Hiring Contract Technical Writers

So you've got approval to hire a contract technical writer. Maybe it's for overflow work or a special project. Nevertheless, it is your responsibility and you want to do it right.

Hartmann, Scott. TechCom Manager (2005). Careers>Management>Writing>Technical Writing

Launching into a Writing Project -- Tips for New Writers

One of the challenges of managing new writers is helping them discover and develop their writing process. Whether the new writers have just come out of school, or have recently 'fallen into' the field without the benefit of much training, they often experience the same problems in planning and composing -- which have their roots in how they learned to write.

Potsus, Whitney Beth. TechCom Manager (2005). Careers>Management>Writing

Feast or Famine: U.S. Technical Writer Employment, 2007    

Gives an in-depth overview of the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics information regarding salary data for technical communicators.

O'Sullivan, Richard. Intercom (2008). Careers>Writing>Salaries>Technical Writing

Are We Designers or Developers?

On the about page of this site I used to call myself a “developer/designer/occasional writer”. It’s a bit confusing, and I still find it hard to know what to answer when someone asks me what I do for a living. Am I a Web designer? A Web developer? A Web programmer? All of them? Neither? It really is a difficult question to give a simple answer to.

Johansson, Roger. 456 Berea Street (2007). Careers>Web Design>Programming>Writing

I Want to be a Technical Writer

How do I break into a career in technical writing?

Basu, Anindita. Writing Technically (2008). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing

Developing Mentoring Programs for Technical Writers

Mentoring is an effective strategy that can contribute significantly to the career development of employees. It provides a cost-effective work-based learning strategy to achieve career development outcomes for individual employees. It is an effective method for the transference of professional, technical and management skills.

Singh, Alok Kumar. Indus (2008). Careers>Mentoring>Writing>Technical Writing

Interviewing Technical Writers

Surprisingly, my first experience as an interviewer was as uneasy as my first job interview. I then realized that being on the other side of the table is not as easy as it is made out to be, especially if conducting an interview is unfamiliar territory. Later on, as I matured into this role, I created a style of my own and soon found it to be an interesting and inspiring proposition, though challenging.

Bhanu, Sindhu. Indus (2008). Careers>Interviewing>Management>Technical Writing

Leaving Technical Writing

It's time to turn out the lights. I've had a great run as a technical writer and consultant but it's time to leave the profession. In some ways I've long outgrown technical writing because client needs as a consultant challenged me and pushed me to become more than just a technical writer.

Kelly, William T. Typepad.com (2008). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing

Becoming a Technical Communicator

Thinking of a career in technical communication? This article offers one point of view on what you need to know to be successful in the field.

DMN Communications (2008). Careers>TC>Technical Writing

Mentoring Another Writer

Some thoughts on what it takes to effectively mentor another technical communicator.

DMN Communications (2008). Careers>Mentoring>TC>Technical Writing

I'm a Technical Writer: Dispelling the Myths

Technical Writers (aka Technical Authors, Content Wranglers and Documentation Managers) have an unfair image. This project aims to challenge this image, by showing technical writers in a different light. The photos below are of technical communications professionals, doing a variety of activities.

Cherryleaf (2008). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing

Winning as a Tech Writer

If you need a job, then you might look for companies that have never had a professional technical writer working for them. It may require making calls or networking with friends or former co-workers. Most companies have a ton of writing to do. Usually they put off their documentation requirements and their needs have piled up. You may also find that someone such as a regulator has confronted management about insufficient documentation and they have to put a writer to work immediately.

Adelstein, Tom. O'Reilly and Associates (2007). Careers>TC>Writing>Technical Writing

A Tech Writer's Guide to the Recession

All this talk of a depression is so....depressing. Still, it is what can happen when the economies of nations are so intertwined, so "single-sourced". America sneezes, and the world throws up.

Tech Writer's World, A (2008). Careers>Unemployment>Technical Writing

The Black Art of Estimation

Estimating the amount of time it takes to write documentation is tricky as it relies on many differing, subtle, factors and, for many people working outside of a highly regimented and heavily project managed team, it tends to boil down to a mixture of guesswork and experience. However, it’s not impossible to come up with a more reasoned estimate as long as you don’t mind doing a little planning.

