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JIMCHEVAL -at- aol -dot- com wrote:
>
> In a message dated 97-11-22 22:50:18 EST, john -at- tdandw -dot- com writes:
>
> << What does it matter whether you are discussing salaries or
> hourly rates. One is for an hour and one is for a week. No other
> difference....no? >>
> One other difference, yes. When you're applying for a [brrr, yuck, ick...]
> JOB, you are seeking an exclusive relationship and a relationship in which
> you will implicitly be subordinate to your future employer. The
> subordination tends to begin during the interview process, if not before. In
> most situations where you are required to state your previous salary, you are
> submitting a request to be part of THEIR organization. This makes it harder
> though not impossible) to refuse to play by their rules.
However, being an employee does not minimize my belief that some
information should not be divulged.
That informnation can be information that would be violating an
employee's trust of how I handle sensitive information. For
example...when I worked as an employee, it was in a sales capacity.
Companies are always looking for sales commission rates, intelligence on
markups, profit margins, etc. Sometimes I would be asked about that
type of information about previous situations. My response would usualy
be the same, though the reasons may have been slightly different. If
you give inside information to an employee, they may pat you on the back
and tell you what a great guy you are. However, they will think to
themselves "I'd better not let him know anything about MY company
because he will tell my information to the next company he works for."
How about positioning it this way if you are uncomfortable giving this
information. Tell them at the beginning of the interview process when
and if the ask this question "When you call my previous employer for
references, ask my reference if I can divulge that information. If they
give their approval, I'll show you a copy of my previous paycheck stub."
IMHO, regardless of how you get paid, you still retain your rights to
divulge information you arent' comfortable discussing.
> peer stance. Not that agencies won't do everything to make you feel like a
> subordinate, but you can decide to not to be, so long as you're willing to
> walk away from unsatisfactory situations (helps to have a good track record
> and an up-to-date skill set, too).
You can and should walk away from ANY situation that makes you feel like
a subordinate as opposed to being an associate. It's not like we're
talking about automotive assembly line work in Flint, Michigan where you
know one skill in a one skill town. This tech writing biz is still
pretty open. I can't tell you how many agencies contact me with perm
positions and as soon as I ask if they pay OT (which they almost NEVER
do), I say no thanks. It's still an open field.
--
John Posada, Technical Writer (and proud of the title)
The world's premier Internet fax service company: The FaxSav Global
Network
-work http://www.faxsav.com -personal http://www.tdandw.com
-work mailto:posada -at- faxsav -dot- com -personal mailto:john -at- tdandw -dot- com
-work phone: 908-906-2000 X2296 -home phone: 732-291-7811
My opinions are mine, and neither you nor my company can take credit for
them.
HEY! Are you coming to the NJ TechWriter lunch? So far, about 10 of us
are.
Ask me about it.
