Re: Yet another perspective on low wages

[Gord Deyo <DeyoG -at- ITLS -dot- COM>]

> Here's a wake-up call for you'all:
>
> All tech writers make around $100,000 a year. If you are not, than
> someone else is taking your money:
>
> 1. Contract company. If you get your paychecks through a contract
> company, and you make, say, $50,000 a year, guess where the other half
> goes? In the contract companies pocket!
>
> 2. Learner's fee. If you are a newbie with less than 2 years of
> experience, you are subject to a learner's fee of $60-$80,000 a year.
> This is a cruel fact of life, but should only be temporary.
>
> 3. Stability tax. If you refuse to interview for other jobs, or refuse
> to leave your current job, you are paying a tax for the stability. The
> employer keeps the difference between your salary and the $100,000 you
> are really worth.
>
> 4. Confidence fee. If you are reluctant to "start over" at a new
> company with a new project and a new development team, you are paying
> a "low confidence" fee. (This might also be interpreted as an
> "Employee Loyalty" fee, which is really the same thing.)
>
> 5. Human resources penalty. If your current employer won't raise your
> salary to $100,000 immediately, it's because that raise will throw off
> the entire Human Resources salary structure for the entire company.
> Its easier for HR to say no to you and bring in a new writer at $50/hr
> than to give you a $50,000 raise. Thats life...accept it and move on.
>
> 6. The "I make what I need" syndrom. If your first response to this
> salary issue is, "Well, I make what I need to be happy," than you are
> first in line to be ripped off! Well, wait a minute. Ignore that
> remark, and send me your resume. I'll start a tech writing contract
> company and hire you! Then I'll pay you what you need to be happy, and
> I'll keep the rest. Ha!
>
> Summary
> Tech writers are in demand and are essential for some businesses to
> succeed. A skilled writer that produces good work is making $100,000.
> If not, than someone else is capitalizing off that labor.
>
> Small Print
> This discussion assumes you are good at your work, and able to produce
> good output in reasonable timeframes.
>
> Personal Comment
> Perhaps I am being dramatic and somewhat Marxist (ie companies are
> unfairly capitalizing off the tech writer's labor), but I take the
> risk of being PROVOCATIVE in order to get a point across.
>
> BTW, I am not at $100,000 a year yet. But the gap narrows....
>
> Have a happy holiday,
> Matt
>
> ==
> Matthew Danda
> Technical Writer in Software Development
> http://host2.fptoday.com/danda
> Orlando, Florida
>
>
>
If a Technical Writers union every does develop, this guy has got my
vote to lead it.

Gordo