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Subject:Re: Business Requirements From:hbacheler -at- aol -dot- com To:jwittenbrook -at- ameritech -dot- net, techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Sun, 08 Apr 2007 23:29:39 -0400
Joanne,
Thank you for your observation and comment.
I have seen the requirements in the newspaper ads, web sites, and the
One-stop career centers (state employment offices). They all 'specify'
the specific tool knowledge as a requirement.
Sometimes when you get in there, we 'elders' get 'shunted' in more and
better positions than just Tech Writers.
Back in the Y2K days I interviewed with a company. The first two
interviews they wanted someone with 'mainframe' (What's that)
experience. I got turned down twice.
The recruiter called me and apologized, and asked if I would consider
coming back for an interview with a different person. I said OK, what
did I have to lose.
I got there at 2:50 PM on a Friday afternoon for the interview. The
person I was to interview with did not arrive until 3:30 PM. She was
stuck in DC traffic, and on a HOV-2 road. She apoloigized. I had been
in DC for 15 years and knew about traffic so it was not a big deal.
We went into her office at 3:30 PM. We discussed the need they had for
the project. At 4:15 PM I left her office with a verbal hire offier at
the rate I wanted. On my way home I got a call from the HR dept with
confirmation and tha fact that they were FedEx'ing the offer letter,
and application that I was to have filled out when I reported in on
Monday AM for an employee briefing.
When I got there on Monday AM they didn't even know I was coming, but
that got take care of rightaway.
I talked to her later and she said "I didn't know what I was going to
do with you, but I wasn't going to let you get away."
Later on I acted as Project manager for a group they were staffing for
the project, ordered PCs, installation of fiber optic communications,
and initial hiring interviews. 25 PC and about 15 people.
At no time was there any question about whether I had the 'real'
qualifications for the task.
One of several opportunities to prove my worth without knowing some of
the 'required tools'.
Harry
-----Original Message-----
From: jwittenbrook -at- ameritech -dot- net
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Sent: Sun, 8 Apr 2007 12:11 PM
Subject: Re: Business Requirements
>My belief is (2). The tools you use may be important, but they are
>not the most important.
>If I am wrong, tell me where?
>Harry
(an old grey/gray hair)
-------------------------------------------------
As another elder of the tribe, I agree with you. Too many recruiters
and HR
departments get tangled up looking for some who knows the Wigamajuly
Suite of
writing tools and barely notice the other skills that are important.
I just went through a series of interviews (successfully) for a great
job and
the tools were hardly mentioned. It was more important to discuss the
methods,
the concepts, and the dynamics of documenting processes. I can pick up
whatever
tools they have and learn them.
Those of us who have been around a long time have learned many
writing tools,
from the IBM selectric forward.
The writing of business requirements really exploded in the web
world, where
those of us who can compile information and communicate it were first
pick to
communicate between what a business wanted to do and what a developer
could do.
So technical writing is growning, and will continue to grow.
Joanne
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