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Re: Why don't more job interviews use writing tests?
Subject:Re: Why don't more job interviews use writing tests? From:Peter Neilson <neilson -at- alltel -dot- net> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 09 Feb 2005 07:04:29 -0500
During a lull in tech writing, I took on a position as a "stringer"
at the local daily newspaper. That's a reporter paid by the inch or
by the story.
Papers always need stringers, because the pay works out to far below
minimum wage, if you are careful about your writing, especially if you
have to travel around a lot to cover meetings in towns an hour's
drive away.
The only requirement was that I pass tests on newswriting and editing.
I'd never done newswriting before, but for four generations our
family has been involved with newspapers. Hey, it's a particular
style. They gave me a fact sheet. I arranged the topics in a sensible
order, started the story with the most interesting one, made sure the
grammar and spelling were ok, and had the job.
It gave me a bit of portfolio at a time when no other writing jobs
showed up, but it was sporadic and out-of-the-blue. Gave it up
after six months.
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