These are my reasons - what are yours?

by Mike Murray, Orlando Chapter President

Recently I received an e-mail invitation from the STC office to renew my STC membership online—and I was able to do so, right away. Renewing was easy for my co-workers and me. Throughout the year, we mention to management STC and how it benefits what we do at our jobs. When it came time to renew, it was just a matter of confirming the obvious. A brief e-mail to our supervisor resulted in an immediate "Yes!"

It really doesn't take much thought to realize why, regardless of how good or bad the economic conditions, severing your ties with STC is a bad move. If my employer had been unwilling to pay my $125 renewal, I would have done whatever it took to renew it myself - whatever it took! Why?

Lifeline

I think of STC as my lifeline to the technical communications profession. If not for the connections that come from mailing lists, meetings, and publications, I would feel like I'm on a desert island, wondering what wonderful new things were developing in the world around me. I couldn't stand that! I pride myself in delivering the best possible products and services to my customers, and if I'm not keeping in touch, I can never be sure I'm doing that. I owe myself and my customers a lot more!

Networking

I don't know that I ever really valued networking quite as much as I do since joining STC. I've found out again and again just how small this world is as I've met people with similar interests who have energized me and changed my life. I've seen time and again members who have persistently networked and found technical communications jobs that make them excited to get up in the morning and start their work day. You can see it in their eyes in the chapter meetings. It's extremely fulfilling, and I want more!

Friendships

While I certainly expected to develop new friendships in STC, I never ever expected that the friendships I would make in STC would become the best and richest I would have anywhere. The next time you see me, I invite you to look into my eyes and ask me about the friendships I've made in STC, and you'll know that I'm not exaggerating. I want to hang around these people for a long time, so you can be sure I'll always renew my membership.

Those are my reasons; what are yours? Is it the high-quality publications? I read Intercom cover to cover every month. What a great magazine! Is it the Annual Conference? I think I've been to seven or eight, but who's counting? Is it our chapter meetings with the quality content that you've asked for? Is it the chapter members themselves who are so energetic and who seemingly would do anything in the world they could to help you? Whatever the reason, it doesn't take much thought to know that renewing your STC membership as soon as possible is a "no-brainer."

Whatever it takes...