TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Re. Salary history From:"Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher -at- STARBASECORP -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 15 Jun 1995 14:14:38 -0700
Rose Wilcox writes...
> Another note on salary requirement/history.... Some months ago a company
> advertised a position that suited me to a T. I had been happy in my
> contract, but I thought it sounded like a very interesting job so I sent in
> my resume, but I didn't know what to say for salary requirement. I had been
> reading some high figures on the winhlp list, so I figured I'd try for a
> high-end salary.
> I got the polite kiss-off letter (as opposed to the curt kiss-off letter).
> So a few months later they advertised the same position again. This time I
> resent my resume without stating a salary requirement. I liked the job,
> although I am happy on contract, I would've considered it. Again I got a
> kiss-off letter. If I got more of these I would suspect it was my
> qualifications, but it's not.
[snip]>
> Anyway, the company is advertising again.... Should I apply? Or not apply?
> Send a middle-sized salary requirement? Call the people I know who work
> there and explain the situation and feel them out about salary range? Call
> the people I know who work there and find out if it is some other factor
> that got my resume rejected?
[snip]
Call the people you know who work there, give them your
resume, and ask *them* to submit it to the hiring manager
without going through HR!!!!! Use your contacts, girl!
That's what we network for! You can have all the qualifications
in the world and your resume will still get lost in the stack
because it's the wrong color or the wrong typeface or the
HR person was told to look for software x and experience y
and you only know X and Y. Sometimes, it isn't what you
know, it's who you know.
OTOH, if this company is advertising so frequently, are
they having trouble keeping people, are they growning
too fast, is the work atmosphere too stressful to cope
with. Call the people you know who work there and ask
why they're hiring so frequently.
Bottom line, make better use of the people you know!
Sue Gallagher
sgallagher -at- starbasecorp -dot- com