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Re: real tech writers? RE: Out-of-Work Tech Writers and Switching -- Career
Subject:Re: real tech writers? RE: Out-of-Work Tech Writers and Switching -- Career From:"Damien Braniff" <DBraniff -at- amphion -dot- com> To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Wed, 26 Jun 2002 08:11:15 +0100
Janet wrote:
> Many come from various backgrounds/disciplines and profess to
> "have a knack" for TC. Please -- if you have a knack, back it
> up with REAL training. Get a degree in the field or at least a
> certificate. Someone professing to be a TW/TC that has no real
> training in the discipline will quickly be identified
> dis-respected by those who DO have training in the field.
You don't need a degree etc to be a good TWer, you can't beat experience
(both better?). As I see it there are three reasons to go down the
degree/certificate route (in no particular order):
1 You're new to the profession and you see it as good starting
point - learn the basics etc. This is only the START of you real
training- link it with a few years practical experience and you'll be
getting there (I've been doing it for 20 years now and still learning).
2 You're an experienced writer (got the scars and T-shirt to prove
it) but you'd like to learn more about the theory/background to what you
do - general interest in what you do
3 As a marketing tool. More and more often job specs specify a mix
of experience and relevant degree (could be related to subject) -
engineering jobs routinely specify appropriate experience (and usually
an engineering degree). While it's not a necessity for TWing, if there
are two candidates with similar experience then a TW degree/certificate
may well tip the balance in your favour.
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