TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Certification is used by an increasing number of companies to replace or
augment internal training and development... particularly those blindly
following management fads o' the month. I've worked for three corporations
that made achieving professional certification part of performance
objectives to get merit increases and bonuses. And I bet I'm not the only
one.
That's why it's such a huge issue. You can SAY it's impossible to develop
certification, but other communications professions have done it. And there
ARE people in corporate IT environments who look with disdain on technical
writing because there isn't any certification (I cannot speak to other
sectors that employ technical writers). Fortunately I don't see many of
them any more. But I dare say it's a factor in why Project Managers,
Business Analysts, Quality Assurance professionals, and Usability
Specialists now have certification programs. And the professional
associations are learning to make the most of it as a revenue generation
mechanism.
If you're a hiring manager, you'll either look at it or you won't, just the
same as portfolios, letters of recommendation, writing tests, or college
degrees. In the end, it's the right combination of those factors in the
right person for the job and the culture....always has been always will be.
It's a crap shoot, and a judgment call.
For the record, the certifications I received (in PR, training and project
management... and get this, professional shoe fitting!) didn't make much
difference in getting a higher salary, but I enjoyed the challenge. However
the Masters did make a difference, even though it wasn't in Technical
Writing.
Connie P. Giordano
The Right Words
Communications & Information Design
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney
-----Original Message-----
From: techwr-l-bounces+connie=therightwordz -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
[mailto:techwr-l-bounces+connie=therightwordz -dot- com -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
Behalf Of Ned Bedinger
Sent: Monday, March 05, 2007 9:21 PM
To: Kevin McLauchlan
Cc: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Subject: Re: [TCP] certification (was: ranting STC)
I would hate to discourage anyone who actually reads my posts, but two
points come up.
First, I have to wonder about an employer who pays for certification
*after* hiring the writer. I don't know how else they'd do it, but that
way is assuredly backward. Thoughts on how this would work, anyone?
Second, Kevin--the way I read yours below, I find that IF you were
interested in certification, you MIGHT (however unlikely) be willing to
pay for it. Since the context of my hypothesis is the self-paying TW,
your scenario works.
Unfortunately, you then get disqualified from the experiment if your
employer pays for your STC membership and/or certification, since Dexter
and I can't then evaluate your willingness to pay. I suppose we could
evaluate your employer's willingness to pay, and try to characterize
your employer's satisfaction in their purchase, but to me, that's
drifting into the twilight regions where corporations pay to gratify
inscrutable corporate "feelings", or they "want" things that have
traditionally been in the domain of individuals. That is scary stuff,
and I want no part of it, at least not without clarification, and
perhaps a ritual or two.
If I were to allow the data for TWs when corportions pay, it would be
because I'm reasonably certain that your employer's planning to take the
frequent flier miles when you go to the STC conf.
Thanks for writing. Hope this helps.
Ned Bedinger
doc -at- edwordsmith -dot- com
McLauchlan wrote:
> Ned Bedinger was replying to Jim Dexter when he happened to say:
>
>
>> If you do this, perhaps you'll do
>> me a favor
>> and also test the hypothesis (ok, hunch) that TWs who are
>> interested in
>> certification will be willing to pay for either certification or
>> membership in STC, but not both.
>>
>
> So, if I were now to pay for certification (don't hold your
> breath), then either it would be _another_ frill that the company
> volunteered to pay for, or it would be the first such one
> that came out of my pocket. Thus the either/or-but-not-both
> hypothesis doesn't seem to apply.
>
>
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team
authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as connie -at- therightwordz -dot- com -dot-
Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-
