About You

Are you a successful and happy technical communicator who is respected by colleagues and peers?

Or are you a student or a person who is looking to enter the field of technical communications, or someone wishing to improve the standards of communication within a business environment?

Are you in a communication situation that "could be better" or is "brilliant"? Are you striving or thriving? Are you "in" the information loop or "out" of it? Are you young and willing or not-so-young and eager to share your experience?

If you are any of the above and if you care about excellence in technical communication and the people who work in the field in France and beyond: Join the STC France Chapter!

The Society for Technical Communication welcomes all who work in technical communications and related areas - whether you have reached the pinnacle of the profession, are struggling in a less supportive environment, a newcomer, or just an interested party.

> Find out more about the benefits of membership in STC and how to join

Are you already a Member of STC France but due to geography or availability or another reason, are unable to attend chapter meetings or present yourself to the community?

We want to hear from you!

Take a few moments to tell us about yourself and we will share it with other members via the chapter website and/or newsletter. Your introduction can be factual, technical or creative. For example:

• send a CV
• write a biographical paragraph or two
• summarise your technical interests and competencies
• write a short story that reflects your impressions of the industry or your situation
• compile a photo album
• create a web page
• make a video
• invent a recipe or a device, for example, for an easy/easier life

This list is not exhaustive. If you have a different idea, please develop it and send it to us!

This is your chance to let us know who you are and what skills you have to offer the community. We look forward to hearing from you soon and discovering some of the many bright lights out there!

> Send your letter of introduction or bio to Theresa Cameron, the STC France Membership Manager at: membership@stcfrance.org

 

 

Who Are Our Members?

Composed of both English mother tongue and French native speakers, our members work in a variety of industries for global and local companies in France and in neighbouring European countries. A number of members are based much further afield including Canada, India, USA, Nigeria, Latvia and more.

We are dedicated to raising awareness of our profession as individuals and as a community, and reaching out to the wider community of communication. We are seeking to expand the opportunities for interaction with our members to encourage discussion and ideas that we can share for the benefit of us all. We work closely and frequently with fellow European communities for cross-border events, such as regional STC conferences and the Trans European Technical Communication Competition.

STC members are active in all aspects of technical communication, including:

• authors
• editors
• project leaders
• documentation managers
• information architects
• graphic artists
• web designers
• indexers
• usability and visualisation experts
• translators

Commercial businesses related to technical communication include:

• developers of industry-related tools
• specialist recruitment agencies

Members of related fields include:

• public relations communicators
• journalists
• project management professionals
• anyone who needs to produce good, comprehensive communication

Our members are employed in the following industries and fields:

• aerospace
• computing
• telecommunications
• internet
• finance
• banking
• household appliances, stereos, video recorders
• electronics
• publishing companies
• medical or scientific
• petroleum

Profile of a technical communicator

Technical communicators:

• are competent in written communication and have an aptitude for oral communication, including interviewing techniques
• know how to put themselves in the place of the user
• have a technical background that enables them to converse with product developers and other subject matter experts
• manage documentation projects and know how to plan and quantify human and material resources, and to establish deadlines and cost estimates
• have an international outlook that enables them to write documents that can easily be translated into other languages: clear and concise, free from technical jargon and cultural references
• hold a post-secondary university or college diploma

What do technical communicators do?

Technical communicators produce the following types of documents for any type of audience, from the non-technical to highly technical:

• descriptive or task-oriented documentation required to use a product (user guides and "how-to" manuals, installation guides, maintenance manuals, product guides, etc.)
• training-related documentation, such as course outlines, training manuals and other
• supporting courseware
• internal documents such as documentation plans and project plans
• internet documents
• web pages and web content
• content and structure of CD-ROMs
• online help systems
• technical marketing and marketing communications publications including brochures, product briefs, white papers and sales guides
• annual reports

Career development possibilities:

• Technical communicators generally hold positions as technical writers, project leaders, information architects, documentation managers, interface designers, web page designers, marketing communications specialists or managers.
• Technical communication is particularly well-suited to independent workers.
• Salaries based on the 2003 France Chapter Salary Survey: The average salary of respondents was 41,596 Euros per year. This figure represents a slight decrease since the last survey in 2001. This is partly due to the greater proportion of entry level and younger respondents to this year's survey compared with 2001.
• Entry level positions averaged 29,844 Euros per year and mid level non-management 39,467 Euros per year.
• The average salary for midlevel management positions is now 44,017 Euros per year. The median rate charged by contractors is 60 Euros per hour, which represents a significant increase since the last survey (although this figure is based on a very limited sample size.

Benefits of Membership

As the world's largest organization for technical communicators, STC membership offers many professional and personal benefits, including subscription to STC's award-winning publications, access to STC employment listings, invitations to educational conferences and seminars and much more.

According to feedback from recruiters, employers give preference to candidates who are members of professional associations. For them, professional associations are perceived as a recommended standard and the members are considered to be committed professionals who are up-to-date in industry trends. This is another excellent reason to be a member of STC France.

