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IMHO, a title, by itself, isn't worth diddly. I've done "tech writing" at a
"senior" level under a variety of titles, some of them very obscure.
What do you do for the company? What's the extent of your contribution and
responsibility? That's what makes a "senior writer". Time in grade, in
general, is secondary to these two.
If you are really concerned about titles, ask your HR rep. S/he should have
job descriptions available. Those job descriptions should outline what you
need to know about your own job level's scope and responsibilities and those
of the next level to which you aspire, even if it's a different career path.
Many companies don't give out "senior" titles, but rather assign numbers to
the various categories within a job description. If you're seeking a
comparison of salaries, ONE resource is the STC salary survey, especially
(seeing that you're in the Boston area) the one on the STC-Boston chapter
site. There are other resources, including the Kirstein Business Branch of
the Boston Public Library.
If your company has NO job descriptions, you might offer to help them write
one, especially including the categories in your original posting. Again,
your HR folks ought to have some resources available, as should the Web and
your local (good-sized) public library - things such as the US Dept. of
Labor, for example. It may not take into account all the variables, but a
good librarian could be an invaluable help in finding this information.
HTH,
Marguerite
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