[austechwriter] Re: Another one down - and almost out

Four months ago I received my 4th "retrenchment" in five jobs - an 80%
retrenchment rate over six years, try and beat that!  The company either
went belly-up (twice), was bought out and shut down, or "strategy"
determined I didn't have a job anymore.  Payouts were never involved so I'm
no richer for it either.
I have over 50 submissions of CV to various HR consultants and companies in
general.  Only about 40% have had the grace to reply, and I have had just
two interviews at HR consultant level.  Sometimes being kept waiting
forever for a reply.
True, you think you will study something to improve skills, only to find
that the next gem of a job requires something you don't have.  Or they have
set the standards for the tech writer so high, and the salary so low, it's
absurd even applying.
I have over 20 years experience as a tech writer, with some tech training,
doc management, configuration management, and logistic support analysis
thrown in, in fields as diverse as defence, health care and kit homes!  A
hell of a lot of experience I guess, in posts that have been thoroughly
enjoyable, working with fantastic products and many intelligent and
interesting people.
I have done a SWOT analysis.  It seems that I don't have the required IT
and Business degrees, Java, Oracle, C++ etc, etc, etc experience to qualify
anymore.  Hell, when I did my tech writer training, we were taught to ask
questions, lots of questions.  It seems that if you can't hit the ground
running (what a stupid cliche) these days you're not good enough.  So maybe
it's time to bale out, find something else to do that's totally unrelated
to IT and big corporate budgets.
Do I sound bitter? No. Sad, yes, at having get out of something that I have
really enjoyed for the past 20 + years.

Hang in there Melanie.  The market seems to be a bit slack at the moment -
probably to do with Fin Year end.

cheers

John





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