Re: New Hire Orientation

["Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>]

How soon is this person starting?

Given that you don't have your department's policies and procedures
documented (and you're the documentation group, shame on you),
unless the new hire already has hands-on experience working with
all your standard tools and documenting products in your company's
technical field, anything less than assigning someone to be a hand-
holding "buddy" for the first week or two on the job is essentially 
the warm body equivalent of your 10 days of document reading.
The subject matter may not be obsolete, but without the handholding
it won't be any more useful.  Face time for orienting the new hire 
needs to be considered a part of your workload for a time, the same
as any other bit of extra work your management might dump onto
your current projects.  At least this one will provide you with a
direct return on your effort invested.

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jim Barrow" <vrfour -at- verizon -dot- net>


> Our Tech Pubs department hired a new tech writer last Friday and I'm trying
> to assemble an orientation that will do more than just keep that person
> occupied until we can obtain a computer, network ID, password, etc.  For
> that matter, I also need to develop departmental policies and procedures,
> but that may need a separate thread.
> 
> When I started with my current employer they didn't have an orientation
> program and I spent 10 days reading documents that were either obsolete or
> not relevant to what I would be working on later, and reading the company
> website.
> 
> One of the problems that we're facing, as a department, is that our workload
> prevents any one of us from sitting with the new hire and covering what we
> do and how we do it.
> 
> At this point I'm leaning towards having the new hire shadow us (other tech
> writers) at meetings.  This would provide a real-world example of our
> project.  Beyond that I'm just sort of winging it.  I know that it would be
> nice to take this person out to lunch so that we can all get to know each
> other and take a midday break.  Any other suggestions?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

True single source, conditional content, PDF export, modular help.
Help & Manual is the most powerful authoring tool for technical
documentation. Boost your productivity! http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.