Re: How is the job market in your area?

[Nora von Gerichten <wlg -at- pacificcoast -dot- net>]

I am in Vancouver and am negotiating a contract with a local company based 
roughly on what I charge US clients.  First time for that and a major step 
up.  The economy is quite bad here and I have been hurting for the past 
many months.  I am doing cartwheels over the offer with very handsome 
remuneration that includes a percentage of funding I directly bring in as 
well as writing and consulting fees.

My accountant claims the only reason I have continued to grow as a 
Vancouver company in the last 2 years is because I have gone global. I work 
freely on both sides of the Cdn-US boarder, in SE Asia, Haiti, Cuba, and 
Brazil over the last 7 years plus a little in Africa and Europe.  90% of my 
money is contracts with the communications via phone, e-mail, various 
collaborative systems, and now video conferencing.  I still do not have the 
video conferencing happening, I must go to a place to do that.  Still 
US$22/hr room rental is cheaper than hopping on a plane yet maintains 
visual contact for clients who must touch flesh.  Keeping my clients costs 
as low as possible is an objective for everyone.

I hedge my bets on projects and try to keep 4-6 active.  That has been very 
hard over the last 18 months so I am volunteering (with honorariums) for a 
govt organization to help Aboriginals obtain sustainability.  The extra 
work and effort has paid off.  I think the govt people suck, but the 
projects and their people are wonderful.  This has led me to some very 
excellent projects in BC and good introductions across Canada and abroad.

I have moved around somewhat restlessly in telecommunications, 
telemedicine, aerospace, and subsea.  I like the deregulation, strategic 
development, knowledge capital stuff.  I like pushing boundaries and 
crossing disciplines.

18 months ago I was working almost exclusively with dark fibre projects, 
projects laying it on freeway embarkments, laser beams for last mile 
connections, tearing out hospital walls, all with an eye to viability and 
sustainability. Lots of fun.  Dark fibre died a slow and painful death.  11 
September killed it all together.

My slump is correcting itself mostly because of this group over the past 3 
weeks.  Realizing that I could call myself a tech writer was a major 
improvement.   I can be so dense sometimes.  The idea of a portfolio was 
revolutionary.  I am still struggling to upgrade my software skills.  But 
it is not because of my software skills that I am getting this new 
contract.  I am getting the contract because of my past performance in 
writing, strategic development, and securing funding; contacts; abilities 
to move across disciplines and cultures; and most of all, creativity or the 
ability to think outside the box.

Nora

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Did you know you can get RoboHelp certified?
To learn how, visit http://www.ehelp.com/techwr. Be sure to also check out
our special pricing offers and promotions for RoboHelp 2002.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit 
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.