atw: Re: Strange job advertisements/skills combinations

  • From: "bja" <bashley@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 16:36:19 +1100

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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