RE: Educational areas to pursue

Subject: RE: Educational areas to pursue
From: "Bill Swallow" <wswallow -at- nycap -dot- rr -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sat, 22 Feb 2003 01:02:03 -0500


::: Who wants to go from being an accomplished techwriter to
::: being a newbie
::: programmer? Not me. If an employer is suggesting I take
::: programming,
::: sounds like they really wanted to hire a programmer who
::: could write.

I disagree. Knowing a programming language can help you get into the
depths of the code and figure out how a product works or will work,
before it's built. Knowing a programming language can be an enormous
help in documenting API products. Knowing a programming language can
help you "speak developer", in some cases giving you an "in" to more
info (though I believe it shouldn't have to come to that, in some cases
it does). Knowing a programming language broadens your experience,
making you a more valuable asset to the company. Knowing a programming
language can make you more marketable when job hunting.

Just because an employer asks that you broaden your skills and increase
your tech knowledge by learning a programming language, database
management, or other such thing, doesn't mean they are looking for a
programmer who can write. It means they value technical knowledge in
their employees to increase or enhance performance.

And, it's been my experience that the more you know, the more you're
valued, which many times means the more you're paid. Not a bad deal,
especially if your employer is springing for the training as well.

BILL SWALLOW
Information Design & Development Professional
tel/fax: 518.371.1867
wswallow -at- nycap -dot- rr -dot- com



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References:
Re: Educational areas to pursue: From: Beth Agnew

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