Technical Writer Jobs

For anyone who's ever bought an iPod or tried to figure out the voicemail system at work, a technical manual has probably come in handy. Behind the scenes, technical writers took the time to understand all of that technology and break it down in a reader-friendly way to make your life easier. Those people are technical writers. Mostly employed in the technology industry, technical writers create documents and instructions for products, online services, and downloads, as well as in-house training manuals, proposals, and presentations.

Duties of a technical writer
In simple terms, technical writers put technical information into easily understandable language, explains the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Of course, it requires more talent than just having a way with words. Technical writers must have a deep understanding of whatever subject matter they are writing about, and be able to break that complex information down. They often must work in conjunction with technical and design teams to oversee a project that may include supplemental information like charts, diagrams, and illustrations.

Where to find technical writer jobs
More professional, scientific, and technology-oriented companies are hiring in-house or freelance technical writers and editors to create their marketing, instructional, and/or presentation materials. Often, technical writers have experience or knowledge in other fields, as well as top-notch writing skills, and are able to combine the two talents. To have a lucrative technical writing job, people sometimes begin working in research and development departments as research assistants.

Technical writer programs
What sets technical writing apart from other writing careers, such as journalist or book publishing, is the additional knowledge in a specialized industry that is needed. That's why technical writers often have a degree in a specialized field, like information technology, engineering, or science, and/or some experience working in one of those fields in some other capacity. Additionally, because of the demand for technical writers, some colleges, universities, and career schools, offer a technical writing concentration with their journalism or creative writing programs of study.

Demand for technical writer jobs
With the advent of blogging, Web 2.0, and other interactive media, technical writing is perhaps the most in demand branch of writing careers. In 2006, about 49,000 people were employed as technical writers, according to BLS, and that number is expected to grow about 20 percent through 2016. Because competition will heat up in this writing field, the best opportunities will go to those technical writers who also have training in a corresponding specialized field, whether it be law, economics, medicine, or computer science. Rapid growth in technology, in particular, will help drive demand for technical writers, as more user-friendly manuals, training materials, and troubleshooting guides are needed. Median annual earnings for salaried technical writers were $58,050 in May 2006, according to the BLS.

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