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>From: Jane Carnall [mailto:jane -dot- carnall -at- digitalbridges -dot- com]
>Sent: Tuesday, September 03, 2002 9:29 AM
>To: TECHWR-L
>Subject: Tuesday's news: cost-cutting measures
>Okay, I've just been told I'm "at risk of redundancy"... and unless I or
the
>company can think up some "cost-cutting measures" by Friday, I'll be
>formally redundant.
>Assuming that they mean it when they say "cost-cutting measures" - my first
>thought is to offer to go part-time. Working two days (or three days) a
week
>would give me a safety net plus spare time to try and build-up freelance
>technical writing/copyediting/indexing work, which is something I've been
>thinking of doing for a while.
Jane,
First let me say I am sympathetic to your situation.
Second, Have you considered asking for a formal meeting on this, request
that you manager or management team give you their views on "cost cutting
measures", then give them yours. Communication is key here.
I have gone from a perm full-time position to a perm part-time position
maintaining my responsibilities. However, my decision to make this move was
for other reasons. The company was new to documentation and Online help.
They hired 3 writers to workon a fairly medium online help project. After
we created the prototype and got ti past the management team, work slowed to
a trickle. I was hired for my Robohelp experience - 5yrs. I became very
frustrated at going in and having little to nothing to do - I also had the
reponsibility of keeping the other two writers working.
I made the decision to go to management and tell them I was not earning the
money they were paying me. I asked to move from full-time salaried to
part-time hourly and we negotiated that I would work 20 -25 hours a week,
more if needed. This freed me up for other things and they were
appreciative of my insight. I was still there daily o give the other
writers direction with Robohelp and to attend meetings if needed.
Just my 2 cents,
Angie Watson
UPS Corporate
International Finance & Accounting
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