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If I've got the attribution right (missed the start of the thread), it goes
something like this: <<Tracey Claybon is doing some tech writing in her tech
support job and is wondering whether tech writing education is recommended
for pursuing a tech writing career.>>
It didn't use to be the case that you needed a formal degree in techwhirling
to get a job in the profession, and many of us (myself included) got good
jobs with not a trace of formal education in that field. You can still enter
the profession this way, but there's a strong "credentialism" movement afoot
(particulary among human resources folk) that is beginning to advocate
certification and the need for formal credentials. If techwhirling is like
any other industry, this trend can only be expected to grow.
I'm of the opinion that education can't possibly hurt anyone, provided you
keep an open mind and learn to distinguish between "doing what the professor
wants" and "doing what's right" (since the two don't always overlap). Given
that a tech. comm. degree may eventually become a union card for entering
our profession, it might be a good investment in your future job prospects.
But right now, the market is such that companies are desperate for good
writers, and if you sell yourself properly in an application letter, you're
still able to get interviews and jobs without the degree.
And besides, if you've been paying attention, consulting is the way to make
the big bucks, and you don't need a degree to be a successful
consultant--you need skill, brass, and a lot of self-confidence, and these
are things you can learn outside school too.
Tarzan's rule of data processing: Never let go of
one vine until you have a solid hold of the next.--Anon.
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