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Technical Writers

Under the title Technical Writers, workers write technical materials, such as equipment manuals, appendices, or operating and maintenance instructions. One core duty is to organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology. On the six-type interest model it reads CAI, meaning orderly work with data, records and clear procedures comes first, followed by creative work with room for original expression. Plan on a bachelor’s degree plus a period of work experience; O*NET labels this considerable preparation. Strength in writing, reading comprehension, and speaking helps most here. People who want orderly work with data, records and clear procedures usually fit better here than those who need leading, persuading and making business decisions.

What they do

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

Main tasks

  • Organize material and complete writing assignment according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology.
  • Maintain records and files of work and revisions.
  • Edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or establishment personnel.
  • Analyze developments in specific field to determine need for revisions in previously published materials and development of new material.
  • Review published materials and recommend revisions or changes in scope, format, content, and methods of reproduction and binding.
  • Select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material.

Skills

  • Writing
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Speaking
  • Active Listening
  • Critical Thinking
  • Active Learning

Who this career fits

May suit you if

  • You like clear rules and getting the details right.
  • You want room to make something in your own way.
  • You are ready to spend around four years on a degree, then build experience.
  • You are comfortable relying on writing and reading comprehension.

May not suit you if

  • You get restless with routine, records and exact procedures.
  • You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 2.0 out of 7 here.
  • You want to avoid a four-year degree or its equivalent.

Interest profile

O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code CAI takes the three highest, and Conventional comes first here.

Preparation

Considerable preparation. Most jobs here ask for a bachelor’s degree, and employers usually expect a few years of related experience as well.

Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.

Also called

  • Com Writer
  • Engineering Writer
  • Global Technical Writer
  • Grant Writer
  • Medical Writer

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.