Re: Technical writer survey: What should we really call ourselves?

["Gene Kim-Eng" <techwr -at- genek -dot- com>]

You can probably guess what my initial impression on seeing 
"communicator" at the top of a resume sent in response to an opening 
that I post as "writer" would be.

The thought behind my impression is generally that the individual who 
feels the need to self-present as a "communicator" when I've advertised 
for a writer is going to turn out to be someone who either lacks the 
necessary skills for my writer position and is trying to "puff up" the 
resume, will tend to devote more time and effort to trying to push 
changes in style and delivery methodology than developing actual 
technical content, suffers from an inferiority complex over being 
thought of as a writer, or just can't read a job listing. None of these 
are particularly desirable in a candidate.

Of course, if you're applying for a position that is actually listed as 
"communicator," you need to do what you need to do if you want the job. 
But as a writer, I would probably have all of the above concerns about 
the working environment.

Gene Kim-Eng


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Cardimon, Craig" <ccardimon -at- M-S-G -dot- com>
> Some would say "communicator" is a $20 word and "writer" is a $10 
> word.
> Many people are only paying for the $10 word. You can call yourself a
> communicator if you want, but you're being paid as a writer (provided
> you actually write stuff). Like it or not.

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