RE: Technical Writing Certificate

Subject: RE: Technical Writing Certificate
From: Keith Hood <klhra -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com, VincentLatella <VINCENT -dot- LATELLA -at- saic -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 20 Apr 2009 09:05:43 -0700 (PDT)

You mean like a DBA who gets a tech writing certificate to look for work as a TW? In a case like that the certificate would probably be automatically more valuable. But still I think it's going to depend heavily on the local market. What's true in Seattle where there's lots of overqualified candidates to choose from may not be true in Omaha.

Frankly, considering the state of the job market as I know of it, at this point I think any kind of paper is going to be of way less value than any school will tell you it is, or any job seeker will hope it is. All the major employers have been scaling back and shedding employees left and right, and there aren't as many startups going. At the same time companies are pressing the government to expand the H1B visa program. I think at this point, any kind of certificate/degree in the hands of candidate A will carry much less weight in the minds of hiring managers than the knowledge that candidate B will accept a much lower pay rate. But, you have to remember that I am apparently this list's more or less official cynical curmudgeon.


--- On Mon, 4/20/09, Latella, Vincent <VINCENT -dot- LATELLA -at- saic -dot- com> wrote:

From: Latella, Vincent <VINCENT -dot- LATELLA -at- saic -dot- com>
Subject: RE: Technical Writing Certificate
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Monday, April 20, 2009, 9:45 AM

"I think you should research at the market value of a "certificate" as
opposed to a degree of some kind. Frankly, I wouldn't enter any
certificate program unless there is a guarantee that I could later
progress to at least an AA degree. I admit this is colored by my
experience. Back in the late 80s, I got a certificate as an electronics
technician, and found out the hard way that it was so much waste paper.
Employers wouldn't even consider me for an assembly line job unless I
had an AA, which I had to go back and get after several months of
fruitless job hunting. Your mileage with a certificate may be better in
your area, but I think you should check into it first anyway. Just in
case."



Keith,
Just out of curiosity, would you say that the same holds true for
someone who already has a degree (or even a semi-relevant advanced
degree)?

Not all people going for a TW certificate are new to the field or
without any other credentials.

I think that certificates might be a great alternative for the right
person.

Regards,
Vin




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