RE: How Skilled Are You?

[Katie Kearns <kkearns -at- cisco -dot- com>]

At 10:01 AM 4/6/2000 -0400, you wrote:
 
>> Two year degree of equivalent experience is required. Must 
>> have 6 months
>> experience with Web development of a Microsoft NT environment be
>> familiar with HTML, Web page design/graphics creation layout, internet
>> and directory design and posses a willingness to learn new skills.
>> Desired skills would include Database application using 
>> Oracle, SQL+ and
>> Microsoft Access, Network Management, NT Server, Netscape Enterprise
>> Server, Microsoft FrontPage, and Adobe Acrobat.
>
>Other than FrontPage and Acrobat, I'd say that this advertisement
>discourages responses from all but the ballsiest tech writer. It reads more
>like a Network Admin/DBA type of job. At the beginning of the ad they ask
>for education OR equivalent experience (presumably equivalent to the
>education), and then they ask for ridiculous additional experience. So which
>is it?

Actually, I read it completely differently than the rest of the list. This
is what I read:

You MUST have:  
	-A two year degree or equivalent experience
	-6 months of web development experience
	-familiar with web page design, graphics creation, layout, Internet and
directory design
	-possess a willingness to learn new skills.

Things that would help with the job BUT ARE NOT REQUIRED (hence, desired):
	-Database this, Oracle that, SQL the other thing...

I think it's their way of pointing out that a whole slew of things that
aren't normally part of being a tech writer that they'd appreciate if you
told them about those skills. Your average tech writer resume, even IF the
writer has these skills, will not mention or highlight them. Why? As you
all noticed, they're really not applicable or expected in most situations.
It would be *weird* to put them in a resume. They're giving this
information to help you better write a cover letter and/or resume

And, they want you to be willing to learn -- as in, if you don't know these
things, but you want to, we'd teach you. 

I'm guessing that this is a very *forward* thinking company who wants a
junior web developer type person who will make *good* content decisions. A
tech writer who does web stuff instead of book stuff or the dreaded online
help stuff. 

Personally, I think it's about time -- how many really horrid web pages are
there in the world?

I could be totally wrong. I'm guessing an email to the person who wrote it
and/or an interview would help sort it all out.

-Katie