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Subject:Getting moved from engineering to marketing From:Beth Kane <Kane -at- VENTANA -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 25 Jun 1999 16:15:50 -0700
Although I know this has been discussed a lot in the past, I hope you don't
mind that I would like to get some fresh thoughts from anyone willing to
talk about it again. (Maybe there's a trend toward marketing in mid-1999 I
didn't know about!)
I joined a new company last November, partly because of an answer they gave
me during the interview. I asked, is technical publications part of the
engineering dept.? They said Yes. Well, now there's new leadership, a total
reorg -- and docs has been put into the marketing dept. I feel ripped off. I
even feel like this could send my career the wrong way -- away from
technology and toward sales/fluff.
It chaps my hide not to be part of the eng. dept. I think tech docs are an
integral part of the product itself -- not just another piece of
"collateral," as my new big boss thinks it is.
Today the big boss tried to reassure me by saying he will let me do my tech
docs and just help out as needed with marketing/PR stuff. However, every
dept. meeting I go to is all about marketing, marketing, marketing, which I
couldn't care less about. Meanwhile, engineering is having its own meetings,
and I'm losing touch with the people I need to be closest to.
Do you have any advice for me?
Thanks very much,
Beth Kane
kane -at- ventana -dot- com