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Subject:Re: Jobs, the industry, etc. From:UC Bobby Collins <ucbcolli -at- SYSTEMA -dot- WESTARK -dot- EDU> Date:Thu, 23 May 1996 13:33:07 -0600
Could be worse! I'm in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and I keep having to
explain to Human Resource Managers and Personnel people just what a
"technical writer" is. When I use that term, their eyes cross,and I
can see them thinking, "technical means engineers or repairmen, and
writer means a cabin in the woods, but how the heck can you cmobine
the two?" Then I get that smirk that means, "yeah, right...dreamed up
a cool sounding job for yourself and you're tryin to sell it to me,
huh?"
So, I go down the list: "Communications, public relations, manuals,
reports, business writing, advertising..." Looking for a glimmer of
recognition. Usually they mumble something like, "Uh, we don't have
any openings for that." (or "for a secretary.") Then I give up.
So now I'm considering either sales (sheesh) or going into it on my
own, and freelancing. Of course my wife and teenaged daughter would
prefer the sales job/paycheck option. I want to WRITE for a living!
Can't move, family obligations to take care of for a few more years.
> >I'm wondering how other managers are faring out there in the rest of the
> >technical writing industry. Right now the Portland, Oregon area is
> >absolutely hopping.
> -------------/SNIP
> That's been true in Silicon Valley for several years. We are
> interviewing writers now. Lots of applicants, but many are not
> qualified. I get frequent calls from headhunters pleading
> with me to be interviewed, but I'm very happy at Sun and
> only five miles from home.
> Bob Morrisette
> writer -at- sabu -dot- EBay -dot- sun -dot- com
Bobby Collins
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Westark University Center Site, Ft. Smith, Ark.
e-mail:UCBCOLLI -at- systema -dot- westark -dot- edu
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