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I recently joined this list, and in response to an exchange about KTI/DDI sent a message to the wrong place. I'll try again.
I have had bad experiences with KTI/DDI in both Boston and (having decided to give them another chance) NYC. I never worked through them. This is the only agency (and I've had interviews via at least two dozen agencies during my 18 years in tech writing) that insisted on sending their own representatives to my interview with a potential client, which I found, to put it politely, confusing; furthermore, I felt it outrageous when I learned that they were typically taking 50% of the rate they were collecting,
I found people at KTI/DDI esp. bad about following up with me, and to me the people also seemed very glib--vigorous pep talk and enthusiasm (moreso than any other agency I've encountered) when meeting me, followed by (in)actions that seemed to bear no relation to the words.
My last contact with this agency was 3 years ago, in NYC, but since I remember Ross Squires as being with them for some time before that, I am sceptical that they've changed.
If my experience is idiosyncratic, others will work with KTI and be happy. But I wanted the list to know that at least one other person had problems with this company.
As a separate point that I would make regardless of the current context, but esp. in light of my experience of a disjunction at KTI between words/tone and deeds): several people have been impressed because Mr. Squires responded as a "gentleman." Without pre-judging that status, I would only note in general that we (for I have the weakness myself) should be wary of embracing someone's words just because of a favorable tone. As crafters of words--and as residents of a culture steeped in marketing techniques--we are all aware that truthful words and a pleasing tone are easily (though of course not necessarily) incompatible.
Richard Yanowitz, NYC ryanowitz -at- bigfoot -dot- com
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