Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Pros and Cons of Amateurs and Professionals
After today's class discussion I believe that the determination of professionalism and amateur work is in the eye of the beholder. We learned that there is not much that sets the two apart and as we learned in class there are those who are considered to be amateurs who actually perform on a professsional level. The reason I believe that the distingshin between the two is in the eye of the beholder is because of the idea of the pro -am. My aunt is a key example as to why this is true she didnt complete her degree therefore she deoesn't have the documentation of being a professional but her work ethic and and reputation have blessed her with the abilty to advance in her field and because she has done it for so long she has gained that professionalism. You also have those professionals who conduct theirselves as amateurs because they haven't taken the time to improve, and in this ever changing world if you don't improve or make an effort to stay current you get left behind and the next thing you know their are pro-ams who do a better job at what you where certified at doing.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
It's a fine line amateurs and pros. I feel that perhaps our society focuses to much on certifications when the concentration should be skills and experience. Till that time obviously it behoves any of us wanting to succeed to get those certifications.
ReplyDeleteWhile of course there are exceptions to every rule I feel the easiest way to succeed is to work hard and study harder.
Well I'm certainly in favor of you all studying harder!
ReplyDeleteBut seriously, I think on important point that came up was how maybe the importance of the certification might vary with the context. Maybe it matters less if someone is a "professional" journalist or a blogger if the person has the experience and the proven skills. But--even though certified MDs can make mistakes, how many of us would say opt to get surgery from someone with NO formal certification? You can't really test drive your surgeon before the surgery, and the stakes are so much higher.
I would like to weigh in on this subject about professional with experience versus certification. I believe this like any other topic should be a combination of both. It is great to have technical experience, but a formal education speaks volumes. Shannon, I am thankful your aunt was able to secure a position where she could grow with the company based on her skills and proven efforts. I have a different experience. I have 10 years + in creating, managing and growing my own Transportation Company and import wholesale companies. When I sold them in 2006 I wanted to go to work for a corporation (less risk than working for myself) doing the same thing I had done for 10 years (with a nice profit every year since the beginning). I was unable to obtain a position with most companies and certainly unable to secure the pay grade I am worth due to not having a formal education in logistics.
ReplyDeleteThis amazed me! Many companies advertised Bachelor or equivalent experience, but with the economy and job market-the paper meant more. So, here I am. I am thankful for that as well looking back. All of that to say, I was certainly not an amateur, but possibly not a career professional in the eyes of the corporate world without the same degree most of the other members of the company had. This year I will have both, the experience and degree (certification) we speak of. I have already started my third company and plan to give the word "competition" a new meaning for the companies for which I had previously applied.
signed...the doctor with the certification and many surgeries under her belt.
Certification and experience on their own both technically make a "professional", but its the combination of the two that make the professional better than another.
ReplyDeleteIn the eye of the beholder? Who would the beholder be and why do we allow them to determine who is a professional and who's not? I do believe that society shapes who is a professional to us but we shouldn't forget about experience and quality of work.
ReplyDeleteI suppose all of us are here in this classroom/at the University because we seek to gain certification of some kind in society. In the past, one could go to work at 18 and build a professional reputation without a degree. That isn't so easy these days. The pro/am readings seem to indicate that in the future there will be more credibility given to the amateur who specializes.
ReplyDelete