re: certificates and the current job market

["Jim Lowry" <lowry_j -at- hotmail -dot- com>]

Hi Ellen,

I'm just finishing up a 12 week (Sats. 9-6) certificate in "data-base driven 
websites,? using technologies like perl, cgi, asp, and cold fusion to access 
dbs like oracle, mySQL, Access, etc.. This class was mainly programming, and 
though it did make "involve considerable demands" (i.e., it really kicked my 
butt) and cost a fair penny, I'm very glad I decided to take it, as opposed 
to a web design kind of class - mainly for the reason others have mentioned: 
in any profession, I think it sometimes helps to keep to the less-populated 
stretches of "the curve."

Although I don't believe I am going to become a web developer per se, I feel 
much more informed technically, and this helps me in holding my own in 
dealing with the techies and on interviews. Therefore, as someone kindly 
advised me in this forum some months ago, I would recommend concentrating on 
the more "meaty" stuff - the current technologies, as opposed to the tools 
of technical writing.

Having said all of the above, in the spirit of truth in advertising, I must 
admit to recently having had to take a _very_ generic technical writing 
assignment recently (main tool: WORD 97!) on account of the sucky employment 
env. in New York (lost my previous job due to 9/11). Still, I'm very glad to 
have gone with my choice of certificate program. Now, if I can just get my 
Cold Fusion project in by next Saturday . . .

Jim Lowry




_________________________________________________________________
Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Collect Royalties, Not Rejection Letters! Tell us your rejection story when you 
submit your manuscript to iUniverse Nov. 6 -Dec. 15 and get five free copies of 
your book. What are you waiting for? http://www.iuniverse.com/media/techwr

Have you looked at the new content on TECHWR-L lately?
See http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ and check it out.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot-  Visit 
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.