Re: "not technical enough"

[Tom Murrell <trmurrell -at- yahoo -dot- com>]

--- Jane <judydh -at- total -dot- net> wrote:
> Hi all
> 
> I've gone for quite a few jobs in the past, and usually the interviews have
> gone swimmingly, and usually for the interviews that have gone swimmingly, I
> received an offer for a job.
> 
> But.
> 
> For those that I haven't, including one that they said they were extending
> an offer to me but they just changed their minds, I've often gotten the
> feedback that I "wasn't technical enough".
> 
> In the context of technical writing as the job, what the hell does that
> mean?

Jane,

As I read the other responses to your original post, it seems obvious to me
that "not technical enough" can mean a variety of things depending on the
speaker.

One reason that hasn't been mentioned is this: "We've decided to go with
someone else, and we need to give you a 'reason' why we've decided against you,
when in fact it was a judgment call on our part." Sometimes there is no good
reason.

This situation reminds me of a guy who asked his neighbor if he could borrow
the neighbor's axe. The neighbor said, "No, I'm making soup."

The first guy asks, "What does making soup have to do with my borrowing your
axe?"

The neighbor replies, "Nothing. But if I don't want to loan you my axe, one
excuse is as good as another." (rim shot)

I have no idea whether you were "technical enough" for the job in question or
not. But don't let it get to you. There is no way to know what is "technical
enough" in a generic sense. Just keep trolling for a job that is a fit for you.



=====
Tom Murrell
Senior Technical Writer
Alliance Data Systems
Columbus, Ohio
mailto:trmurrell -at- yahoo -dot- com
http://home.columbus.rr.com/murrell/

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Get Yahoo! Mail ? Free email you can access from anywhere!
http://mail.yahoo.com/