TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: Job title quandary From:Ad absurdum per aspera <jtchew -at- CSA3 -dot- LBL -dot- GOV> Date:Wed, 22 Dec 1993 13:49:00 PST
>Gee, I hope Joe Chew wasn't making fun of my deeply beloved title
>of "Senior Associate Information Developer." *sniff! sniff!*
:)
This subject has generated some e-mail, so let me say publicly
that I meant no offense by my posting, nor do I feel sniped at
by the followups and replies. I've just become rather cynical over
the years about attempts to soft-soap employees with fancy titles
and illusions of upward mobility when in fact they are still being
paid one or even two orders of magnitude less than the executives,
subjected to "mushroom management," and dismissed on short notice
whenever the financial planners deem it necessary to shine up a
quarterly statement.
If your company actually treats you well, and its career paths are
a road map to growth and mutual success rather than a flimsy tissue
of lies, great! There are such companies. But not everyone has
the privilege of working for one.
Have a merry <Christmas, Chanukah, Kwanzaa, Solstice ... > and stay
home or at least drive carefully on Amateur Drunk Night,
--Joe
"Never take no cut offs and hurry along as fast as you can."
-- Donner Party survivor Virginia Reed
