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Subject:RE: Tools versus skill set From:"Will Husa" <will -dot- husa -at- 4techwriter -dot- com> To:"'Tammy Van Boening'" <info -at- spectrumwritingllc -dot- com>, "'TechWhirl List'" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com> Date:Wed, 7 Oct 2009 19:24:58 -0500
This reminds me of a friend to went to an interview for a contract position
at a company that required him to know Arbortext and Framemaker. He didn't
know either program, but he could write.
During the interview, he asked about the requirement for these software
tools. The project manager told him that the company didn't have these
tools, but was going to be buying them within the year.
So the friend asked again about the requirement for these software tools.
The PM replied that the owner didn't want to spend the money to train the
whole company on these tools. The owner expected the TW to train them all
while he was there.
True Story!
Will Husa
Technical Writer
Your source for user-friendly documentation
Phone: 708-927-3569
Fax: 630-668-9283
www.4techwriter.com
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+will -dot- husa=4techwriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+will -dot- husa=4techwriter -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Tammy Van Boening
Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 2:23 PM
To: TechWhirl List
Subject: Tools versus skill set
All,
I have a colleague who has a superb set of skills for a job about which she
was recently contacted - many, many years in the field in internal QC and
auditing documentation, but the potential employer is all hung up about her
lack of a single software tool. We all know that tools are secondary and
that it's the underlying skills that are critical. (I can't tell you how
many tool monkeys I have worked with during my career that couldn't write
their way out of a paper sack! I at least had one potential employer
recognize this and state "that he could get a trained monkey to learn the
tool to produce OLH - he needed someone who understood the data flow of the
product and how to appropriately chunk and organize the information" - I got
the job, learned the tool and both sides were pleased.) That said, she is
not giving up, and I am helping her in redoing her resume that truthfully
and forcefully highlights her pertinent skill set. What I am looking for is
any references/articles that you may have tucked away in your archives that
provide a solid argument about why tools are frequently secondary - it's the
person's talent that you want. I swear I remember reading an article about
this topic in an STC journal (I think by the ubiquitous Mr. Hart) but for
the life of me, I can't seem to dig it up.
Any and all references/links/ etc. are sincerely appreciated. I know that
the many gurus and guru-esses on this list will have some guidance and
insight.
Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
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You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as will -dot- husa -at- 4techwriter -dot- com -dot-
Free Software Documentation Project Web Cast: Covers developing Table of
Contents, Context IDs, and Index, as well as Doc-To-Help
2009 tips, tricks, and best practices. http://www.doctohelp.com/SuperPages/Webcasts/
Help & Manual 5: The complete help authoring tool for individual
authors and teams. Professional power, intuitive interface. Write
once, publish to 8 formats. Multi-user authoring and version control! http://www.helpandmanual.com/
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You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
