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You might find yourself contracting for your "former" employer - to such
an extent that you have no time for other work! If you're the only tech
writer it begs the question, what will they do for docs? I would take a
serious look at the situation, and see whether you really are redundant
- or are you just among the least critical for now? If the latter is
the case, you should be able to identify projects that are coming down
the pike, and start planning with your manager even now. Then, when
you're a contractor (if that's what ultimately happens), you will
already be set up with the work.
I would also question (and I mean *question* - not accuse) management
about the future for docs in the company. Are they planning to scale
back dramatically? Are docs no longer a priority at all? Do they hope
to have engineers write the docs? Your best bet is to understand their
thinking, and see where you can work *with* them. If engineers will
write the docs, offer yourself as an editor/production specialist.
Point out the time and costs of this work and the value added. For
example, the extra cost of assigning engineers to these tasks - they
usually get paid more, and they will be learning as they go.
It can be hard to remain cool in this situation, but if you do your
professionalism will reflect well.
It has been a practice in the US for companies to drop employees and
then hire as many or more contractors. That makes the
revenue-per-employee look very good (a metric used on Wall Street -
especially in software), reduces the expenditure for benefits, and gives
them leeway in choosing when to pay you and when to put you on the
bench. In fact, the practice was used so widely that companies found
themselves investigated by the IRS - having to prove that the
contractors were actually contractors. Hence many companies won't hire
a contractor except through a contracted temp agency that converts the
contractor into a temporary employee. The contracted temp agency
ostensibly offers benefits, but I have yet to use them - and they get a
percentage of what the company pays you, so you want to make sure you
get paid your rate *after* they get their share. Oh, the tangled web...
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