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10 Job Agencies for Technical Writers
12 Places to Work as a Technical Writer
The Psychology of Job Hunting in Technical Writing
Allow me to say a few words about the psychology of job hunting since I see some artificial obstacles that some technical writers set up for themselves and I’d like to remove them if I can. FIRST OBSTACLE The first obstacle is to think “I’m not a very good technical writer” or “I’m not a…
Read MoreHow to Get That Very First Technical Writing Job…
That very first technical writing job is the hardest for most writers and non-writers who are new to the field. Once that threshold is crossed, there’s usually no going back. The rest is usually a series of promotions or lateral and vertical moves from one company or assignment to another. For the freelancing “lone writers,”…
Read MoreTechnical Writer Salaries by Hi-Tech Company
© Ugur Akinci Here is an interesting source that lists the salary range for various categories of technical writers by company: http://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/technical-writer-salary-SRCH_KO0,16.htm Since sometimes such web pages are removed from the server, let’s summarize the annual salary ranges for technical writers by hi-tech company: Cisco $76,000 – $107,000 CA Technologies $62,000 – $99,000 Microsoft $76,000…
Read More"Do you have any tips or advice for those interested in breaking into technical writing?"
My top advice would be to develop a personal portfolio to break into tech writing. Nothing speaks louder for your skills than a finished work or two at hand. One thing I recommend to my readers and students is to write a user’s manual for a freely available software like OpenOffice. It does not need…
Read MoreWhat Does a Technical Writer Working for the U.S. Government Look Like?
Let’s start by asking the question — what does a “typical” technical writer who is employed by Uncle Sam really look like? Technical writers are sometimes called “technical communicators” because in reality that’s what they do – they communicate. Writing is just one of the several tools that they use to do that. Those writers…
Read More"I’m a journalist. A reporter… Can I become a successful technical writer?"
Can a journalist become a successful technical writer? I don’t see why not. I was a journalist once upon a time too. After I made the switch to technical writing, I never looked back. Two Skills of Journalists Journalism teaches you mental concentration and time-discipline. When you’re working as a reporter for a daily newspaper…
Read MoreU.S. Federal Government as a Source of Employment for Technical Writers
The U.S. federal government is a major source of employment for technical writers, as the government employs more than 7,000 writers who produce manuals and instructions for federal agencies and departments. Technical writing is a field that requires an understanding of the subject matter being written about, as well as the ability to communicate clearly…
Read MoreOccupational Outlook for Technical Writers: My Opinions and the Facts
From time to time I hear from technical writers who had their own share from the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression of the 30s. There is no doubt, the market right now is not as good as it had been just four or five years earlier. But I still have reasons to maintain…
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