Re: Whither TRUE Senior-Level TW Opportunities?

[John Wilcox <john -at- SYNTAX -dot- COM>]

>Kendall, there may be just such an opening in about 3 months right here,
>just south of Seattle.  On January 28 I go over the 5-year mark here,
>and at about the same time I'll have the next doc set done.  Those are
>two goals I wanted to reach before saying adios to this place.  I'll
>post more about this to techwr-l soon.

>Good luck on your search.

I mistakenly sent the above to the whole list instead of just to
Kendall, but that's okay -- it prompts me to expound.

I am 44 years old.  I have 10 years experience in technical writing,
editing, graphics, and publishing, and I have handled a wide variety of
subjects.  I've also been involved in software QA and interface design.
I have been told that I have a rather rare combination of talents -- and
of course I agree. :-)  The problem is that I'm at the top of my ladder
in this company.  The only way for me to improve my lot (as far as I can
see) is to either find a documentation management position or go solo.

There's no way the management position is going to open up here.  The
president has a small-company mentality (we are 50 people, but he likes
to manage everyone individually), and we just hired our second tech
writer a few months ago, after three years of me trying to get them to
do so.  As for going solo, I have had several contracts, but my wife
prefers that regular biweekly check, even if it's less than I could
make contracting.

January 28 will be my 5-year anniversary at Syntax.  I'll get a pen and
an extra day of vacation.  Whoop-de-do.  Not even any stocks.  Come to
think about it, I don't think the extra day of vacation comes until 6
years.  About the same time I'll be done with the next set of manuals,
which will include our first electronic distribution.  Then I'll be
looking for another job, so one of you might end up with mine.  (Better
let me tell you all the horror stories first.)  I'd love to have a
management job, but I also love independent contracting, so I'm torn as
to which way to go.

Speaking of being torn, I'm going to the hospital for a hernia surgery
today.  I'm going Nomail on this account -- I am also subscribed from my
home account.  Any and all input about my job situation, which I've only
summarized, will be appreciated.  Feel free to contact me at my home
account: wilcox -at- frugal -dot- com -dot- 

Thanks for listening.


John Wilcox <john -at- syntax -dot- com>
Senior Technical Writer
Syntax, Inc., 840 S. 333rd St., Federal Way, WA 98003-6343 USA
voice 206-838-2626, fax 206-838-9836, http://www.syntax.com