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Right off the top, I can think of one topic to which you might be able to contribute very quickly: "certification".
Here in the U.S., many on this list have discussed / argued (sometimes vehemently) what "certification" is, what it means, whether it carries any "clout" (importance) with potential employers, who actually provides the certification, what one must do in order to become certified, what privileges / liabilities accompany certification, and so on, and so on.
I guess it pretty much boils down to this:
Those who already have a solid background gained from previous and current employment are not concerned with certification and downplay its importance.
Those who are either starting out or are only mid-way into their careers as technical writers want / need any "hook" they can use to get / hold onto a job.
And now wth the worldwide economy pretty much in the tank -- no matter what the government here tells us -- it seems pretty aparent that we tech writers are / will be cut from our jobs more and more, thus making "certification" possibly much more attractive.
Please educate us, oh wise one.
-- Ken in Atlanta
(where the economy sucks just as much as where anyone else is)
-------------- Original message from Doris Werder <dwerder -at- t-online -dot- de>: --------------
> Dear colleagues,
>
> After lurking for a couple of weeks, I would like to introduce myself.
> I am a freelance technical writer and translator from Hanau, Germany
> (near Frankfurt). My main specialisations are software and electronics.
>
> This list has given me a lot of competent advice in the past, so I hope
> to contribute some useful hints too to return your favour. It's lovely
> to stay in contact with workmates from all over the world -- mailing
> lists certainly reduce the loneliness of the long distance writer...
>
>
> Best regards
>
>
>
> Doris Werder
> State-certified translator and technical writer
>
>
> Doris Werder Technical Writing and Translations
> ------------------------------------------------------------
> English > German, German> English, Spanish> German
> Electronics, IT, Politics
> JahnstraÃe 8
> 63450 Hanau
> Germany
> +49 (6181) 160431
> dwerder -at- t-online -dot- de
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