The STC and me?

Subject: The STC and me?
From: Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 27 Jul 2004 21:15:35 -0400


Bob wonders: <<Why should I worry about the STC when I have yet to find anyone who knows what the STC is or really cares if I am a member or not?>>

Membership in a professional organization is never essential; you can learn the tools of the trade by taking courses, browsing textbooks at the library, or just doing the work and paying attention to what works and what doesn't. You can meet people who work in your field by calling around local tech companies and asking to speak to the writers; I've been amazed at how many kindred spirits I've met over the years through STC, and equally amazed at how pleasant it is to share war stories and help each other brainstorm solutions to problems.

What STC offers me is a formal means of keeping up on what's happening in my field by reading articles from world authorities on a range of subjects--like techwr-l in many ways, but in print (newsletters) and in person (conferences). It also gives me an incentive to get off my butt, leave the house occasionally, and talk to colleagues with shared interests. Every so often, it's nice to escape the demands of "friends and family". <g>

Whether your employer has ever heard of STC is less important than whether the organization provides any value to you. In my experience, membership in any organization only pays back the investment in time (and money) if you put out an effort. Passivity undermines the value. I get enormous benefits from the discussions that my articles in STC publications have started with people I've never met--several of whom have subsequently referred me enough business that I could afford to jump right into a freelancing career without worrying whether I could support my family. I've also made several lifelong friends who I'd never otherwise have met.

<<I have never lost an opportunity because I was not an STC member. Not being a member has had zero impact on my career, and quite frankly, I see no benefit to joining.>>

Sometimes an employer uses membership in a professional society as one of those blind screening criteria. The membership shows in concrete form that you're interested in professional development rather than growing complacent in your current state of expertise. (Note that I'm not saying there are no complacent STC members. It's another of those checklist items some employers look for as a substitute for thinking.)

But _active_ membership shows something important: it shows that you're at least trying to look outside your own cage and learn about your profession. It shows that you're open to new ideas, willing to invest some time keeping your skills up to date, and that you have a network of people you can turn to when you need help. (I've used that network many times over the years.)

You can get this kind of experience from membership in any active community: techwr-l, for instance, and you don't have to pay any dues. But how many techwhirlers have you met in person? This Internet thing is kinda cool <g>, but what makes it work for me is the people, and it's nice to actually meet the people now and then. STC fills that need for me.

<<I am guessing that there are members who join just so they can say that they are members. Perhaps there are people who hire STC members just because they are members, and they have no knowledge of what the group is all about.>>

I'm sure that's true, and sure that some people who know nothing about STC assume that membership implies certification of a certain minimum skill level. It doesn't. STC provides a formal mechanism for meeting colleagues and learning new things about how to communicate, but like the water trough, it can't force the horse to drink. If you're sufficiently self-motivated to learn things on your own, and are already well networked in the profession, you probably don't need STC.

<<Perhaps some people assume that STC membership means a certain skill level.>>

In my case, I learn a bunch of new things quite regularly from STC publications and from STC members, many of which I have shared here on techwr-l as the years (10+ by now; eek!) have passed. I leave it to posterity to judge whether that sharing has had any value, but I certainly believe my investment in dues has been amply repaid in knowledge, friends, and many other ways.

<<Someone tell me why I should join a group that is apparently not going to help me all that much.>>

STC will help you in direct proportion to the amount of effort you invest in it. Kinda like techwr-l, no?

--Geoff Hart ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca
(try geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com if you don't get a reply)


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

ROBOHELP X5: Featuring Word 2003 support, Content Management, Multi-Author
support, PDF and XML support and much more!
TRY IT TODAY at http://www.macromedia.com/go/techwrl

WEBWORKS FINALDRAFT: New! Document review system for Word and FrameMaker
authors. Automatic browser-based drafts with unlimited reviewers. Full
online discussions -- no Web server needed! http://www.webworks.com/techwr-l
---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as:
archiver -at- techwr-l -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



References:
The STC and me: From: written_by

Previous by Author: Copyright transfers? (take II)
Next by Author: The STC and me? (Take II)
Previous by Thread: Re: The STC and me
Next by Thread: Re: The STC and me


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads