Technical Writer

What a Technical Writer Does

A technical writer, also called a technical communicator, creates, maintains, and edits technical documents. They may work on such materials as white papers, design specifications, user guides, online help tools, product manuals, and other similar documents. Their work is designed to make technical language, usually in the information technology or business communications fields, more understandable for end users. They are also in charge of including and managing the creation of related graphs, images, pictures, videos, or other similar media to add to their documents. Technical writers can work in a variety of other industries as well, including engineering, scientific, healthcare, and manufacturing. Also, because these professionals understand the product's or system's user, they might be called upon to participate in usability and research studies. Technical writers should be highly attentive to details, have strong analytical skills, and be able to understand and translate complex language into layman's terms.

How to Become a Public Relations Specialist

Technical writers should possess at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited university in a field related to the profession, like communications, English, or journalism. A general knowledge of web design and computer graphics is also helpful, because more and more technical documents are becoming available on an online-only basis and can include audio, video, and animation. Also, some employers require technical writer to have at least some experience in the technical field for which they are writing, for example, engineering, medicine, or a scientific field. This often means most technical writers do not start their careers as writers, but rather as employees in a specific industry or as a research assistant in a technical department. With this experience, and a degree in communications, they are poised to reenter the workforce as technical writers. Currently, there are no licenses or certifications that can be earned in this profession.

Career Outlook for Public Relations Specialist

The technical writing profession is projected to grow faster than average careers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics. In 2008, there were roughly 49,000 technical writing jobs in the United States, the majority of which, around 18 percent, were in the computer systems design industry. The second greatest concentration, around 8 percent, is in the computer and electronic manufacturing industry. Other popular industries include architecture, engineering, software publishing, and similar fields. Because of the continued growth and promulgation of technology and science, more technical writers are needed to translate the complex language used in those fields into clear, layman's terms for users. The Bureau also states that job prospects for applicants with solid communication skills and specialized knowledge of a technical field should be good. The average salary for a technical writer in 2008 was around $47,000 and $78,000, with the top 10 percent of the profession earning over $95,000.