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Even getting permission to pay for the membership was a battle. There are so
many problems I have identified and have given them solutions and tried
changing them over and over again.Sadly they listen but when I try to put it
in to practice they chicken out or want to go with the way things were done.
I have not given up and still working towards breaking certain habits but
sometimes I feel like it is a battle I can't win. I have learn to just go
with the flow on some issues, cos ultimately the boss has the final say.
Thank you for letting me know about other benefits, will definitely take it
to them.
Zen
On Mon, Mar 31, 2008 at 11:55 AM, Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca> wrote:
> Zen C wondered: <<I am interested in joining the STC chapter and got
> permission from management. The only problem is that they will pay
> only for the membership and will not send me for any conferences or
> workshops etc.>>
>
> That's a typical example of being "penny-wise but pound-foolish". STC
> offers a useful form letter you can use to persuade employers to pay
> for the cost of attendance, but it's pretty generic. You can make a
> much better case for having them pay if you focus on "what's in it
> for my employer" and what return on investment (ROI) they can expect.
> In the past, I've had great success by identifying several problems
> my employer faces, and specifically identifying conference sessions I
> planned to attend to learn how to solve those problems. Occasionally,
> I was able to even propose an ROI that made it clear that by sending
> me, they could actually save money. If you can get access to cost
> data, this may be the best approach. But be reasonable and realistic:
> managers are pretty good at detecting fudged estimates.
>
> <<Will it serve any purpose of me joining if I can't attend anything?
> What other benefits do I get other than access to the STC email list?>>
>
> Joining a professional society or any other group provides no magical
> life-transforming benefits or insights. You get access to the group's
> resources, such as newsletters and Web sites, but you have to make
> the decision to read them and invest some mental effort in learning
> how to use this knowledge to improve what you're doing. STC's current
> offerings focus more on people new to our profession, but they're
> making a conscious effort to provide information that is increasingly
> relevant to senior members too. On the whole, I find their
> publications useful even after 20 years in the biz, though some of
> the information is too basic and other information seems a bit
> misguided (i.e., written without clear knowledge of member needs).
>
> You also gain access to the members. STC members tend to be very
> eager to help both newcomers and old pros, whether or not you're a
> member, and have a considerable body of expertise to share. Whether
> that sharing will be useful to you depends on your personality. Some
> of us love getting together in person to discuss and network, and STC
> membership offers a convenient forum in which we can do this. Others
> prefer the kind of "at a distance" support and conversation you can
> get via groups such as techwr-l. I like both, and participate
> actively in both. But I find the in-person meetings more enjoyable;
> I've made many long-term friends this way. Plus, as a freelancer (and
> formerly as a lone editor in my company), it was nice to meet kindred
> spirits.
>
> If you're the kind of self-motivated person who will go out and grab
> all this knowledge and meet people by yourself, group membership may
> not add much. But if you find it easier to obtain this information
> and these contacts by joining a group, you'll get more mileage out of
> STC.
>
> <<Isn't it this same list I have access to been a non-member?>>
>
> No, techwr-l is completely independent from STC. However, you'll find
> many STC members here (me, for instance).
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------
> -- Geoff Hart
> ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
> www.geoff-hart.com
> --------------------------------------------------
> ***Now available*** _Effective onscreen editing_
> (http://www.geoff-hart.com/home/onscreen-book.htm)
>
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>
>
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