TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
> Sigh:
>
> >>>-----Original Message-----
>
> >>>And for goodness sakes! Always save a question to ask late
> >>>at night (just
> >>>before you leave) ask your question, listen carefully to the
> >>>answer, take
> >>>notes, look at your watch, remark on the time, sigh, then
> >>>mutter how it is
> >>>going to take you another few hours to add this to the
> >>>documentation. This
> >>>scores points. ;-)
>
> You know, you're right.
Well, yes and no (actually, I'm kind of hoping the original message was a
joke). I guess it depends on your acting abilities. I have noticed that many
people who are trying to make it look like they are doing a lot of work are
transparent. You can tell what work gets done and what doesn't. Theatrics are
usually pretty obvious.
> And that ticks me off. What also has ticked me off
> is the perception that family and home-life-obligations must be sacrificed
> on a regular basis so you can be "one of the team" and regularly work beyond
> 40 hours . . .
It doesn't have to be that way, especially now that the market is so good. Do a
great job and find a job in an environment where management respects work done,
not the appearance of doing work. Such places do exist. I have nearly always
been in such a job.
> I don't do that, I estimate the time and deliverables of my
> projects accurately, work hard to meet my deadlines, work over if needed,
> yet I still get that sideways you-don't-put-in-enough-time look. Sigh.
>
Talk to these people. Maybe there is something they want done that is falling
through the cracks. If so, fit it in. If not, if they just have that, "You must
be here 60 hours a week" attitude, hey, how important are they to your job
satisfaction? I've seen a lot of nice looking job postings this week.
<<Snipped story about programmer being ticked off when the tech writer asked a
question of another programmer.>>
How frustrating!
