Re: What I want to say/what is a TWer

["Chuck Martin" <cm -at- writeforyou -dot- com>]

"Michele Davis" <michele -at- krautgrrl -dot- com> wrote in message
news:225814 -at- techwr-l -dot-  -dot-  -dot- 

>
> Being the risk taker that I am, I would probably do a sincere cover
> letter, and if I received an interview I would address my concerns in
> the interview. I have walked from several contracts as the head TWer
> because "management" thought documentation could be created without a
> data model. The companies I've worked for like to have writers spending
> hours retaking screen captures that were different from the spec. sheet
> and the beta has to go out the door tomorrow but code isn't stable,
> ahhhhh.... you're the TWer, get it done!
>
> If you need the money, do the monkey dance as you seem confident you're
> qualified, but wait to air your grievances until the interview at the
> earliest.
>
> As my programmer husband always says: "It took a team of monkeys to..."
> you fill in the blank.

That's exactly what's got me leaning in the go-for-it camp. I know I could
write a cover letter that would match me well with most of what they need,
and especially emphasize my skills and experience writing for web
applications.

Someone mentioned to me privately that the company may be in a
once-bitten-twice-shy mode of having a previous techwriter who made claims
and couldn't deliver. I'm on the other side of that spectrum, having gotten
myself into situations that have been described one way and presented
another (when I was already in deep), and that challenged my coping skills
(not always as successfully as I would have liked).

It's tough giving consideration to going in to what may very well be another
one of those situations (although the expectations are more clearly spelled
out here) in part because of my own recent experiences: getting laid off
from a job I enjoyed very much, losing the first home I ever bought,
spending most of the subsequent time unemployed and most of the rest at jobs
where the rates didn't quite cover my obligations (the savings account has
shrunken horribly). All that stress and emotional toil (my Dr. even brought
up the possibility of evaluating for depression, and I probably had at least
a few symptoms at some times) makes me a bit gunshy to dive into a situation
where the expectations (especially schedule-wise) might be way too
unrealistic.

-- 
--
Chuck Martin
User Assistance & Experience Engineer
twriter "at" sonic "dot" net      www.writeforyou.com

"I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. The day
may come when the courage of Men fail,  when we forsake our friends and
break all bonds of fellowship. But it is not this day! This day, we fight!"
                    - Aragorn

"All you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given you."
                    - Gandalf