Trends in Technical Writer Contracting: It's a Cycle

Whether one seeks to ply the writing trade by doling out multi-volume maintenance manuals for military aircraft, or by authoring a warning message later appearing on a label wrapped around a TV power cord - it's a technical writer who crafts these words.

While it's admirable that you wish to investigate technical writing as a new career, it's a good idea to know what you're getting into. If you are seriously considering technical writing as a career, my hope here is not to cover every conceivable factor. Rather I wish to give you a few things to mull before venturing onto the broad floor space that technical writing covers.

A Career in Technical Writing / Technical Communication

Fortunately, a career as a technical writer (sometimes also called "technical communicator") may offer great opportunities in literally any industry.

Need proof? In my 10+ year career as a technical writer, I have worked for the following kinds of companies:

* Startup software training outfit
* Online / traditional brick-and-mortar school
* Computer hardware manufacturer
* Shipping and logistics
* Healthcare provider
* Genetics and tissue sampling firm
* Software firms
* Medical device manufacturer
* Industrial centrifuge manufacturer
* Fuels and Lubricants

My work history above proves that businesses of all kinds need tech writers. Please note from the above that these include "hard" industries (like manufacturing) as well as "soft" industries (like IT). During my career as a tech writer, my actual job titles ranged anywhere from "Technical Writer" to "Corporate Communications Officer".

Whatever the industry, the need for good tech writing abounds.

Now getting someone to hire you is the core of our discussion here...

Trends In Tech Writer Outsourcing: It's a Cycle

As with any job, to become a contract or outsourced technical communication consultant can be good or bad - depending on the business climate and your employer's ability to cope.

During the 1980s, being an independent contractor was all the craze. I knew of some technical writers who partnered with engineers in some consulting gigs that raked in some decent money. However, due to widespread indiscretions in business practice, outside consultants began to suffer a bad rap and got canned. As a result, independent tech writers suffered along with the rest. The trend that followed this was a scramble to become an in-house technical writer. The ensuing sense of security gave tech writers a few years' respite.

However, in the last ten years the push towards globalization has thrown new light on the value of outsourcing. It seems recently that almost every role - including tech writing - has been tossed into the outsourcing blender. Once again, in recent months folks fortunately seem to be seeing outsourcing as another unnecessary fad, and companies are hiring tech writers back within their fold.

Some Advice

All said, now is a good time to look into changing one's career to tech writing.

How to do this?

Here are some ideas:

Volunteer Work as a Technical Writer. If you're uncertain where to apply your skills, try any place. Try doing technical writing projects for the local library, the school you're attending, a fire department, or even your church. Rack up the experience and get some reference letters in exchange for your work. You may even try offering some volunteer work to a prospective employer that would normally hire a tech writer. Who knows, they might like your work so much that they will hire you!

Do an Internship. If you're a student, what better way to learn up by interning directly with a company that needs tech writers?

"Shadow" a Technical Writer. If you know a friend or acquaintance who works as a technical writer, then ask them to obtain permission with their employer to have you tag along for one or two days. Attend some meetings. Shake some hands. You may learn hard and soft skills that could later prove invaluable in your new career as a tech writer.

Write Mockup Projects. In the absence of any readily available alternatives, try making up some technical writing work. By this I mean you could create documentation about something, anything - and then review them with others to get feedback. Preferably your mockup project would be relevant to the industry in which you wish to work. Post your project to the web and showcase it for online discussions. Get those creative juices flowing, and be willing to accept constructive criticism on your work.

What Else?

While plenty been written about the tech writing trade, these words serve as some discussion to help you think over what has proven (at least for me) to be a growing and rewarding career.

Get out there, try some trial-run tech writing, talk with seasoned writers and ask them about the benefits and pitfalls. With this arsenal of information, you will be well armed for jumping into the world of technical writing and technical communication.

Good luck!