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.
>Tell me about your friends at work.
>(Avoid people who don't make friends at work [anti-social] and
>those who use work as a means of making friends [social
>butterflies]. Most of us fall in between these two
>extremes. I made the mistake of hiring one person at each
>extreme....)
Is it really considered such a bad thing not to make friends
at work? I've always studiously avoided it. If I did have a
friend at work, I made a point of not having non-work-related
interactions with her on work time. Yes, I have a Puritan
work ethic, but some of us just *are* that way. I don't think
it necessarily makes for a bad employee. (When I left my last
job, the dept. head all but begged me not to quit. Even though
I didn't count any other current employees as my friends.)
I have very few friends, period; it would be an impressive
coincidence if one of them worked for the same employer.
This doesn't make me antisocial; it just means I'm more of
a thing person than a people person. I am. In a work
environment I'm capable of cooperating with others (I will even
share my crayons! :) ). I have contributed positively as a
committee member and have had good working relationships with
people inside and outside my department.
And once I leave the workplace, I leave them behind. I'm sure
those of you who are people persons will think that's sad, but
for me it's just how I separate my work life from my personal
life. Does that really make me antisocial -- or undesirable as
an employee?
Cathy Krusberg
Internet: ckberg -at- ix -dot- netcom -dot- com
TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html
