Career Paths Less Taken  

For many practitioners, technical communication can--and should--be the springboard for a different career. Many technical writers and editors have made transitions to related disciplines from which they can influence industry and academia. They now have titles such as marketing and web content writer, usability lab manager, product marketing manager, business operations strategist, and more. This paper summarizes the career evolutions of the author and several colleagues in technical communication, and provides advice to help readers broaden their career horizons.

Rosenbaum, Stephanie L. STC Proceedings (2004). Careers>TC>Usability>Marketing

Making the Move to Marketing  

Making the move to marketing communication writing allows you to leverage your existing skills and requires that you gain some new ones.

Ausman, Deborah, Michele E. Davis, Kelli Gant and Laura Mulcahy. STC Proceedings (2000). Careers>TC>Marketing

Making the Transition From Techcom to Marcom

At first glance, technical communication (techcom) and technical marketing communication (marcom) appear to be very different genres. Where traditional techcom strives to help people use products, marcom seeks to make people realize they need products.

Simard, Christy. Writing Assistance (2007). Careers>TC>Technical Writing>Marketing

New Roles for Technical Writers: Technical Marketing Communication  

Technical software marketing is a specialty that calls upon skills technical writers already possess. Clear, accurate product information is essential in today’s complex market; decision-makers need to know how your software will fulfill their business needs. In making the shift from documentation to marketing writing, it is necessary to broaden your sense of the writing’s purposes, and prepare for different ways of working with your material. However, many key aspects of the two specialities are the same, such as the need to uphold a consistent, well-defined tone and organization, and above all to strive for consistency and clarity.

Earle, Ralph. STC Proceedings (1996). Careers>TC>Marketing>Software

Tech Writers as Sales Reps?

Documentation teams often struggle to prove their ROI in the absence of any established metrics for measuring it. Understand the value of good documentation.

Graham, Gordon. Software CEO (2005). Careers>TC>Marketing

Making the Transition From Tech Comm to Marcom

At first glance, technical communication (techcom) and technical marketing communication (marcom) appear to be very different genres. Where traditional techcom strives to help people use products, marcom seeks to make people realize they need products. Techcom instructs, while marcom persuades, and this distinction affects everything from the genre’s focus, to its content, and medium.

Simard, Christy. TechCom Manager (2004). Careers>TC>Business Communication>Marketing