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Subject:Re: More on Tech Writing Tests From:"Paul Strasser" <paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Tue, 11 Feb 2003 14:14:31 -0700
I hope you appreciated the irony in my comments. She'll be a great fit
because she fits seamlessly into an existing culture, not that she can do a
job in all circumstances or understands the technology or can fondle a font
with the best of 'em. These folks like the test because it reconfirms their
own likes and dislikes about fellow workers. It's one thing to not hire
misanthropes. It's another to hire people who are "one of us."
Give this company credit. They have a test that does exactly what they
want - it is a predictor for the presence of the "one of us" gene. And note
that this is all the company wants it to do. Hence it is a great test. For
them.
I believe The Twilight Zone covered this topic once.
Paul Strasser
Windsor Technologies, Inc.
2569 Park Lane, Suite 200
Lafayette, Colorado 80026
Phone: 303-926-1982
FAX: 303-926-1510
E-mail: paul -dot- strasser -at- windsor-tech -dot- com
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Posada" <JPosada -at- book -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Sent: Tuesday, February 11, 2003 2:05 PM
Subject: RE: More on Tech Writing Tests
>
> >>"One of us." They were looking for a particular mindset
> >>in a writer, someone who fit into their company's
> >>lifestyle, and the techwriter group's culture.
> >>Sure, this "testee" was clever, and did some stuff
> >>above and...
>
> Sounds too much like inbreeding of purebred dogs. OK, you get more of
what
> you have. However, you don't bring in any new blood, new skills, new
> approaches. You keep doing things the same way instead of someone standing
> up at a meeting and writing a great big WHY? on the whiteboard that
everyone
> has to answer before their idea is accepted. Sounds too much like "that's
> the way we've always done it." In my experience, that is usually the
FIRST
> thing that needs to be looked at.
>
> >This is not a criticism of this test, nor its results. This techwriting
> >group wanted a certain mindset in their writers, and apparently this test
> is
> >a good indicator of that. She'll be a great fit.
>
> ...in a stagnating environment. It's comfortable, but I'm not here to be
> warm and fuzzy. I'm here to try a new thing every single day, to yell WHY?
> every day.
>
> I go to school EVERY SINGLE DAY. I just get paid for it now.
>
> John Posada
> Senior Technical Writer
> Barnes&Noble.com
> jposada -at- book -dot- com
> NY: 212-414-6656
> Dayton: 732-438-3372
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