atw: Re: Strange job advertisements/skills combinations
- From: "Warren Lewington" <wjlewington@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 17:54:02 +1100
I started the process twelve or so months ago and I am having to hand
that on.
Why?
I cannot find any work as a Technical writer and have basically given up
on the industry.
I cannot afford to wait anymore, I have to make a living.
Other Sydney based ASTC members will continue the process, assuming they
stay in the industry too.
The basic accreditation process is there, it is waiting to be
implemented. They could do with a hand setting it all up bja.
Warren Lewington.
-----Original Message-----
From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of bja
Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 4:36 PM
To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: atw: Re: Strange job advertisements/skills combinations
Since I guess I started this, I'm going to have one last say on it.
(BTW Geoff, I'm fully back on the air again - thanks)
Interestingly, I note the agency involved has not commented.
Anyway, despite everyone agreeing that testing is a good thing, they
miss the point of the original email: The company gave no details in
their ad. The company requested a "page per day rate".
There are only two reasons (in my suspicious, beady little eyes) that a
company would ask for this: 1. To get rough estimates they were unable
to get for themselves (and the main reason would be for quoting in a
tender) and 2. So that they can tie a TW to a contract where
remuneration is based on that rate.
To use this figure as some form of measure to apply against different
applicants would be stupid and therefore is an unlikely reason.
Having seen a few trawlers and shonky people in the employment agency
business over the years, I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that I'm
right on this one.
Also, in relation to the subsequent comments, I personally believe we
should have system of certification based on a skills matrix (listing
all skills
possible) where those accredited have been formally tested by their
peers (a once-a-month panel of ASTC members et al). It would be
difficult at first but as more TWs became accredited, it would become
easier and this would reduce the need for companies like HCi to run
tests (although I would probably still test an applicants knowledge and
I will always use a resume as the first test of a writer's abilities).
Certification could even be an income generator for the ASTCs and a one
time fee would apply. TWs could go for re-accreditation for a reduced
fee once their skills or experience change.
But this is an old argument of mine and others.
ASTCs..... ? <Jab> <Jab> - it's been a few months now. :)
Regards,
Bruce Ashley
> -----Original Message-----
> From: austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:austechwriter-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]On Behalf Of
> joe_zolin@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Sent: Wednesday, 25 February 2004 10:24 AM
> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: atw: Re: Strange job advertisments/skills combinations
>
>
>
> Yeah, I hear what you say, CBK, and I'm not saying bja's concerns
> aren't relevant..
>
> IMNSHO though, I like the ad. If taken from the perspective that they
> might actually know what a tech writer does, and know what a good tech
> writer should produce, it would act as a magic filter system...
>
> Say fer instance a newbie applies and states they can produce 20 pages
> a day... immediate fail... unrealistic self-expectations.
>
> Say perhaps a reasonably experienced tech writer applies and stating
> they can produce 5 pages per day, but does not mention that this can
> vary depending of difficulty of app, availability of SMEs and
> variations in toolsets provided by company... Fail again, seemingly
> unaware of the variations from task to task.
>
> Then someone like bja, or cbk comes along, states a range of possible
> page-per-day results, lists the possible factors affecting production
> rate, queries the need for such a tight skill set... Immediate
> second interview
> because these people obviously have what it takes to
> realistically assess
> and plan for a task...immediately exhibiting the level of tech writer
> knowledge and skill required for a serious tech writing job...
>
>
> Sure as hell would cut through the several hundred wanna be
> applicants.
>
>
>
>
>
> Joe Zolin
> Technical Communicator/Tech Comms MYOB
> E-mail: JOE.ZOLIN@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Phone (work): (03) 9222 9992 Ext. 7429
>
>
>
>
> "BIRTLEY-KENT,Christine"
>
> <Christine.BIRTLEY-KENT@de To:
> <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> wr.gov.au> cc:
>
> Sent by:
> Subject: atw: Strange job advertisments/skills
> combinations
> austechwriter-bounce@freel
>
> ists.org
>
>
>
>
>
> 25/02/2004 10:11 AM
>
> Please respond to
>
> austechwriter
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> >Keep smiling, not everyone is out ta get ya!=20=20=20=20
>
> Nonetheless, it is still impossible to quote a pages per day rate
> without assessing the environment for which you are developing those
> pages. My rate can vary from 1 to 16 depending upon degree of
> difficulty and quality expectations.
>
> Perhaps someone who is applying for work in Melbourne will apply and
> let us know what happens. It doesn't hurt to stay informed.
>
> There is an ad in Canberra at the moment asking for an e-learning
> developer. The third requirement is:
>
> 3. Provision of an eLearning tool that has an inbuilt tool to track
> learning administration and can interface with Aurion and meet IT
> infrastructure requirements=20
>
> How can anyone provide this tool without first knowing the
> infrastructure and other variables? And how many training developers
> are software vendors? Realistically they need to be asking for
> someone with 'the skills to find' an appropriate eLearning tool....
>
> I would be interested to know if these people get inundated by the
> wrong type of applicants too.
>
> ck
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: joe_zolin@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:joe_zolin@xxxxxxxxxxx]=20
> Sent: Wednesday, February 25, 2004 9:45 AM
> To: austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: atw: Re: New Pay Scales for TWs?
>
>
>
> I thought they were asking how many pages a day you could produce, not
> the expected charge rate per page.
>
> Direct quote from ad:
> "please quote an approximate pages-per-day rate"
>
> Still vague, though, but I've got a feeling that bja migyht be jumping
> the gun a bit here.
>
> Also, consider the reasons for not stating company name... If the
> company actually said who they were, there would be flock (or should I
> say
> murder..) of agencies descending upon them trying to get the listing
> and subsequant placement fee for their own.
>
> =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> = =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> =
> =20
> =20=20=20
> =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> =
> =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> =
> =20
> =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> =
> =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> =
> =20
> =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> =
> =20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=20=2
> 0=20=20=20=20
> =
> =20
>
>
> Joe Zolin
> Technical Communicator/Tech Comms MYOB
> E-mail: JOE.ZOLIN@xxxxxxxxxxx
> Phone (work): (03) 9222 9992 Ext. 7429
>
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