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Subject:RE: FWD: Cutting a contract short From:<Marsha -dot- Kamish -at- shell -dot- com> To:<beth -dot- agnew -at- senecac -dot- on -dot- ca> Date:Mon, 11 Sep 2006 09:10:12 -0500
I don't advocate stooping to their level. But I see nothing wrong with giving them sufficient notice and leaving the position if the next one offers something very much better. That said, I've turned down three other contracts since this one, which ends in December, is project-oriented and I'm the only one handling the project.
Nothing is black and white. I see a lot of gray in the OP's situation.
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+marsha -dot- kamish=shell -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+marsha -dot- kamish=shell -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com]On
Behalf Of Beth Agnew
Sent: Monday, September 11, 2006 8:57 AM
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: FWD: Cutting a contract short
Yes, that is true. There are realities of the contracting game that one
must be aware of; it is often unfair. You will meet a lot of people who
lack integrity and commitment, including employers, agencies,
contractors, and fellow employees. I may have a lopsided philosophy, but
I choose to be part of the solution rather than part of the problem. We
don't make things better by acting as badly as the next fellow.
Technical Communication is a profession built on relationships. I cannot
see how leaving someone in the lurch contributes to the relationship. I
see my job as technical writer to be one of solving problems for my
employers, not creating additional problems. Maybe they don't always
hold up their end of the bargain, but as long as I've done what I
committed to do, I can sleep at night, and I keep getting more
contracts. Even people who have been less than delightful to work for
have come back and offered more work. That's when I get to turn them
down because I'm on another contract. :-)
Marsha -dot- Kamish -at- shell -dot- com wrote:
> The employers (present company excepted) I've worked for don't hesitate to break my contract whenever it suits them - even if my supervisors beg them to keep me. Why should I honor their contract? There hasn't been integrity and commitment in business since I started working. Don't know about before that.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> I would expect every contractor to be professional in
> his/her dealings with me. To me, ending a contract before things are
> done is not professional.
>
> Whatever happened to integrity and commitment in business? File this
> under Ethics in Technical Communication.
> --Beth
>
--
Beth Agnew
Catch the Buzz: http://bethbuzz.blogspot.com
STC Presentation archived at: http://www.301url.com/podcasting
Professor, Technical Communication
Seneca College of Applied Arts & Technology
Toronto, ON 416.491.5050 x3133 http://www.tinyurl.com/83u5u
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