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: Downside of contracting From:"Nina L. Panzica" <panin -at- MINDSPRING -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 22 Sep 1997 16:13:29 -0500
At 01:56 PM 9/19/97 -0700, Tony G. Rocco wrote:
>...although I have
>heard some contract tech writers say that they turn away as much work as
>they take. I guess mileage can vary depending on your skills and where you
>work.
I think you need to take that remark about turning away as much work as
they take with a grain of salt. Consider this: when you are working on a
full-time contract or otherwise do not want more work, you will, if you've
distributed your resume extensively or done a lot of business networking
and promotion, often get inquiry calls from employment agencies,
comapanies, and other writers about doing additional contract work. If you
count every time you say, "No, I'm not interested in this project; I've got
too much on my plate already" as turning away work, then yes, many of us
turn away as much or even much more work than we take in.
But what makes you think that any of those calls would have resulted in
firm job offers, actual work that you could have the luxury of "turning
away?" In my experience, only a very tiny percentage of the initial inquiry
calls actually result in an interview, let alone a job offer. Assume that
you aren't on a contract, you're looking for work in fact, and these same
calls come in. A good percentage of them will be paying an hourly rate that
is way below what you can afford to take. Out they go. Another good
percentage will have work conditions (100% onsite, 2 hour commute,
extensive travel three days a week, relocation, or part-time work) that are
impossible for you to accept. Out _they_ go. Of the ones that are
acceptable to you, you will often find that (a) the competition is better
and you aren't even called for an interview, (b) the employment agency
didn't sell you properly to the client or did something else really stupid
(like promise them you'd work 25 hours a week overtime without clearing it
with you first), (c) the manager jumped the gun, found out he didn't have
enough money allocated for the job, and the supposed contract becomes
vaporware, or (d) you don't actually have the skills or experience the
interviewer insists you must have or you get disqualified on a technicality.
It's nice, when you've got plenty of work, to think that you're turning it
away by saying no to a phone call, but people who do this may not be
considering all the complications and obstacles that lie between each
initial phone inquiry and actual paid work.
Nina Panzica
Masterpiece Media
(404) 237-7889
Can't reach me at the above number? Try my pager: 404-596-7889 mailto:panin -at- mindspring -dot- com http://www.mindspring.com/~panin/
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
