Professional Associations and Dues

[Robyn Remington <rlb -at- FTN-ASSOC -dot- COM>]

Rowena Hart had a general question about dues. So here's my two cents.

I am the only technical writer/editor at my company. One of the benefits to
all the professionals where I work is membership dues. My employer pays my
dues for STC (Society for Technical Communication), AESE (Association of
Earth Science Editors), and BELS (Board of Editors in the Life Sciences).

In addition to supporting me by paying my dues, the president of our
company, a small environmental consulting firm, also prefers that I attend
the annual STC conference as opposed to other training options. The company
pays for the conference--registration and all travel expenses.

The company's philosophy is that they benefit from my interaction with
other technical communicators because I am professionally fulfilled and I
learn things that help me do my job more effectively when I network with my
colleagues. My company also benefits from my BELS membership because they
can say they employ a certified editor in the life sciences. Clients may
not have heard of BELS, but they are impressed when they hear I'm
certified. I work in an industry where registrations, certifications, and
professional designations are often required for regulatory compliance. So,
these things sound good to a client even when they aren't necessary for
regulatory reasons.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Robyn L. Remington, ELS
Technical Editor
FTN Associates, Ltd.