Re: are tw-interviewers incompetent by definition?

[Win Day <winday -at- IDIRECT -dot- COM>]

At 09:51 AM 6/17/97 PDT, <bill_dubay -at- phoenix -dot- com> (Bill DuBay) wrote:
>That's an easy one. If you were a member of a professional organization with
>a respected certifying program, there is every reason to believe that they
>would have been more likely to call you in than someone not credentialed.
>Just knowing that there is a credentialling profession out there would have
>given them more confidence, not only in your abilities but also in the
>anticipation that you can import the benefits of not only of your skills but
>also professional standards into their organization.
>

Sorry, Bill, I still don't see it.

This company had no idea there even were such creatures as tech writers.
They wouldn't have "called in someone credentialed" in preference to me,
because they never looked for a tech writer.  I walked in the door and
explained what I can do for them.

My professionalism was apparent in the proposal.  They were quite impressed
with the planning, the budget, the schedule, the sample rewrite.  Adding a
few letters after my name might have prompted a couple of questions ("so,
Win, what exactly does CTW stand for?"), but probably not.  These are folks
who ALL have multiple degrees, some MScs and more PhDs; most of them are
PEngs too.  During the time I've been with them, they've hired AND fired a
couple of PEngs who were "certified" but who couldn't perform at the
necessary level.

I have a BSc.  They don't care.  They also don't care that I'm a member of
STC.  All they are concerned with is how I improve their bottom line.
Certification wouldn't have helped me land a contract I landed quite nicely
without it; certification wouldn't help me keep this contract for the 2 1/2
years I've been with them.

And I have yet to see ANYONE, yourself included, list the standards that
certification would supposedly test.  What skills, what knowledge, what tools?

Win
-------------------------

Win Day
Technical Writer/Editor
Email: winday -at- idirect -dot- com

=====================================
"I have learned that to get a job done and have
fun in it is about all you can get out of life."

       - Jessie Tarbox Beals
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