You know why you joined STC. Do you know why you should stay?
By W.C. Wiese
4. Recognition
Your company may not seem to care. So how do you demonstrate your accomplishments as a communicator?
Maybe you work with hot-shot engineers who think their work is really great stuff. You’ve got the same suite of Microsoft software they have, so can you blame them if they don’t see that what you do is special? How could they know that you may just have corrected their product description, rewritten an input to keep the company out of a lawsuit, or completed a winning proposal to keep them employed for the next four years? They couldn’t possibly understand how you handle their imperious egos; work around their late inputs; identify, correct, and verify mistakes they’ve given you; integrate their many voices into a single seamless piece of product information; and meet impossible deadlines – all while the product director is vacationing in the Caribbean.
STC may be the only organization that appreciates and celebrates your successes. Entering a publication or media competition within STC can improve your work using feedback from the judges, and winning a competitive award can cause your employer to acknowledge your skills.
Over the course of your career, your cumulative accomplishments could lead to selection as an Associate Fellow/Fellow, an achievement that you will carry with you for the rest of your life.
STC recognition sets you apart when the next opportunity shows up. Whatever your goal, your next job interview will go better when you start by talking about awards and recognition you’ve received through your professional society. If you’re an independent contractor, they set you apart from your competition and can justify premium rates for the work you’ve proposed.
Editor’s note: This article is being released as a series over a few months- be sure to check MtM regularly so you don’t miss it!
An STC Fellow with 45 years’ experience in aerospace marketing support and program communications, W.C. currently serves as Florida Chapter Treasurer. He has served STC as Society Treasurer and as a member of the Board of Directors. He previously served as President of STC’s Orlando Chapter and Treasurer. W.C. has presented at 13 Annual Conferences.