Re[2]: Grad school vs. the world

[Bonni Graham <Bonni_Graham_at_Enfin-SD -at- RELAY -dot- PROTEON -dot- COM>]

I second this motion (below).  It seems that if you're going to get an advanced
degree after working for a while, you should probably look at something
peripherally related to Tech Comm.  For instance, I'm going back in a couple of
years to get a Master's in Human Factors.  The program doesn't really exist, but
National University, among other institutions, allows you to create your own
degree.  I'd also say that going back because you think it's going to gain you
more money at your present job is probably a mistake (unless you work for a
REALLY progressive company).  Further education seems to help more in your next
job, from the tales I've heard.  I worked as a writing instructor or technical
writer all through college, and there's no substitute for leaping in and doing
it.  Theory is great, and important, but I'd say get some real experience first
(unless you want to go into academia, in which case you may lose face by having
anything to do with the "real world").  And before I get flamed, let me add that
I went to a research-oriented university, where most of the academicians had a
very real horro of the "real world" -- I know not every place is like this (at
least, I HOPE not every place is like this).

Bonni Graham
Easel Corporation, ENFIN Technology Lab
Prez, SDSTC

P.S. I was hired right out of college after an internship that I got through a
friend.

Response to grad school vs work experience:

If your student is interested in a career in technical writing,
then I would adise her to go ahead and get the work experience.  I
have a Master's degree in TESL but was able to get a job as
technical writer as easily as my husband (who has a Master's degree
in Technical Writing).

This leads me to believe that it isn't the degree that that appeals
to prospective employers.  Rather, it is the writing background and
the willingness and capacity to learn that makes a candidate
valuable for a tech writing position (or any position, for that
matter).

A friend of mine who was hired as a tech writer right out of her
undergraduate program in English recently went back to school after
writing professionally for three years.  She chose a master's
program in Technical Communication.  She found herself to be the
"leader" of her class because  she had experience and the other
students didn't.  It certainly made her feel good to be the "one
with all the answers," but the two years she spent in the program
did little to further her career in technical writing.  One of her
reasons for going back to school was financial.  She believed that
she would receive a higher salary with an advanced degree.  When she
finished grad school and returned to industry, her salary was not
affected by the new degree.

I think that technical writing programs are valuable in many ways, but I
believe that there is no substitute for practical experience.  Grad
school is great for learning theories and exploring issues that you
never have time to explore in the business world, but there are
other ways to stay informed and "on top" of the issues.  Becoming
involved in STC and other professional organizations is a way for
tech writers who need philosophical and theoretical stimulation to
find release.

How do others feel about this SENSITIVE issue?

Amy Rybak
Contract Technical Writer
Electronic Publishing
Intergraph Corporation
Huntsville, AL
arybak -at- ar8131 -dot- ingr -dot- com
***************************

A (n undergraduate) student of mine is interested in exploring the
relative merits of grad school and work experience "students of
literature, technical writing and education".  She's mostly
interested in sources she might consult, but I think a collection
of individual opinions would also be extremely useful.  I hearby
solicit both on her behalf.  Thanks very much.

Randy Allen Harris                          raha -at- watarts -dot- uwaterloo -dot- ca
Rhetoric and Professional Writing           519 885-1211, x5362
English, U of Waterloo                      FAX:  519 884-8995
Waterloo ON, CANADA, N2L 3G1