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Subject:Re: Jobs, the industry, etc From:Tony Rocco <tony_rocco -at- NAVIS -dot- COM> Date:Thu, 23 May 1996 11:57:57 U
RE>>Jobs, the industry, etc. 5/23/96
Perhaps you could consider moving to Oregon, Bobby. If you're hunting for
ducks, you must go where the ducks are. No offense, but Ft. Smith, Arkansas
is not the technology center of the universe. If you want to stay in the
south, Atlanta and Austin have good technology environments, particularly
Austin. I know because I live in San Francisco and I have heard about the
many large Silicon Valley companies starting operations there. You won't get
blank stares from people when you tell them you are a technical writer.
Austin is also a lovely town, although not as nice as when I lived there in
the 70's. I'll bet the salaries are a lot higher than where you are now, as
well.
--------------------------------------
Date: 5/23/96 11:37
To: Tony Rocco
From: UC Bobby Collins
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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