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It's been my experience that there are three basic variations on
"demonstrating value:"
1) The employer or client understands the need for documentation,
either as an asset or a necessary evil, and just needs to see your
value as a documentation professional. This is a basic and essential
element of every position or client, and your goal should be to
demonstrate how you can meet the recognized need and then
improve things beyond that need with other ideas.
2) The employer or client thinks documentation and/or documentation
professionals are unnecessary. This is a lost cause. Give it up and
look for somewhere else to be.
3) There are factions within the employer or client's organization that
take opposing views on the need for documentation and/or
documentation professionals. This is the fertile ground that has
the potential to be cultivated.
I suspect that your feelings about how/whether our profession is valued
depend on which of the above situations has constituted the majority
of your experience.
> How many people really feel that the profession is undervalued? All of
> the clients that I have had since a third of my former company was laid
> off in 2001 have come to me because they wanted my services. All of you
> who hold full-time jobs are employed because your employers want your
> services.
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