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Technical Writers

$79.96K Median Salary 5.5K Job Openings (Annual Projection) 11.5% Job Growth

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About This Career

Write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. May assist in layout work.

Reported Job Titles

Documentation Designer, Documentation Specialist, Engineering Writer, Information Developer, Medical Writer, Narrative Writer, Requirements Analyst, Technical Communicator, Technical Writer

Career data shown for:

Skills You'll Need

Click on skills to find related courses.

Abilities

Written Expression

Written Comprehension

Near Vision

Oral Comprehension

Deductive Reasoning

Oral Expression

Information Ordering

Inductive Reasoning

Problem Sensitivity

Speech Clarity

Speech Recognition

Category Flexibility

Fluency of Ideas

Visualization

Knowledge

English Language

Computers and Electronics

Administrative

Administration and Management

Communications and Media

Education and Training

Public Safety and Security

Production and Processing

Customer and Personal Service

Skills

Writing

Reading Comprehension

Active Listening

Speaking

Critical Thinking

Active Learning

Judgment and Decision Making

Time Management

Coordination

Monitoring

Technology Skills

Web platform development software

Web page creation and editing software

Graphics or photo imaging software

Desktop publishing software

Data base user interface and query software

Development environment software

Computer aided design CAD software

Data base reporting software

Configuration management software

Electronic mail software

Object or component oriented development software

Project management software

Content workflow software

Medical software

Spreadsheet software

Application server software

Document management software

Computer based training software

Enterprise resource planning ERP software

Desktop communications software

Video creation and editing software

File versioning software

Enterprise application integration software

Office suite software

Cloud-based data access and sharing software

Word processing software

Graphical user interface development software

Instant messaging software

Financial analysis software

Analytical or scientific software

Internet browser software

Presentation software

Data mining software

Process mapping and design software

Tools

Scanners

Notebook computers

High capacity removable media drives

Digital cameras

Desktop computers

Personal computers

Abilities

Written Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
Written Comprehension: The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
Near Vision: The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
Oral Comprehension: The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
Deductive Reasoning: The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
Oral Expression: The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
Information Ordering: The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
Inductive Reasoning: The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
Problem Sensitivity: The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
Speech Clarity: The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
Speech Recognition: The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
Category Flexibility: The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
Fluency of Ideas: The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
Visualization: The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.

Knowledge

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
Computers and Electronics: Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
Administrative: Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
Administration and Management: Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Communications and Media: Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
Production and Processing: Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Skills

Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.

Technology Skills

Web platform development software: Microsoft Active Server Pages ASP
Web page creation and editing software: Facebook; Google Sites; LinkedIn; Social media sites
Graphics or photo imaging software: SmugMug Flickr
Desktop publishing software: Adobe Systems Adobe InDesign; Microsoft Publisher
Data base user interface and query software: Blackboard software; Database software; Microsoft Access; Yardi software
Development environment software: Adobe Systems Adobe Creative Suite
Computer aided design CAD software: Autodesk AutoCAD; Autodesk Revit
Data base reporting software: SAP BusinessObjects Crystal Reports
Configuration management software: Chef; IBM Software Configuration and Library Manager SCLM; Perforce Helix software; Puppet
Electronic mail software: IBM Notes; Microsoft Exchange; Microsoft Outlook
Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java
Project management software: Mavenlink; Microsoft Project
Content workflow software: Atlassian JIRA
Medical software: Henry Schein Dentrix; Medical condition coding software; Medical procedure coding software; MEDITECH software
Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
Application server software: Oracle WebLogic Server
Document management software: Adobe Systems Adobe Acrobat; Filing system software; Records management software; Transcription system software
Computer based training software: BrainTrain IVA+Plus; Language arts educational software; Math educational software
Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; Oracle PeopleSoft; Oracle PeopleSoft Financials; SAP software
Desktop communications software: Edmodo
Video creation and editing software: YouTube
File versioning software: Apache Subversion SVN; Continuous integration software; Git; Version control software
Enterprise application integration software: Electronic Data Interchange EDI systems
Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Dropbox; Google Drive; Microsoft SharePoint
Word processing software: 3M Post-it App; Evernote; Google Docs; Microsoft Word
Graphical user interface development software: Adobe Systems Adobe RoboHelp
Instant messaging software: GroupMe
Financial analysis software: Delphi Technology
Analytical or scientific software: Statistical analysis software; TapRooT
Internet browser software: Web browser software
Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
Data mining software: Google Analytics
Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio

Tools

Scanners: Data input scanners
Notebook computers: Laptop computers
High capacity removable media drives: Universal serial bus USB flash drives
Digital cameras:
Desktop computers:
Personal computers:

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