Freelancing and professional development

[DaveTaylor -at- AOL -dot- COM]

I am preparing a panel discussion for the 1995 STC annual conference about
how freelancers build their professional knowledge and skills.  I'm looking
both for discussion topics and potential panelists.  Please send comments
directly to me.

Freelancers face problems that employees and contractors don't.  For example,
a freelancer:

*  is expected to know software packages and new technologies, but isn't paid
   for the time spent learning them.
*  has no employer to pay for continuing education.
*  has no peers in the next office to help with problems.

The following questions are typical of those I expect the panel to discuss:

*  How do you gain needed skills (multimedia, for example) without an
   employer to invest in training, equipment, and software?
*  What groups or organizations can help keep you current?
*  How do you get answers to questions?
*  Is formal education necessary, or can you go it alone?

If you have any questions you think should be addressed by this panel, please
send them to me.

Also, if you expect to attend the 1995 conference, are or have been a
freelancer, and would like to participate on this panel, please tell me a
little about yourself and how you handled professional development.

Thanks for your time....Dave
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     ,
   `   ,       David M. Taylor ... The word juggler
    \o_
     #         Freelance writer
    / \        Columbia MD USA          davetaylor -at- aol -dot- com
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