January/February 2005 | Home

President’s Message

by Becky Rude
EBSTC President

Merry New Year

As Eddie Murphy says in one of my favorite holiday movies (Trading Places), Merry New Year! It’s that time of year when we all reminisce about the previous year, sort through what we did right, and make resolutions vowing to do better in the coming year.

Resolutions to Survive By

I’d like to share my short list of things I’ve vowed in the past and will resolve to do in 2005. I think sticking to them has helped me survive in tough job markets. I hope one or two of them strike a chord with you and help you to think about your future as a technical communicator (or any profession for that matter).

Resolutions for 2005

I will take charge of my career development. I will not wait for my employer to take the lead.

I will learn one new skill that adds to my employability.

I will do one activity that pushes my comfort level.

I will make time to leave the office at least once a week for lunch.

To show you real-life examples, I’ll describe how I met these resolutions in 2004.

Taking charge of my career development

This past year I wrote a proposal asking my employer to pay the registration fee for the WritersUA (aka WinWriters) conference and to give me paid time off. I offered to pay the remainder of the expenses. My employer agreed to give me paid time off; I ended up paying all the costs, but was happy to attend one of the premier conferences in our field. I believe that the expense to attend the conference was an investment in my future.

Learning one new skill

This past year I accepted a position as manager of the Technical Publications department in my company. This was a newly created position in a startup company, which has provided endless opportunities for learning new skills such as managing people, writing policies and procedures (that are actually used), estimating time for the entire department, and creating visibility for our department.

Pushing my comfort level

As I detailed in the September issue of DMV, I decided to run for chapter president even though I was uncomfortable with the idea of speaking in front of a group. Being chapter president has given me self-confidence, the chance to meet many new members, and opportunities to promote our profession.

Making time for lunch

This may sound silly at first glance, but by making time to get out of the office at least once a week, I believe that you can relieve stress, explore your surroundings, and get a fresh perspective on your work.

This fall a co-worker invited me to go to a spinning class (riding stationary bikes to music) one day and I’ve been attending class almost every week since then. It’s a challenging workout and a great stress reliever.

Have a Productive New Year

Make your own resolutions or use some of mine. You should also check out Elaine Parrish’s resolutions for keeping your editor happy. Have a happy, healthy, and productive 2005!

If you have any suggestions, concerns, or questions, please send me an email.

Becky

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