RE: STC Salary data collection

["Combs, Richard" <richard -dot- combs -at- Polycom -dot- com>]

Kit Brown wrote, in part:
  
> Previously, income was self-reported, leading hiring managers 
> to think that the numbers were being inflated. The new 
> process uses data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor 
> Statistics from 1.25 million businesses.
> 
<snip> STC would 
> love to hear ideas for acquiring objective salary/industry 
> data in your region. 

Anyone familiar with my postings knows I'm not inclined to spout leftist
rhetoric about oppressed workers and capitalist exploiters. But the
double standard expressed here really irks me. 

You're saying that when tech writers report what they earn, they have an
incentive to lie, so the numbers may be inflated and are suspect. 

Why is it not the case that when those who _hire_ tech writers report
what they _pay_, they _too_ have an incentive to lie? How does having
the BLS collect and compile the "self-reported" salary data from these
businesses ensure that it's not _deflated_? Does the BLS use special
interrogation techniques or require proof?

Furthermore, based on my limited exposure to SIC codes and the
classification of jobs, I have a fairly low degree of confidence that
the BLS data includes the right employees. Back when I was a contract
tech writer, I sometimes shared a SIC code with playwrights or office
systematizers, whatever those are.

Harrumph.

Richard
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