Salaries for New Prof/Tech Writers with Hard Science Minor?

[Barker, Thomas]

Don, Thanks for the information.  This seems to support the idea that
the minor is important in shaping the writer's career.  

Tommy

Thomas Barker
thomas.barker at ttu.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: bounce-stc-ac-264184 at lists.stc.org
[mailto:bounce-stc-ac-264184 at lists.stc.org] On Behalf Of
Zimmerman,Donald
Sent: Thursday, April 26, 2007 9:30 AM
To: stc-ac
Subject: [stc-ac] Re: Salaries for New Prof/Tech Writers with Hard
Science Minor?

Our department--a department of journalism and technical
communication--has required 21 credits (or a minor) in a subject area
outside of our department since the early 1970s. I often advise students
to go beyond the 21 credits, if possible. Some students have double
majored--often in agricultural fields (CSU is a land grant university).

For students in the technical/specialized communication sequence, the
options have been agriculture, computer science, engineering,
environmental, natural resources, food science,fashion and clothing
design, business, health or medical communication, sports, or a niche
area that has need of technical/specialized communicators. That
combination has made our graduates highly marketable. When busineses,
companies, or organizations have the choice between two candidates with
about equal qualifications, the person trained in communication with
specialization in the subject matter relevant to the hiring organization
usually wins. The advantage being they have good insights into the
subject specializations and can work more easily with the subject matter
specialists from that organization/business.

Further, I advise students to not be a one-media person. That advice
comes from the 1960s when I was working on my MS in Technical Journalism
at Kansas State University. Dr. Lowell Brandner, editor for K-State's
College of Agriculture, told me, "Don't be a one media person!"  He was
40-50 years ahead of his time. I found his advice stellar. It has served
me well throughout my career.

In a related example, I'm also advising a student in our public
relations concentration. He's into home aquariums, raising fish, etc...
So I've been advising him to complete a sequence of courses that will
give him a better understanding of (1) business operations and (2)
biology and fisheries. The pet industry is multi-million dollar
business; companies will find few people with both communication and
biology/fisheries backgrounds a hot hire.

We haven't kept salary data on hires. That said, students have often
shared their beginning salaries. To my surprise, students who have had a
computer background and who have applied for positions at the major
high-tech companies, have often entered the field with salary averages
near the STC national averages. Graduates of our MS in Technical
Communication often land higher salaries.


Don z.

FYI--I'm strange duck--my BS is in wildlife biology, MS in technical
journalism, both from K-State, and then a Ph.D. in mass communication
(empirical social sciences relevant to communication)from the University
of Wisconsin Madison (K-State & UW are land grant universities).  Such a
strange mix has served me well in my career.


Don Zimmerman, Professor
Journalism & Technical Communication
Center for Research on Communication and Technologies
C-229 Clark Bldg.
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523-1785
Telephone 970-491-5674
Fax  970-491-2908
E-mail Don.Zimmerman at ColoState.Edu


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