How to Land an Entry Level Technical Writing Job
Technical writers create specific manuals, booklets, how-to articles, white papers and user guides for their professional clients. You must be detail-oriented and able to communicate complex concepts clearly. If you are interested in making this your career, you will begin with an entry-level position requiring one to three years of technical writing experience or skill-specific academic training. Set your goal on the right track by preparing for employment and getting a job that leads to a future in technical writing.
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Instructions
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Acquire the needed skills. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, most writing jobs require a degree in a related field, such as journalism or English. If you are unable to complete a four-year degree program, check with your local community college. Associate degrees in technical writing are commonplace and will provide you with the training and certification needed for an entry-level position.
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Develop a portfolio of experience. It may seem impossible to gain experience without first having the job, but you have a way to overcome this hurdle. If you are still in your training program, ask your professors about internship opportunities. These may not be paid but they will allow you to learn the job from the inside out while writing pieces for your resume and portfolio. If you are not in school, contact local IT firms to see if they offer post-graduate internships. Consider offering your services for free to gain experience.
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Freelance your writing. Go online and seek out freelance writing groups or sites offering contract work. This will give you the opportunity to write, build experience and get paid. Freelancing is not a full-time position and can be tough as contracts come and go. However, you will learn to produce work on deadline and build varied work references if you are able to reach multiple clients. These clients may be able to point you in the direction of a full-time position.
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Start a blog to showcase your skills. Free blog starting services can be found online. Create a professional appearance by posting at least weekly to demonstrate your commitment. Write in the genre of technical writing in which you would like to work. For example, if your job goal is to write for an Internet media company, write posts about social media from a technical perspective. Keep a list of the links to your posts for sending to potential employers.
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Move to an area where the jobs are. Even during difficult economic times, technical writers are more sought after and utilized in certain parts of the United States. California, Texas, Massachusetts, Virginia, Michigan and Maryland have the most technical writers, according to the Society for Technical Communication. While this means increased competition, always keep in mind these locations are where writers are going because jobs are available.
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Tips & Warnings
Join the Society for Technical Communication, an organization of technical communication professionals.
References
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