Other benefits of membership in STC France include:

• subscription to STC's award-winnning publications designed to keep you up-to-date on current trends, tools, and practices vital to the industry:
• Intercom, STC's monthly magazine
• Technical Communication, STC's quarterly journal
• access to STC France's job bank and to the STC's international job database.
• STC's annual salary survey which provides vital statistics on pay and benefits for technical communicators in the U.S. and Canada and STC France's annual salary survey which provides the same information for France.
• subscription to STC France newsletters and mailings
• invitations to educational conferences and seminars at reduced member rates (STC France chapter meetings are usually held in Paris)
• discounts on the STC Annual Conference, the largest technical communications conference in the world and receipt of Proceedings, a compilation of over 200 papers given at the conference
• the opportunity to join STC Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that address specific interests of technical communicators. SIGs include Scientific Communication, Consulting and Independent Contracting, Technical Editing, and Marketing Communications.

Your membership dues also help fund programs that are available to the community at large, including non-STC members. This includes:

• Competitions that celebrate the very best examples of technical communication, including technical publications, art, and online communication...
• Scholarships for students of technical communication.
• Fellowships that help bridge the gap between technical communication practitioners and teachers.

STC presents a unique forum for you to:

• exchange ideas and experiences with peer professionals
• inform and update yourself about tools and trends
• network
• find a job
• develop your career
• give a presentation
• volunteer
• receive recognition

And much more.

Attend Events

Workshops and presentations about tools, techniques, general professional information, and personal development are held throughout the year. Every Spring we organize a one- or two-day chapter conference and workshops with top-class speakers from across Europe.

To find out about upcoming events, see: www.stcfrance.org/event/calendar

You can also read about recent past events

Share your Experience

For members who would like to share their specialist knowledge or professional experiences, we offer an ideal platform for speakers at our meetings.

To give a presentation at a meeting, contact: president@stcfrance.org

Stay Up to Date

Our monthly newsletter provides regular community and industry news and is distributed to all our members and about 400 other technical communicators on our mailing list.

To join our mailing list, go to http://stcfrance.org/mailman/listinfo/stcfrance-connexion_stcfrance.org

Volunteer

Volunteering is an exceptional advantage for members. Those who choose to volunteer by joining the leadership team, for example, have an excellent occasion to practice professional skills and competencies – and even develop new skills! Other volunteer opportunities could be a survey of salaries, or updating the membership list, or joining in the organisation for the Europe-wide technical communications competition – to give just a few of the many examples.

To find out about volunteering, contact: president@stcfrance.org

Get Recognized

Recognition is awarded on two levels:

• to an individual member, for outstanding contributions to the community or for special achievements
• to publications, within the scope of the TransEuropean Technical Communications Competition

To find out about recognition programmes, contact: president@stcfrance.org

Why join?

You do not have to be a member to receive our newsletter, attend an event, give a presentation or enter the competition, but why not take the one extra step and become a member?

If you are dedicated to your profession, then demonstrate your commitment! Members pay reduced rate for meetings and events, but the gains are not only financial. Share your experiences with others and benefit from the special opportunities that are available only to members. Make an active contribution and help us to help the profession and the community.

For more information about joining STC, see http://www.stcfrance.org/join

 

How to Join

How to join?

STC France welcomes all who are interested in technical communication into its international community.

New membership applications are handled directly by the STC central office in the USA.

Complete the secure online application process on the STC web site. You can also download a PDF application form, or pick up a form at a local STC event. Complete the form and return it by mail or by fax to the STC's central office together with your payment details.

Be sure to select the France Chapter during the sign-up process in order to added as a member of the France Chapter community. You can decide at any time to join additional chapters of SIGs for a small additional fee.

When to join?

You can join STC any time. Membership is managed on a calendar-year basis (from 1 January to 31 December), but applications are accepted throughout the year. You will receive a rebate off your second year's subscription depending on the month you join. If you join STC in the last 3 months of the year, your membership will be valid from the date you join until 31 December of the following year, which gives you a total of 15 months of benefits!

France Chapter Achievements

• Creation in 1992 of a job bank for STC members. Companies with technical communications positions to offer can publish announcements in the Job Bank. Job descriptions are immediately available to interested candidates.
• First ever salary survey of STC France members to determine salary levels in the technical communication profession, and publication of results in March 1992. Last survey in 2006.
• Recognition of the STC and of the profession through numerous national and international press articles.
• Field trips to Ghent, Belgium and Munich, Germany in 1995 and 1996, Sophia Antipolis 1996, and Vienna in 1998.
• International Day was held on September 19, 1998 in Paris. This was the first event of its kind combining an STC board meeting and a conference gathering technical communicators from all over the world.
• Third Trans-European Technical Publications Competition was organized in 2005 in five languages.

Chapter Leaders

Current STC France Chapter Leaders:

President: Jennifer O Neill

Vice President: Stuart Culshaw

Membership: Theresa Cameron

Secretary (acting): Ellen Lebelle

Treasurer: Ellen Lebelle

Webmaster: Stuart Culshaw

To contact chapter leaders or send a general enquiry, use our contact form.

We are always looking for motivated individuals to play an active role in leading our community activities.

There are many varied volunteer opportunities available for you to make a real difference to the success and future development of our chapter, and the skills you acquire or improve through participation in STC can be transferred directly to the office - and they will make a valuable addition to your resume.

If you’re new to the chapter, don’t feel that you don’t know enough yet to contribute. There’s no better time to get involved! You’ll get to meet and network with other members and you might be surprised at just how much fun you can have in the process!

If you are a more senior member but have become inactive in recent years, please consider serving the chapter again, perhaps in a specialized role as a committee manager or special project leader. Your knowledge and experience could prove invaluable in fostering newer volunteers and building strong teams.