Re: Who hires technical writers?

Subject: Re: Who hires technical writers?
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 04 Dec 2002 09:45:53 -0800


John Posada wrote:

So...in an effort to hit as many types of positions as possible, I was
wondering if you would care to contribute to the list of positions who hire
writers.

I don't have any suggestions that haven't already been made. However, to go off on a tangent, I'd like to pass along a point that has recently been driven home to me: try to contact the highest person in the company you can.

Many people, I've found, assume the opposite: instead of trying to talk to the CEO or CTO, they contact the Documentation Manager instead. The trouble with this approach is that it can close the door too quickly. If the Doc Manager can't see you, or doesn't have complete hiring authority, then you don't have any other resort.

By contrast, if the CEO refuses to speak to you, then maybe a Director or Manager will. Also, the higher up the corporate ladder your contact is, the more likely that he or she will have hiring authority.

Obviously, you have to tailor this axiom to the company. If you're applying to IBM, then chances the CEO won't see you (although possibly the Director of a local division will). But the basic point holds true: don't pitch your approach too low.

--
Bruce Byfield bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com 604.421.7177
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

"You need technique to make a good job of life."
- Joyce Carey, "The Horse's Mouth"


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Who hires technical writers?: From: John Posada

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