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Subject:Punishment by promotion From:Martha Silverspring <silverspring9235 -at- go -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com Date:Wed, 04 Oct 2000 11:09:49 -0700 (PDT)
Since our help authoring department is very involved in the software development process and works closely with R&D, we applied to our company to be included in the engineering department. There was quite a bit of resistance to this from folks who felt that despite a wealth of technical knowledge, an engineering degree should be required. Nevertheless, we were given the change in status, and raises.
Three months later in the midst of spinoff and reorganization, one of the execs who didn't approve of our uppity-ness had our whole department transferred out of R&D to marketing, with a corresponding loss of perks and
budget. Marketing and training have been reorganized under something called "<company name> University," managed in Ohio, and their budget has been cut to put more money into R&D. So if we want to remain technical writers for
this company, we'd not only be out of R&D, but we'd be managed from Ohio(we're in California) by a completely different culture and on a budget that's been cut.
Another exec who knows us and knows what a great team we are got us another option: we can stay on with the company if we choose to become "systems engineers." There are no job descriptions yet for this, but other SE's in the company appear to do a lot of project management and negotiation between marketing and developers.
Up until now I've loved working here with these people. I am uncertain as to what to do; my gut says to leave.
What do you think?
Mosura
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