June/Ju;y 2006

Volume 46, Number 6

Tips from the Trenches

by Deb Lockwood

"What's in it for me?" Don't we all think like that at times? I certainly do. The demands on our time seem to be endless, and we really have to draw the line somewhere. If it's not work, it's the family; if it's not family, it's non-profit organizations; if it's not non-profits, it's our home or yard that needs our time and attention. After family and work, one of the things we all do is to try to spend our time where it will have the greatest impact, for us and for others. One activity that has consistently allowed me to have a large impact is volunteering my time and talents for organizations in which I believe, and STC is among them.

Wikipedia describes volunteerism as "the willingness of people to work on behalf of others without the expectation of pay or other tangible gain" (http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Volunteerism). Now that definition is right on; volunteerism means us spending our time for no money in return. You might be asking yourself why someone would do it if there are no financial rewards. For me, it's about investing in the future; my future and other peoples' futures.

Over the past few years I have had the privilege of meeting several people who have considered technical communication as a career. Some were students at local colleges, some were business people in other professions, and one was even an officer in the Army who was looking for confirmation of some processes. In all cases, I am the better for having met these people, interacting with them, and sharing ideas with them about the field of technical communications.

Fine, you might say. So is it all about being altruistic? Not entirely. There are also tangible benefits for the person who volunteers. Elizabeth Swindle-Troell says it like this: "Through volunteerism you can beef up your resume, expand your portfolio, and gain invaluable experience even if you cannot line your pockets." (2003 STC Annual Conference proceedings paper entitled Be able to Say, "Been There! Donate That!" Cultivate your Career Skills through Deliberate Volunteering.)

In the May 2005 issue of Intercom, Rebecca S. Taylor wrote in the Habit 2: Volunteer for Chapter Committees article that "Your local chapter could not exist without people like you. Foster it. Cultivate it. Care for it! I can't count the number of times fellow STC members have shared stories about how their volunteer time has benefited them. Your STC chapter is not only a means to strengthen your skill set and résumé material, it's a way for you to improve the lives of others."

During this summer hiatus, please consider your involvement in your Rocky Mountain chapter. We could sure use some more volunteers this fall, and the more volunteers we have, the more programs and value we can offer. And besides that, you can gain value as well by beefing up your resume, expanding your portfolio, increasing your name recognition among your colleagues, and helping to improve other people's experiences with STC.