references was Re: STC certification program

[Laura Lemay <lemay -at- lauralemay -dot- com>]

On Oct 19, 2011, at 7:27 AM, Milan DavidoviÄ wrote:
> A bit OT to the current topic, but therein might lie some advice for
> new technical communicators, especially those new to the workforce: do
> something to stay (or to know how to get) in touch with previous
> managers.

This is what linkedin is for.  When you leave a job (or even before), make sure you are connected to your managers and the best people you worked with, and solicit recommendations for your work.  Lots of hiring managers are going straight to linkedin for information on candidates these days, and good recommendations can shortcut the reference process.  I've also gotten jobs on linkedin from friends at jobs I worked at more than ten years ago because we were connected on linkedin.  

On Oct 19, 2011, at 7:33 AM, Phil Snow Leopard wrote:
> This is another argument for certification in my view. Length of service in any given job is getting shorter across all industries, which makes references something of an out-dated form of guarantee (of course, we all know that it was never that valid to start with for obvious reasons; however, in days of yore a reference was a point of contact that established credibility precisely because they were long-standing employees in responsible positions of credible companies. Now, we're all just temporary hires, more or less. More reason to have certification. 

And to me the trend of multiple temporary jobs isn't an argument for certification, it's another argument for linkedin.  :)  

Laura

PS I'm lemay -at- lne -dot- com on linkedin.
 




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