Opinion: STC Must Expand Its Reach
by William Cook
I have used computers since the PC arrived in 1981, I virtually live
on one at work, and as editor and publisher of my own magazine for many
years, I own a healthy collection of hardware and software. In addition,
I realize that software companies provide most of the tech comm work in
our region. Nevertheless, I am not captivated by the machinations of the
software industry.
I understand software. I like software. I just don't want to write for
a living about software.
How many others feel this way? More importantly, how many others have
not joined our ranks because they have heard that in Western Washington,
STC and the leading Tech Comm employment agencies are little more than
a life-support system for Microsoft?
Representatives at both leading tech comm conduits have commented to
me that their primary client is Microsoft. One went so far as to say "If
anything happened to Microsoft, we would dry up." Is that what would
happen to STC in this region? Seems I recall something about Titanic being
unsinkable.
Of course, I don't see any disasters on Microsoft's horizon. But that
doesn't mean that we, as technical communicators, shouldn't be working
to grow demand in other industries.
I would like to make STC better at serving all members, and not just
those on the hardware / software fast track. I think our chapter should
form a committee to develop a program to introduce the importance of technical
communicators to the worlds of manufacturing, engineering, transportation,
and other local industries.
Currently, 70% of America's GNP comes from small business. Undoubtedly,
many small to moderate businesses in the Puget Sound region have need
for at least one on-staff technical communicator; they just don't know
it. I believe that with the proper plan, program, and push, we could solve
this problem. Of course, it would mean illustrating the benefits to these
companies in terms of dollars and cents. I think that this brass ring
is within our reach.
Let's say that XYZ Company makes 8 varieties of widgets, with 3 more
going into production by the 1st of January. The company has been so successful
with widgets they are now in a position to purchase the ABC Company, bringing
all 118 employees under the XYZ umbrella.
There is much to do here by way of technical communications. Every product
needs a brochure and operations manual, and a stream of press releases.
And, of course, those brochures and manuals will need to be updated with
changes in the product. The whole line needs brochures, price lists, cover
letters, and point-of-sale documents.
For medium size companies there are internal and external newsletters
that need to be created and updated at least once a quarter, along with
employee handbooks and company policies.
In short, there are thousands of companies, outside of software, in the
Puget Sound region that could benefit from having at least one full-time
technical writer on staff. Isn't it our job to point out the need in terms
of economic benefits? By so doing, we would be opening up hundreds of
new jobs in the region, each with the impetus to generate an even greater
need.
"But," you say, "these companies don't have the money
to keep a full-time writer on staff."
Well, I am old enough to remember when exactly the same thing was said
about human resource specialists! They just interview people for jobs.
Right? And, heck, the boss can do that himself. Right? Yet, we all know
how that ended. The boss was too busy to keep up with retirement information,
401K plans, tax laws, and employee training. Thus, the human resource
specialist that was a rare luxury 30 years ago can be found in any company
with more than a few employees.
Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich, one of America's most influential
books on achievement for more than 40 years, taught that the primary way
to succeed was to find a need and fill it.
Then can we not, as communications specialists, illustrate the needs
that we know to exist with the goal of creating new jobs in the Puget
Sound region? Doing so would not only add a new dimension to our meetings,
it would open up new jobs for our members, and make our organization more
dynamic and desirable.
This article originally appeared in the September-October
2006 edition of Sound Off!, the Puget Sound Chapter Newsletter.
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