Have you ever considered pursuing a career as a Technical Writer? This interview takes you through the ups and downs you can expect, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This is a true career story as told to DiversityJobs and is one of many interviews with editors and publishers.
I have been working in the market research industry as a technical writer for over three years. A normal day at work includes researching and writing market reports about various industries, mainly composites, thermoplastics, and energy. I also create guides for businesses who are either starting up or are looking to expand into new regions or markets.
Many people think that as a technical writer, I spend all day writing incredibly intricate, detailed, and complicated reports; however, some of my projects are as simple as a report about the background of an industry or company.
I would rate my happiness at my current job at a six. Not because I find it difficult or because it isn’t what I want to do, but because my current employer does not offer as much variety as I would like. In my three years working with this company, I have only composed so many different reports. Most of them are industry analyses, opportunity evaluations, press releases, and presentations. I would really like to break out of these reports and write with more freedom, really stretching my creative muscles.
I would not say that this is my calling in life. I do love to write, but like I said earlier, there is not enough variety for me. I would really like to be a college professor and researcher. While I was in college, I did some teaching here and there and it really helps you understand what you’re passionate about.
College is a great place to grow as an individual even if you’re not a student and I would love to go back and teach while continuing to research and write. Many people are shocked to learn that, as a technical writer, I did not get a degree in any of the industries about which I write.
It is a common misconception that you need to get a degree in chemical engineering to write reports about composites, but I got a degree in English and Writing. There was a steep learning curve at first, but I feel very comfortable writing about chemicals, energy, and composites. Plus, I always have co-workers who are researching the same thing and I can ask them questions if I need help understanding a particular concept.
I actually came into this industry on a whim. I mentioned earlier I did a bit of teaching in college. I was actually aiming to be a high school teacher, but my internship changed my mind and I decided to pursue another career.
I started looking for writing and editing jobs because I love research and writing. I just happened to make the right decision! My path took me in a different direction and I’m happy with where I am now.
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that the kind of student you are in college is the kind of working adult you will become. Students think that they can cruise through college and become serious when they get a job. The fact is that those habits are really hard to break.
I can tell which of my co-workers coasted through college. It is harder for them to manage their time and realize when they are doing their best work or when they need to work harder. Those habits are hard to break.
The strangest thing that’s ever happened to me as a technical writer was actually when I was helping the editors get through some reports to be published.
Apparently, one of my fellow writers either had not learned about plagiarism in college or did not care that he was stealing someone else’s work. We found that a majority of his reports were copy and pasted from internet articles. I put them straight into a search engine and found whole paragraphs on other websites. It was strange that he thought he could do that and get away with it!
There are numerous challenges in working with the production of reports and projects, mainly the fact that so many people look at and evaluate your work. Then, your report gets bounced around between editors and supervisors until it finally comes back to you for rework or to be released.
Sometimes the editors and managers actually help you clarify a point of improve the flow of your work. Other times, they will completely butcher a paragraph you were really proud of writing. I will get reports back from editing and the entire meaning is changed because they did not understand what I was trying to say, even though it was right. It can be really frustrating!
My job can be very stressful because we have very strict deadlines. I try to stay on top of my work so I am less stressed when deadlines approach.
Technical writer career image from Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
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Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
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Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
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Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
Have you ever considered pursuing a career as a Technical Writer? This interview takes you through the ups and downs you can expect, what it takes to land the job, what you can expect to earn and more. This is a true career story as told to DiversityJobs and is one of many interviews with editors and publishers.
I have been working in the market research industry as a technical writer for over three years. A normal day at work includes researching and writing market reports about various industries, mainly composites, thermoplastics, and energy. I also create guides for businesses who are either starting up or are looking to expand into new regions or markets.
Many people think that as a technical writer, I spend all day writing incredibly intricate, detailed, and complicated reports; however, some of my projects are as simple as a report about the background of an industry or company.
I would rate my happiness at my current job at a six. Not because I find it difficult or because it isn’t what I want to do, but because my current employer does not offer as much variety as I would like. In my three years working with this company, I have only composed so many different reports. Most of them are industry analyses, opportunity evaluations, press releases, and presentations. I would really like to break out of these reports and write with more freedom, really stretching my creative muscles.
I would not say that this is my calling in life. I do love to write, but like I said earlier, there is not enough variety for me. I would really like to be a college professor and researcher. While I was in college, I did some teaching here and there and it really helps you understand what you’re passionate about.
College is a great place to grow as an individual even if you’re not a student and I would love to go back and teach while continuing to research and write. Many people are shocked to learn that, as a technical writer, I did not get a degree in any of the industries about which I write.
It is a common misconception that you need to get a degree in chemical engineering to write reports about composites, but I got a degree in English and Writing. There was a steep learning curve at first, but I feel very comfortable writing about chemicals, energy, and composites. Plus, I always have co-workers who are researching the same thing and I can ask them questions if I need help understanding a particular concept.
I actually came into this industry on a whim. I mentioned earlier I did a bit of teaching in college. I was actually aiming to be a high school teacher, but my internship changed my mind and I decided to pursue another career.
I started looking for writing and editing jobs because I love research and writing. I just happened to make the right decision! My path took me in a different direction and I’m happy with where I am now.
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that the kind of student you are in college is the kind of working adult you will become. Students think that they can cruise through college and become serious when they get a job. The fact is that those habits are really hard to break.
I can tell which of my co-workers coasted through college. It is harder for them to manage their time and realize when they are doing their best work or when they need to work harder. Those habits are hard to break.
The strangest thing that’s ever happened to me as a technical writer was actually when I was helping the editors get through some reports to be published.
Apparently, one of my fellow writers either had not learned about plagiarism in college or did not care that he was stealing someone else’s work. We found that a majority of his reports were copy and pasted from internet articles. I put them straight into a search engine and found whole paragraphs on other websites. It was strange that he thought he could do that and get away with it!
There are numerous challenges in working with the production of reports and projects, mainly the fact that so many people look at and evaluate your work. Then, your report gets bounced around between editors and supervisors until it finally comes back to you for rework or to be released.
Sometimes the editors and managers actually help you clarify a point of improve the flow of your work. Other times, they will completely butcher a paragraph you were really proud of writing. I will get reports back from editing and the entire meaning is changed because they did not understand what I was trying to say, even though it was right. It can be really frustrating!
My job can be very stressful because we have very strict deadlines. I try to stay on top of my work so I am less stressed when deadlines approach.
Technical writer career image from Shutterstock
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