RE: STC or STC# ?

["John Fleming" <johnf -at- ecn -dot- ab -dot- ca>]

I want to add my $0.02 to this thread.

A number of years ago, I heard a man give a speech.  He said, "where
you will be in five years depends on the people you meet and the
things you read today."

Being an *active* STC member will contribute to both of these.

As with any organization, if you are active in the STC, you will meet
people.  That means attending STC chapter activities, and not just
seminars and workshops.  If your chapter has social activities (Here
in the Alberta Chapter, we have monthly coffee nights), attend those
too.  It's an opportunity to meet with your peers and network.
Someone you meet just might have the answer to a challenge that you're
facing on a project. Another might give you a lead to that dream job
that will be the next step in your career (not all jobs picked up
through the STC come from postings to the STC and STC chapter web
sites).

As to the magazines, I agree, not every article is going to be useful,
relevant to your job, or even interesting.  But a lot of them are
useful, relevant, and interesting.  At least they are going to be
useful, relevant and interesting if you read them.  Even the best
articles will be of no value if your copy of Intercom sits in the
magazine rack in your bathroom gathering dust.

Others in this listserv have made the point.  What you get out of the
STC is a reflection of what you put into the STC.  The US$110
membership fee is only a part of the investment we STC members need to
make to get the most that we can out of the STC.  We also need to make
an investment of time.  Time to meet our fellow members.  Time to read
the publications.  Time to attend conferences and other events.  It's
when we make the total investment that we really see the results.

> Subject: STC or STC# ?
> From: Elizabeth Ross <beth -at- vcubed -dot- com>
> Date: Thu, 07 Dec 2000 10:05:36 -0500
> X-Message-Number: 21

> On 12/6/00 6:52 PM,  Donn S Le Vie, Jr. wrote:

> > For those 33% who aren't members, $110 a year to join for a wealth
of
> > information. And your employer will probably cover the membership
fees.
> > InterCom has come a long way, and Maurice Martin has worked hard
as editor
> > to raise the level of hard-hitting information it delivers, but it
still has
> > a ways to go (as he knows from repeated hammering by me...=: o
> >
> $110 US. = $168.36 Cdn

> That's without joining any SIGs. I was a member for a year--it cost
me ~$200
> Cdn and I did not receive what I consider value for my money. My
employer
> doesn't pay for it either.

> The magazines occasionally have helpful information. I started here
as a
> lone technical writer with a backlog of ALL the product
documentation.
> (They'd never had a tech writer before.) I honestly didn't have time
for the
> theory, I had too many docs to write. So it was definitely a mixed
bag.

> I would urge potential members to do a cost/benefit analysis for
themselves
> before shelling out money for something that may not work for you.
Go to the
> library and look at the publications. Browse the various sites on
the
> Internet (head office and regional chapters). Many benefits are
available
> for free (access to job opportunities).

> What I really want to say is "Do your homework." Don't go out and
join an
> organization just because someone on this list thinks you should.
And don't
> not join something you feel is worthwhile because someone on this
list says
> it sucks.

--

John Fleming
Edmonton, Alberta
email:     johnf -at- ecn -dot- ab -dot- ca



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