCC 01, October 24-27 in Santa Fe? Sign up by
October 3 and get a substantial discount! Program information,
online registration, and more on http://ieeepcs.org/2001/
+++ Miramo -- Database/XML publishing automation. See us at +++
+++ Seybold SFO, Sept. 25-27, in the Adobe Partners Pavilion +++
+++ More info: http://www.axialinfo.comhttp://www.miramo.com +++
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.
