Re: Definition of Tech Writer, was STC is broken

["Bill Swallow" <techcommdood -at- gmail -dot- com>]

Really? The title is that magical?

I have to say something here, because this is going back to the age
old Dangerfield thread ("I can't get no respect")...

I have never had a problem earning the respect of those I work with. I
have never been sub-par with anyone I've worked with. Even now, with a
vague, newly invented title and wishy-washy job description (whatever
I happen to explain it as, until HR puts something down in the books),
I have no problem working with my peers (who range in title about 9
levels). My company is not enlightened, but the more proactive of us
certainly make it a point to behave as though anyone's problem is
everyone's problem, and so we work together to get things done. It's
about results, not who holds the loftier title, for many of us.

Salary is a very different beast, and the only guarantee of being on
the same pay level is to have the same job level on the books.
Otherwise there's always a chance of it fluctuating. But don't expect
a title to earn you more. I'm sure there are folks at my "level" in my
company who make a hell of a lot more than I do. It doesn't keep me up
at night, and I certainly don't hold any kind of grudge about it. I'm
sure there are many reasons why people make what they make. If HR ever
wants to level the playing field, I won't complain (so long as they
don't take away from anyone), but I won't complain either way. IMHO,
if you took a job at a particular pay level, and you're unhappy about
it, then why'd you take it in the first place?

The titles can be whatever you want to call them. In the end, it's not
about what badge you wear, but what you do day in and day out. If you
sit in front of your computer day in and day out doing what's
expected, get used to a modest salary with modest increases over time.
If you're up and making positive change and delivering results above
and beyond the call of duty, you'll be rewarded, whether your title is
Executive Grand Poobah and Master Chief Information Developer or
Janitor.

On Thu, May 8, 2008 at 8:58 AM, Beth Agnew <Beth -dot- Agnew -at- senecac -dot- on -dot- ca> wrote:
> When you're working with Software Developers, having the title of
>  Information Developer puts you on a par with them, salarywise as well as
>  professionally. It's less about inferiority and more about establishing
>  in the minds of your colleagues and especially management that what you
>  do with information is equally as important and complex as what software
>  developers do with code. Like it or not, status within organizations is
>  crucial to getting one's goals accomplished. While there are companies
>  that are enlightened enough to know the true value of their technical
>  writers, that is not always the case.
>  --Beth

-- 
Bill Swallow
HATT List Owner
WWP-Users List Owner
Senior Member STC, TechValley Chapter
STC Single-Sourcing SIG Manager
http://techcommdood.blogspot.com
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