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STC is the world's largest professional association for
technical communicators. With more than 20,000 members across
the globe, STC provides unparalleled opportunities for
continuing education, peer networking, and access to STC's
database of job openings.
STC members are:
- Technical writers
- Usability specialists
- Documentation managers
- Technical editors
- Information developers
- Documentation specialists
- Technical communicators
- Technical illustrators
- Managers of technical communication departments
- Teachers of technical communication
- Web designers
- Technical translators
What is Technical Communication?
It is the process of gathering information from experts and
presenting it to an audience in a clear, easily understandable
form.
These "experts" can be engineers, scientists,
doctors, lawyers, or anyone else with a special knowledge of a
certain field of study. Technical communicators gather knowledge
from these experts by conducting interviews and reading
previously published material.
The technical communicator then studies the audience and
determines the best way to present the information. Should it be
a Web site? A book? A brochure? An illustration? A chart? The
technical communicator reshapes the information so that the
audience can have access to it and understand it.
This is why technical communicators can have a variety of job
titles, such as writer, editor, illustrator, or Web designer—they
work in different media as the situation dictates. The term
"technical communication" encompasses the work done by
individuals with many different job titles. Technical
communicators are also sometimes called "information
developers" or "documentation specialists."
For more information, go to the STC
Web site.
Benefits
STC members receive the following benefits:
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Award-winning publications such as Intercom, the
magazine of STC, featuring articles of interest to technical
communicators with focus on practical tips for working more
effectively; and Technical Communication, which
includes both quantitative and qualitative research while
showcasing the work of some of the field's most noteworthy
writers.
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Networking opportunities at the STC Atlanta
chapter meetings, including special
interest group (SIG) meetings,
mentoring relationships, and
community service
activities.
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Educational conferences and seminars at reduced member rates.
The STC Atlanta chapter sponsors an annual regional conference
each year called Currents.
The conference includes a one-day workshop and a second day of
individual sessions focusing on learning new skills and tools,
expanding your roles, satisfying users, education/professional
development, and management.
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The
Atlanta Chapter’s Professional Mentoring
Program. Mentoring is a way for more experienced technical
communicators to share their experiences with new or less
experienced protégés. By participating in a mentor/protégé
relationship, mentors develop valuable skills that can further
their personal and professional development as well.
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The
opportunity to join STC’s two dozen national SIGs, with seven
active SIGs in the Atlanta area.
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Forums
for sharing your expertise, expressing your professional
opinion, and building a reputation within the industry.
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Access
to the national and
STC
Atlanta chapter job database. The national database
contains thousands of current job openings specifically geared
toward technical communication.
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Access
to the national and local
Atlanta chapter salary
surveys. The national salary survey provides vital
statistics on pay and benefits for technical communicators in
the U.S. and Canada, while the Atlanta chapter survey provides
information specific to the Atlanta area.
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Publications from the STC Atlanta chapter such as the
award-winning monthly newsletter,
CommLink, meeting announcements, community service and
other volunteer activities, and training opportunities.
Your dues help fund programs available to the
community at large, including nonmembers. This includes
scholarships for students of technical
communication, and fellowships that help bridge the gap between
technical communication practitioners and teachers. In addition,
the STC Atlanta chapter sponsors an annual
competition that includes online communication, printed
publications, and technical art. The competition is open to
members and nonmembers. Winners of the Distinguished award, the
highest level of achievement in the local competition, have the
opportunity to compete in the international competition.
10 Reasons to Join
You may call yourself a technical writer, usability
specialist, Web designer, or any of a hundred other job titles.
However, if your job involves communicating technical information,
the Society for Technical Communication has the resources you
need to do your job better...and to move your career forward.
Read this brochure
to find out what STC can do for you!
Join Now
Sign up
now! Become a dues-paying member of STC and take advantage
of all the "Members Only" resources on the STC Web
site—including the Jobs Database, Membership Directory,
Intercom, Conference Proceedings, Publications Search, and other
areas set aside for STC members only.
Change/Upgrade Your
Membership
To change or upgrade your current membership,
use the online
Membership Change/Upgrade form. For example, if you are
currently an E-member, but you are not affiliated with a chapter
or international Special Interest Group (SIG), you can add a
chapter and/or an international SIG to your membership. You can
also upgrade your membership type to E-Membership or Classic.
Update Your
Profile
Already a member? Keep
your record current with the STC national office.
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