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Subject:Re: FWD: a question about "atmospheric" benefits From:Bill Swallow <bill_swallow -at- yahoo -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 7 Nov 2000 07:14:09 -0800 (PST)
> free lunch every other week
> free coffee, tea, and cocoa
> flexible work hours
> occasional telecommuting acceptable (once a week is
> the standard)
> casual dress
> a standard 40-hour week
These seem pretty standard from what I've seen. The
free lunch thing may not be offered everywhere, but I
wouldn't take the free lunch over increased pay. Hey,
wait! There's not such thing as a free lunch!!! *g*
I think you need to convince your boss that your
company is out of the ordinary on one regard - proper
pay for proper qualifications. You have a documented
trend in your hands - you hire entry level people who
soak up enough experience to springboard to bigger and
better jobs. Is that your corporate business plan?
Assist other companies in hiring experienced writers
(and probably other employees as well)?
I think you should argue quality and timliness. It'll
take a newbie a considerable amount of time to get in,
learn the job, learn the product, and learn to write
effectively. It'll take considerably less time for an
experienced writer to do the same. Which is worth more
to your company? Quality, on-time docs or saving a few
grand a year?
FWIW, I was job hunting about 5 months ago (before
landing here). Of all the companies I interviewed at,
only one had a dress code, and that was "business
casual". And, the pay sucked. All the others I
interviewed at boasted good to excellent pay, casual
dress, flex time, reasonable hours, and other
"atmospheric benefits", as you call them.
And, the only times I have ever worn suits for
work-related purposes (outside of interviews) has been
for client visits to large banks in NYC. Everywhere
else has been business casual to casual.
=====
Bill Swallow
Technical Writer
PowerAdz.com
518.687.6107
bswallow -at- poweradz -dot- com
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