Apple and Pears (was Re: [Sigia-l] WOW! how annoying.. where do you find IA ia's

[Listera]

"christina wodtke" wrote:

> So what is the solution? One thought would be to have a minimum skill level
> that all with the IA title should know.

Oh no, the spring is here and so is the unholy thread of job reqs! :-)

Is it possible to have a first rate art director who doesn't know Flash?
Is it possible to have a Pulitzer Prize winning science writer who doesn't
have a degree in Biology?
Is it possible to have a programming guru who doesn't know Lisp? Etc.

This is a slippery slope to sprawling job reqs where you have to perform
brain surgery blind folded while playing piano with your toes. What's basic
to one person may be wholly unneeded for another. After all, can you be an
excellent IA without ever doing, say, card sorting? Absolutely. Just how
long do you think it would take to teach a person of sound mind to card
sort?

> it's funny how different these questions look when you move from the side of
> employee (who wants freedom to wiggle in the title) to employer (who needs
> to guarantee that their employee has the necessary chops)

Titles don't guarantee anything, as you found out. Neither does stated
experience on a piece of paper. I completely agree with Chris Shafer who
said "There's no substitute for a good interview." It's the employers job to
make sure they get what they need. Ask, test, challenge, if you need to.
 
> I just get so excited sometimes!

I hope it doesn't lead to calls for licensing. :-)

Ziya
Nullius in Verba