Re: Do you need a degree?

Subject: Re: Do you need a degree?
From: "Sue Heim, San Diego" <SueH -at- VISIO -dot- COM>
Date: Wed, 9 Jul 1997 13:54:09 -0700

I agree with Lynn... if you are already a technical writer (senior or
no), a degree isn't gonna buy you much else other than guaranteeing
you'll get an interview at a company. I've got a degree in Landscape
Architecture, have no inclination to get a degree in tech writing (or
any other field, for that matter), and am doing just fine! In fact, just
got a fabulous new job at Visio Corporation, so I guess I ain't doing
too badly!!

As far as Hillary's statement about the job she was performing *before*
she got her degree, that's not tech writing. That was desktop
publishing, and there is a whole world of difference betwixt the two!
Writers may, in fact, perform desktop publishing *as they write,* but a
technical writer will never just *format documents* as part of the job.
So, in Hillary's case, getting a degree taught her those things that
others of us have learned OTJ.

...sue
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Sue Heim
Senior Online Engineer
Visio Corporation - San Diego
SueH -at- Visio -dot- com
619/596-5990 x326


>-----Original Message-----
>From: Lynn Gold [SMTP:figmo -at- RAHUL -dot- NET]
>Sent: Wednesday, July 09, 1997 1:28 PM
>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>Subject: Re: Do you need a degree?
>
>Hillary Jones wrote:
>>
>>Sounds like Lynn Gold went to a not-so-good program for her tech writing
>>degree! I hereby state that there are great tech writing programs all
>>over the country where students share and learn from each other, the
>>professors want to help you develop as a professional, and the
>>curriculum *does* teach you time management skills, problem-solving
>>skills, and the finer points of writing.
>
>Begging your pardon, but I already HAD those skills before I went back
>to
>school to finish my degree. I was able to test out of San Jose State's
>upper division writing class. In my job I was planning and writing
>real,
>honest-to-goodness manuals. My title was ALREADY "Senior Technical
>Writer"
>when I got my BA and I was functioning as a Senior Tech Writer.
>
>>I shudder to think where my career would be if I hadn't gotten a degree
>>in technical writing! Before I got the degree, I had a "tech writing
>>job" that was essentially reformatting an existing document and adding
>>headings to it for *minimum wage.* And I thought it was a good job! In
>>college I was also a terrific writer, but I had never heard of STC, this
>>listserv, or any of the stuff tech writers keep in their tool belts
>>(audience analysis, document design, etc.). Lucky for me I heard about
>>my university's tech writing program and signed up for a class, or I
>>might still be slaving in the salt mines at a laughable hourly wage and
>>believing I was a tech writer!
>
>I looked at the tech writing program at San Jose State and decided it
>would
>only be teaching me things I'd already learned on the job. Maybe YOU
>learned something new, but the concepts discussed in the textbooks were
>concepts I already knew and was applying in my daily work. I already
>knew
>how to put together a sentence; I learned how to write documentation by
>working in a large tech writing department with lots of senior writers
>who
>showed me the ropes. I didn't need to pay someone to teach me about
>"active voice," "outline structure," or "structured programming."
>
>>Do you need a degree? Maybe not, but I totally disagree with Lynn's
>>dismissal of a technical writing degree as just a piece of paper to get
>>you job interviews. I believe that what you learn on the job and what
>>you learn in a tech writing program are *different* and *both valuable*!
>
>If you go into a tech writing program knowing zippo about tech writing,
>it's useful. I've recommended such schooling for a couple of friends
>who
>can put together a sentence but are "computer naive." If, however, you
>are
>already IN the computer industry working as an advanced-level tech
>writer,
>the only thing the degree is going to do is open a few more doors.
>
>--Lynn
>
>
> TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
>to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send
>commands
> to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
> Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
>browse the archives at
>http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html

TECHWR-L (Technical Communication) List Information: To send a message
to 2500+ readers, e-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send commands
to LISTSERV -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU (e.g. HELP or SIGNOFF TECHWR-L).
Search the archives at http://www.documentation.com/ or search and
browse the archives at http://listserv.okstate.edu/archives/techwr-l.html


Previous by Author: Docutechs and Colour Inserts
Next by Author: Position Open -- San Diego, California
Previous by Thread: Re: Do you need a degree?
Next by Thread: Re: Do you need a degree?


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


Sponsored Ads