McLean, Gordon. One Man Writes (2009). Careers>Documentation>Technical Writing>Estimating

Working at DreamWorks  

Once upon a time, a technical writer got a job at an enchanted studio called Dreamworks Animation.

Brooks, Steven. Intercom (2005). Careers>Multimedia>Technical Writing

The WritersUA 2009 Salary Survey

A central element of any job we hold is the compensation we receive. While compensation is only one factor in our descision to accept a position, it's how many of us keep score and the way all of us pay the bills. The WritersUA Salary Survey provides you with detailed and comprehensive information about compensation for user assistance professionals. Our 2009 Salary Survey results were viewed on our web site by over 21,000 visitors. We hope you find these new survey results useful in gauging where you stand amongst your peers.

WritersUA (2009). Careers>Salaries>Technical Writing

What Doc Managers Look for in a Résumé?

Most hiring managers, and I am no exception, take a couple of passes when reviewing résumés. The first pass eliminates people who are clearly not what I am looking for. I try to answer two questions: first, are this person’s qualifications even in the ballpark for the job, and second, can he or she write at least well enough to create a competent résumé? Answering the first of these questions is not hard, but it does require that you understand the job requirements thoroughly and read the résumé closely.

Technical Communication Center (2008). Careers>Resumes>Documentation>Technical Writing

Getting There: Medical Writing

Medical writing is a career that is often not predetermined but decided upon en route. Medical writers are well-rounded in terms of having both communicative and scientific knowledge, and this also means that a wide range of academic backgrounds and job experiences are welcome in the field. Medical writing allows for acquisition of various necessary skills through whichever means most suits the individual.

Gies, Heather. Cord Weekly (2009). Careers>Writing>Scientific Communication>Biomedical

Technical Writer Salaries in United States

Information about average technical writer salaries in the United States.

Indeed. Careers>Salaries>Technical Writing>United States

Technical Writing and Technical Communication As a Job and a Career - Is it For You?

You might perhaps be considering whether to become a technical writer or not. You might be wondering: “What kind of a job technical writing is exactly and what does the future hold?” I can tell you right away that, at its most fundamental level, technical writing is safe and comfortable office work.

Technical Communication Center (2009). Careers>TC>Technical Writing

What Employers Look For in Medical Writers  

What Qualities Do We Look For? Enthusiasm for writing -willingness to go the extra mile. Ability to gather, synthesize and critically analyze large amounts of data. Express ideas succinctly –not “academic” documents.

Gurr, Jim and Victoria Seidenberger. AMWA (2005). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>Biomedical

New Medical Writers Survey  

The most important skills or previous experience in securing present job: medical/scientific knowledge/understanding; writing skills/experience; ability to meet deadlines.

DeMilto, Lori. AMWA (2004). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>Biomedical

Working as a Medical Writer

The term "medical writing" encompasses different kinds of work for clients in media, government, and industry. Pharmaceutical companies, medical-device manufacturers, and clinical-research organizations (CROs) all employ writers to prepare regulatory documents used to seek U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for drugs and devices. Medical writers help doctors write research articles, monographs, and reviews on medical topics. Continuing medical education (CME) companies employ medical writers to produce educational materials and slide kits that doctors and nurses use to prepare for license renewals. Medical writers produce sales training materials, press releases for industry, and fact sheets or Web site materials for government organizations. Medical writers also write about research discoveries for medical journals, Web sites, newsletters, magazines, newspapers, and any other medium that includes coverage of health and medical issues.

Webb, Sarah. Science (2007). Careers>Writing>Technical Writing>Biomedical

Supplementing Your Income With Side Projects

Is taking on a side project or three actually worth the time and money? It depends.

Nesbitt, Scott. DMN Communications (2009). Careers>Freelance>Writing

Switching Niches, Redux

Is it possible for a technical writer to switch niches and write something different? Here's an example of one person who's done just that.

Nesbitt, Scott. DMN Communications (2009). Careers>TC>Writing>Technical Writing