Re: FWD: Scenario: You're hired a new writer...

[Damien Braniff <Damien_Braniff -at- PAC -dot- CO -dot- UK>]

VERY leading question.  I suppose that any hiring has been done in the
context of what your company does - if you produce online docs then you
hire with that in mind and so on.  If taking on someeone relatively
inexperienced (remember experience,or lack of it, is no guarantee of
competence!) you should consider not only current skills but also how
quickly they are likely to pick things up.

From your list I would say I can do all but the white paper - never had to
do one and don't know what's involved.  Thinking back to when I started I
also couldn't produce OLH, Indexes, or do doc plans.  Basically they
weren't a requirement in the environment I was working in - that changed as
I moved around and did different jobs and you pick up new writing skills as
you go.

At a basic level (assuming hiring was done to fit into your environment) I
would say he should be able to incorporate edits, update manuals and write
manuals but again it depends on background.  Writer may have spent 2 years
doing nothing but editing, nothing but writing help etc.  Like Eric said,
if the writer isn't up to the job then I feel that it's the hirer's fault.

Damien Braniff
Technical Author
PAC International