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Before you foray into technical writing
How to start as a Technical writer
So you want to start as a technical writer/Information Developer, I will try to answer few questions, I was searching when I decided to embark on this journey.
Career opportunities
Technical writers find career opportunities in the financial, industrial, construction, electronics, automotive, medical, computer, biomedical, healthcare, agricultural and petrochemical industries.In IT industries, a growth pattern is very much similar to software developers.
Do I have a trait to be an Information Developer?
Unfortunately, most of the tech writer in the industry does not become tech writer by choice but it happens to them and many starts loving it and few change their way. Who are the people who change their way and why?
A technical writer is expected to have great technical skill as well as writing skill i.e. exceptional command over language and understanding of technology and this is a very rare combination to find.
Some companies depending on their requirement either hire a candidate with domain expertise’s and an average writing skill while some give priority to the language experts. New picking up trends are companies start giving preference to the candidate with engineering background with at least one language knowledge and domain knowledge with good communication skills.
So before you jump this bandwagon make sure you love to write and have a nick to learn tools and programs? If your answer is yes, then be sure you are choosing a right career.
You can download the trial version of tools used by a technical author and try to get familiar with it.
Above all correct attitude will help you to get your dream job. You can read about the qualities of a technical writer.
Where to start? Which class to join classes and What to learn?
Now you know you want to be a tech writer/information developer, the question is where to start? Which class to join to be a good technical writer and, above all, get a good paying job???
There is nothing like that if you get a chance to join directly any company without any training classes. Training classes are not a bad idea but starting directly is a great idea.
I myself joined a class to become a tech writer but fortunately, I got placed before I complete my course? No, my institute does not have to do anything with my placement as I get it. It was my luck.
What should you learn?
After completing the course you should know:
- how to determine the audience, purpose, and objectives for the various documents
- how to follow steps to successful technical writing
- how to write collaboratively
- how to write a procedures manual
- how to design the most common types of technical documents
Dear Rahul, You caught me in time! I have applied with a multinational company in Pune for the position of copy editor. I, however, do not know diiferent hierarchial levels of this field. Will you please throe some light o it. The company has different departments. The departments relevant to candidates with science background include "Research and Analysis" Department and "Editing" department. R and A includes literature review and working as offshore research assistant while the editing department includes Copy editors at different levels such as pre-copy editor, copy editor and sr. copy editor. Having done my M. Tech.,I asked them to consider my profile for some suitable opening in R and A team. The HR however told me that they recruit only Doctorates in R and A. Then I answered that a position of Copy Editor will do for me. There were also vacancies for Quality Assuarance and Quality Analysis. At this level ,i.e. B. Pharm. + M. Tech. with 3 years teaching experience and one year of marketing experience, which according to you is the most suitable entry level position for me to have a progressive and perpetually growing career for my profile?
Rahul, I am sure we can contact you for a course too!
Yeah sure,but i do not charge for it:-)
Amol,as you are M.Pharm you will have good domain knowledge of pharmaceutical to be editor you need to have a exceptional command over English literature. I think if do not have at all relevant experience company will give you break as pre-copy editor. Your promotion will solely depend on your performance and bit of luck.Hope i answered you.You can contact off list also.
Hello Rahul,
I have just completed my PG in Management this academic year, I also have 3.5yrs of experience in Content Writing. I'm planning to shift to Technical Writing, I just wanted to know how different is this field? I mean, just the writing part or there an intrusion of a software too? I work on MS Word only, being a versatile writer will I have to change my writing style to adapt this one or would it be just another project.
I stay in Pune, searched for Technowrites, but I need some guidance in selecting this one out, I'm on the right path? Planning to have a shift from Content Writing, would Technical Writing be an upgrade or a diversion to current path, please help.
Main strength of tech writers are Language+Technologies. You are a content writer so i assume you must have a good writing skill, but how to write logically you will have to learn and for tools and Technologies you can join good classes.
Technowrite is a good institute run by one if the eminent personality of our field Mr. Makarand Pandit but I'm not sure how many classes he takes by himself now.
It will be great if you can find job asap without any classes because i feel on job training is the best training. You can apply in iburk, Commit, Technowrite etc.
Technical writing skills will be upgradation in your path.
Also read:http://informationdevelopers.blogspot.com/2012/07/language-vs-technical-skills-whats-your.html
Please mention your name while posting.
Hi Rahul,
Thanks for the useful articles.
Am a senior developer , planning to venture into tech writing.
Do u recommend attending classes or self study?
also, I have 7 year experience in software development.
Will it have any value while getting job/good salary?
Thanks.
Hi Prashanth,
I want to understand the reason after 7 yr of dev why you want to foray into tech writing?
As you are a developer so understanding applications and learning authoring tools will be cake walk for you.So i think your dev exp will sure add value.You need to focus on logical impeccable writing.
I always recommend self study.Download tools used by tech writers and different manuals like User manual,Instruction manual,Administrative guide go through it and judge how comfortable you are.Practices to write small manuals and keep hunting for jobs.Do this for one month.
If luck didn't favor you.Then join class.
Hope i answer you.
Hi Rahul,
Thanks for the reply.
One of the reasons is that writing(and reading) has been my passion. I landed an IT job by chance(or peer pressure 🙂 ).
later due to the money, i kept on it.
In my last job, i had done some writing role, like creating deployment guides, release notes etc.
Only recently i came to know that there is a separate role called the "Tech writer".
Hence got interested in this role, but hope its not too late in my career to switch.
but programming is not something which I want to do for the rest of my life.
I hope hiring companies will consider my earlier experience as well. Will try for jobs on my own for some time, as I too love self study.
Thanks.
Hi Rahul,
I tried applying for various jobs (including cisco and qsi).
i did self study of the various tools and the latest communication buzz. Though i cleared the written test in these interviews, they were never interested in hiring me . during the manager round, they were not convinced, in spite of my efforts at convincing them, that I want to switch to writing.
Also, though I have over 7 years of IT experience , including around 3+ years in writing, most of them offered me half the salary am currently getting.
Hence I feel, its not feasible/too late in career for me to switch to writing.
I think i should continue in my current stream of dot net development or change to something like testing.
Yes, fresher can do freelancing if have necessary skills and able to sell it to client.
If you don't have client, then from where to start as a fresher?
You need to ask few questions to yourself for example,
Why anyone will outsource to fresher (you)? Think how client will think and prepare with answers.
Who can outsource to me? Identify your USP?
If you identify the potential client start giving cold call and mail including portfolios if you have. It may work.
Apart from good technical writing you must also have marketing skills and business writing skills. Remember you will also need templates for quotations, invoice etc. Some finance knowledge will also help.
I do not have any knowledge of online freelance work providers.
Hope i answer.
I have visited your blog for the first time and found it a well organized blog about Technical Writing in india and so many things to learn.
Keep sharing nice stuff.
Hello Rahul,
Nice Article, Thank you for sharing such beautiful information about the technical content writer, selecting a good profile makes the creative attractive and appealing content to the client. It would be great if you share such more tip about Business Content Writing.
Find & Hire Technical Content writer @WomenFreelancer