tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9248859690326099152011-07-31T00:03:39.184-07:00Technical Writer Jobs resources, tips, and advice. Information on alternative careers using your technical writer jobs skills.Richard Sheffieldnoreply@blogger.comBlogger11100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-924885969032609915.post-8494806205632050212009-08-13T19:28:00.000-07:002009-08-13T19:51:17.141-07:00<h2>What do Technical Writers Do?</h2><div><b>Technical writer jobs</b> represent a whole range of writing-related tasks that require an equally wide range of job skills.</div><div><br /></div><div>The most common task is creating a user guide. This is like writing a small book that explains how to use a product (hard goods or software) from beginner to expert. All the various functions of the product are explained with step-by-step instructions describing exactly what to do.</div><div><br /></div><div>This is a great skill to have. Long after I stopped writing user guides, I used the exact same skills and techniques to write a series of books that were traditionally published, then I started self-publishing since I knew how to write the book and then create a ready-to-print version of the book called "camera ready" copy.</div><div><br /></div><div>Writing online help is another one of the classic <i>technical writer jobs</i>. Online help is available from most software programs. This is little chunks of content that popup and tell you exactly what to do to accomplish a certain task. This help may or may not have links to other similar tasks.</div><div><br /></div><div>Figuring out how to structure an online help system is very much like designing the flow and navigation for a Web site. This is another skill that can come in handy in a variety of ways.</div><div><br /></div><div>Some technical writers specialize in writing documentation for a very specific kind of product or industry. There are medical device technical writers and aviation technical writers. Specializing usually leads to higher pay if there are not many other who share the same specialty.</div><div><br /></div><div><h2>What Are the Qualifications for Technical Writer Jobs?</h2></div><div>The qualifications vary as widely as the jobs do. There are no hard and fast rules and experience can count for more than education. The best qualification in the eyes of a potential employer(I've hired many writers over the years) is having done the job before. I didn't care nearly as much about your education as I did about you previous experience. </div><div><br /></div><div>So get out there and knock out a few contract jobs for cheap if you don't have much experience. I'd much rather see some examples of real life work you have done (even if you got paid very little for I'm not going to know) that see a list of classes and certifications.</div><div><br /></div><div>Everyone is a bit different of course, but if I was just starting I'd get a few jobs under my belt from elance.com or sologig.com, even if I didn't get paid a lot.</div><div><br /></div><div>Once you have some good samples to show, your pay get really start to go up.</div><div><br /></div><div>Good technical writers come from all kinds of backgrounds. And many technical writers eventually move on to other kinds of writing careers. Some move to Web writing and <a href="http://www.web-content-strategy.com">content strategy</a> and technical book authoring. I know a few journalists who started out as technical writers who may be <a href="http://www.technicalwriter-jobs.com/technical-writer-jobs/the-journalists-are-coming-for-technical-writer-jobs">returning to technical writing jobs</a> as the print media restructures.</div><div><br /></div><div>Learn more about <a href="http://www.technicalwriter-jobs.com">Technical Writer Jobs</a> and view the Technical Writer Jobs Board.</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/924885969032609915-849480620563205021?l=technicalwriter-jobs.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Richard Sheffieldnoreply@blogger.com1