RE: Career path in the third and fourth decades? (take II)

["Joe Malin" <jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com>]

I think you have many options. You can go to a small startup that needs
a lone tech writer or wants to start a department, you can become a
consultant, you can become an editor, etc. If I found that an employer
felt that I was "better than he actually feels he needs" I'd leave that
company immediately and advise people not to go there. An attitude like
that will sink a company.

I continue to take the attitude that I have a lot of skills to offer a
company, and I'm better than most companies deserve. I keep my eye open
for companies I really want to work for, and when I see them, I let them
know that's how I feel. I don't practice false humility, but I also
don't expect the company to bend over backwards to meet my needs.

I'm good (at last) at seeing what a particular company needs to do to
succeed, and that's what I sell them. Then when I get there, that's what
I do. I figure that if the company is successful, I'll be successful.

Don't be a technical writer; be a business person who specializes in
writing. I have to add that I didn't become a technical writer because I
always wanted to write! I'm good at it, but I don't imagine that
technical writing is the same as writing the Great American Novel (or
the Harry Potter series, or an Oscar-winning screenplay).

Joe


Joe Malin
Technical Writer
(408)625-1623
jmalin -at- tuvox -dot- com 
www.tuvox.com
The views expressed in this document are those of the sender, and do not
necessarily reflect those of TuVox, Inc.	

-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+jmalin=tuvox -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On Behalf
Of Geoff Hart
Sent: Tuesday, November 22, 2005 9:33 AM
To: TECHWR-L; Monica Cellio
Subject: Career path in the third and fourth decades? (take II)

Monica Cellio provided a bit more information: <<I'm not looking for
status and prestige; it's about meeting current needs and funding a
comfortable retirement.  If I could keep doing what I'm doing and get
cost-of-living raises, that'd be fine -- but there comes a point where
younger folks will be cheaper and while I'm good, I may be better than
an employer actually feels he needs. Hence the "do I need to be doing
something different?" question.>>

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