[TCP] certification (was: ranting STC)

[John Posada]

> > we would have learned from our education was the ability
> > to figure out what references to look in to research the
> > answers to our questions. ...
> 
> Or as I put it in interviews (and this is really my only good
> line):
> 
> "I may not know everything on the subject. But I do know how to
> find out!"

Is this the best from the pespective of those hiring us?

The problem with this is you only get to know what you might already
know exists but you don't know the answer. In effect, where we go to
most resembles a SME who will answer your question but not give you
any more than you ask for.

However, when you know the subject, you can take that question a take
it much farther. Isn't this a more favorable situation?

For example. I'm describing the interaction between two servers. You
configure on one server, which then distributes the configuration
information to multiple servers using something called a dxa (having
nothing to do with bone density scans). Now, unless you know about
Directory Exchange Agents, you can address this topic at a
superficial level. However, if you know the subject, you can include
indepth information as it applies to your particular instance, in a
way that you may never find in the 842 google hits for "directory
exchange agent".

What I'm saying is, don't think that because it is a snappy response,
that it is the answer the other person most wanted to hear. It may be
better than a blank look and a dribble of spit, but you only get a
limited number of times you can use it.



John Posada
Senior Technical Writer

"I think the problem, to be quite honest with you, is that you've never actually known what the question is."