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Subject:Questions about the degree issue... From:Candace Bamber <cbamber -at- CASTEK -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 23 Jul 1997 08:49:14 -0400
From: Candice Bamber -at- CSF on 07/23/97 08:49 AM
To: techwr-l -at- listserv -dot- okstate -dot- edu
cc:
Subject: Questions about the degree issue...
I've been following the "degree" discussion with some interest. And I
should admit my bias up front - I have
three of the darned things, so obviously I think they're valuable.
However, I've worked with both degreed and undegreed colleagues, and I
think a degree is only one factor in whether they're good writers. BUT all
the undegreed writers have had tons of experience. That fact is, no-one is
still going to be a TC ten years later if they can't cut it - degree or no
degree.
However, many times on this list young people have asked "Do I need a
degree to be a tech writer?" and I think the answer for them is different
than it is for someone who has been in the industry ten or more years, or
who has moved into TC from another field (also with experience to back them
up).
So here are my two questions:
1. When hiring juniors (no experience!) would you hire someone that didn't
finish high school? A high school grad? A
college grad? A University grad? (college and university being quite
different animals here in the Great White North).
2. When hiring juniors with degrees but no experience - would you rather
hire one with a degree in Tech Comm or a degree in something else?
I'm interested in hearing what you folks think about degrees and hiring
practices for NOVICE writers.
Have a great day
Candace
cbamber -at- castek -dot- com
************************************************************************
Candace Bamber
now thankfully at: "Whatever you can do or dream,
Castek Software Factory Begin it.
Toronto, ON, Canada Boldness has genius, magic and power in it."
416-777-2550 X 331 --- Goethe
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