Re: Editing Software

[* <sfarmh1 -at- SCFN -dot- THPL -dot- LIB -dot- FL -dot- US>]

Recap: Janet noted her school's profs failed to tell her
about the TW tools of the trade -- it read as if they simply
failed her, period.

Suggestion (based upon experience): TWs, especially those in
hiring positions, need to get back to the schools and let
the department chairs know the grads are/are not prepared
for ''real world'' work.  Be specific.  ''Your grads can't
write their own names'' may be true, but if the problem
really is ''mil-specs require writers to write in active
voice and your graduate(s) who applied (work) here were
trained only to write passively.''  Grammar, spelling,
organizational and interviewing skills ... PLUS generic
hardware and software -- at least let the grad be ''computer
literate'' sufficient to know the CD ROM drive is NOT a cup
holder.

I earlier wrote that this is based upon experience. 'Tis. As
editor of a small-town Wyoming paper I inherited 3 staffers.
One an English major from a SD school and 2 fresh ought'a U
of WY.  Neither UW grad was trained to write.  I complained
to UW's j-dept as precisely as I could and, lo & behold, UW
actually reviewed its j program & made changes to better
prepare its grads for work in publishing. (BTW, the English
major did OK, but she had OJT before I came on board. I also
hired a HS grad as a ''Emma Bombeck write-alike'' & she,
too, did OK -- that is, better than my UW grads upon
arrival. One UW grad proved trainable.)

john glenn <sfarmh1 -at- scfn -dot- thpl -dot- lib -dot- fl -dot- us>
====================================================
...do not make a statement that cannot be easily
understood on the grounds that it will be understood
eventually. (Hillel)