Who is a technical writer: duties, training and features of the profession

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

We don't often hear of a job like a technical writer. However, this is an extremely necessary speci alty in industrial enterprises and in IT companies. What does this expert do? What education do you need to be a technical writer? How much does a professional in this field earn? We will try to answer the questions of interest to many careerists.

About profession

A technical writer is a specialist in the preparation of engineering documentation. He performs the following types of work:

• drawing up documents describing the production process (explanatory notes to projects and drawings, technical specifications, instructions, passports for finished products);
• maintaining engineering documentation up to date;
• editing technical texts;
• description of rules, standards of work, algorithms for performing actions;
• analysis, systematization,engineering documentation grouping;
• designing the compiled texts, if necessary - layout of material for printing;
• composing speeches for reports, presentations of complex technical products;
• writing promotional articles;
• translate technical documentation from one language to another;
• maintaining the corporate website of the company;
• description of the methods of the enterprise;
• preparation of manuals for training new employees;
• participation in the drafting of contracts (if necessary);
• compilation of descriptions and instructions for software products;
• maintaining help resources.

In every company where a technical writer is on staff, his duties depend on what tasks the employer is facing in the short term.

Why is the profession of a technical writer important and unique?

Please note that the documentation this person works with may be for internal or external use.

Compiling "internal" technical documents, their author ensures the rapid exchange of information between all links of the production chain. The task of the technical writer is to ensure that all employees involved in the production process have a common understanding of:

• characteristics of individual parts;
• rules for the operation of devices, hardware systems, tools;
• how to use the software;
• test methodsproduct.

“External” documentation is compiled by a technical writer for clients, customers, investors and other “outside” interested parties. In presentations, advertising brochures, on the company's corporate website, this expert should present difficult-to-understand technical information in an easy-to-understand form.

In industrial enterprises, the author of engineering documentation is one of the first employees who gets involved in work with a new product. He studies and describes it.

Where are technical writers needed?

Vacancies for these specialists can most often be found in IT companies that produce software products or automated control systems.

Also, documentation engineers are always welcome in large industrial enterprises, where, as a rule, entire departments for working with documentation are created. Technical writers are in demand in the chemical industry and the aerospace industry. Factories that produce cars, household appliances, and tools cannot do without them.

Vacancies for drafters of technical documentation are often found in budgetary structures. Expert engineers prepare the texts of orders, regulations, instructions in the production sector.

Where to get an education?

Russian universities do not train professionals in the speci alty "technical writer". Training of future authors of engineering documentation is most often carried out at the place of service. As a rule, technical writers become specialists withengineering education, able to competently express their thoughts in writing. Former engineers are often retrained as documentation experts, less often - philologists-translators. A technical writer often needs to know English at work.

Income

How Much Does a Technical Writer Get? The salary depends on what duties and under what conditions this specialist performs.

If a person is employed at a large industrial enterprise, where it is required to prepare large volumes of texts describing production processes, his monthly income is from 60 to 120 thousand rubles.

A document writer can earn a stable income as a freelancer serving multiple clients at the same time. It is easier for many firms to pay for one-time services, the professional performer of which is a technical writer. By fulfilling orders remotely, an expert who has proven himself in the market receives up to 150 thousand rubles. per month The first earnings of novice specialists amount to 5-10 thousand rubles. per month

Job Search

A graduate of a technical school can try to start a career as a documentation engineer in an industrial plant or in an IT company as an intern. At the beginning of your professional path, you will need to perform simple types of work: compose information, draw up graphs, work with lists, prepare screenshots for inclusion in documents.

If you have already found an openvacancy "technical writer", try to compose a resume correctly. Any inaccuracy (incorrect wording, spelling or punctuation error) will indicate a low qualification or inaccuracy of the candidate for the position.

You will need to attach a portfolio with samples of work performed to your resume.

Opportunities for professional development and career advancement

As we said before, a technical writer can be on staff or freelance. Some experts combine both ways of earning. You can develop your career in a horizontal or vertical direction.

In the event that horizontal development is chosen, the author of the documentation constantly improves his skills and expands the scope of his activities. Due to this, he earns more.

Choosing a horizontal career development, a technical writer writes reference books, manuals, technical dictionaries that are in demand among industry specialists, and receives roy alties for them. He can also earn money by writing articles for specialized magazines and websites.

An experienced documentation engineer teaches his trade to young colleagues. He not only gives them the necessary knowledge orally, but also plans a training program, and also compiles tests to assess the quality of assimilation of the material. For this, the employer, as a rule, pays the “teacher” additional cash bonuses.

You can increase your earnings by studying foreignlanguages. Linguistic education turns such an applicant into an exclusive specialist in working with documents of foreign companies.

Vertical career development is associated with moving up the administrative ladder. Working in a large enterprise, a technical writer can gradually become a team leader. Under his leadership, in this case, not only colleagues in the speci alty, but also copywriters, programmers, translators, PR specialists will work. An even higher level of career is the head of the technical documentation department.

Required competencies and skills

Technical writer must:

• be well versed in your professional field;
• be fluent in the language in which he prepares documentation, write texts without spelling, punctuation and stylistic errors;
• have an idea about programming, computing, information products;
• be aware of what colleagues from related speci alties are doing;
• be able to use a computer at the level of a confident user, know special programs for text editing, layout and web design;
• be able to master new computer programs and their updates in a short time;
• be proficient in technical English;
• have self-organization and work planning skills.

Medical restrictions

This work is not associated with a risk to life and he alth. At first glance, there are no specialrestrictions. However, a person with low intelligence, neuropsychiatric disorders, and poor eyesight cannot work as a technical writer.

Now you know who a technical writer is and how his career is developing. This speci alty in our country is still quite rare. Therefore, now professional writers of documentation are in great demand in the labor market.