Certification

[George Allaman <gallama -at- LOOKOUT -dot- ECTE -dot- USWC -dot- USWEST -dot- COM>]

I'm not sure if this point has already been made (it seems an obvious
one), so I'll be brief.

I am in favor of certification because it may greatly simplify the job
of the hiring employer. Part of our job as prospective employees is to make
their decision as easy, as painless, and as simple as possible.

Yes, the division between a certified tech writer and a non-certified one may
be somewhat arbitrary, unfair in some cases, and seemingly unnecessary to us.
But to someone who is looking for a tech writer and doesn't want to become an
expert in psychology to make personality decisions, in the English language
to make writing judgements, and in sleuthing to check out the applicant's
history, a certification might be just the ticket. This applies even more to
free-lancers and temporary jobs where the small size of the job may make it
even less cost-effective for a recruiter to investigate and learn as much as
possible about an applicant.

For me, this is an issue of accessibility for the prospective employer, not
of fairness to all tech writers. Further, I doubt that certification will
suddenly become requisite for most jobs. It is simply an easily defined
benchmark, a potential tool, for recruiters to use when making hiring
decisions. There will always be employers who want new, trainable writers.

George, out.

   |George Allaman               |                          |
   |Tech Writer                  |   <clever, meaningful    |
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