- Technical Writer Job Description Example
- Technical Writer Resume Writing Tips
- Technical Writer Resume with Cover Letter
- Technical Writer Resume Format
- Technical Writer Resume Objective
- Technical Writer Resume Examples
- Technical Writer Resume Templates
- Technical Writer Resume Templates Comparative Table
- Frequently Asked Questions
In one period of my life, when I was searching for a writing job, I was considering becoming a technical writer. I thought that a technical writer is a person who writes and translates technical materials. However, this is only partly true. A technical writer is a separate profession that requires writing, analytical, and basic programming skills. They are a specialist who is occupied with the creation of technical documentation for various programs, applications, automated systems, etc. A technical writer develops guidelines and instructions for users and developers.
They are the medium between technical staff and the end-user. In this way, the person in this role should be able to communicate using correct specific technical lexis to explain information and describe technical tasks for the developers and, at the same time, be able to convey the information clearly, in an accessible way to common people without technical knowledge.
If you have an idea to become a technical writer and need to compose a technical writer resume to get noticed and chosen for an interview by a potential employer, or if you already have relevant experience but for the present moment are searching for a job, this article discussing the basic tips, objectives, skills, samples and templates for a proper technical writer resume is intended for you.
Technical Writer Job Description Example
If you are not sure whether technical writing is your future path, I have composed an example of the job description on the basis of several vacancies that are being provided by real companies. Looking through the sample, you can decide whether it is exactly what you want to do.
Job description:
A technical writer should work in close collaboration with the team and maintain, update and edit the technical documentation of the department. It includes the creation of the technical documents from scratch, placing technical tasks for developers, revision, approval and publishing of the documentation.
Main responsibilities:
- To give documentation guidance to technical teams.
- To serve as the medium between the project teams and technical documentation department.
- To take part in all meetings related to projects and their documentation.
- To perform the development, adjustment, review and approval of documentation according to project timelines.
- To compose user guides and manuals.
- To develop graphs, tables, tests required for the documentation.
- To maintain the project technical library.
- To analyze and improve the existing documentation and documentation practices.
Qualifications:
- Degree in a technical discipline.
- Excellent grammar skills.
- Analytical thinking.
- Ability to explain complex notions in plain words.
- Knowledge of desktop publishing tools.
- Effective communication skills.
Technical Writer Resume Writing Tips
- You need to make a resume friendly to ATS, automated systems that track applicants’ resumes and scan the needed skills and qualifications on the basis of keywords and terms. Not all companies use the software, but large corporations or outsourcing companies that regularly deal with an extensive number of applicants, often apply ATS to shortlist the candidates. In this way, you should prepare a well-formatted resume, without unreadable charts or graphics, in .doc or .docx format, while PDF is not the best format to pass ATS. If you use technical writer resume templates, stick to neat and professional pieces, abstaining from fancy and overloaded cheap analogs. And most importantly, optimize your technical writer resume using the keywords. You can search for core competencies immanent to this profession and include the words (of course, if they align with your own qualifications).
- The most important information should be put first. It can be included in the objective statement, where you should formulate your major intention and your primary advantages which make you the most suitable candidate for this role.
- Do not use a number of font styles, italics, tables and other formatting tools that will overload your tech writer resume and make it hardly readable.
- Proofread your work thoroughly. What makes employers refuse you after reading your resume is the presence of grammar, punctuation, and stylistic mistakes. You are a writer, so you need to prove your mastery of the English language.
- To represent your active position, use active verbs and concentrate on your achievements in education, professional courses and previous workplaces.
Technical Writer Resume with Cover Letter
The primary tip to increase the chances of being noticed by a potential employer is to write a cover letter. When an employer or HR department gets hundreds, maybe thousands of applications, then the presence of cover letter gives your candidature a privilege. The cover letter should be directed towards the specific company you apply for and should touch the main requirements listed in the vacancy.
You should address why you are the best candidate for the role and how you meet the criteria mentioned previously. Also, you should express your awareness of what the company is occupied with and your desire to cooperate with it. Accompanying a technical writer resume with a cover letter will show your personal and professional interest in the position and company as the employers understand the resumes are composed and sent to many companies, while cover letters are like personal messages that are sent along with the CV.
Technical Writer Resume Format
The main requirements for the format are presupposed by the clarity, conciseness, emphasis on the main points and ATS-friendliness. The parts that should be addressed are the following:
- Name
- Contacts
- Objective statement
- Skills and qualifications
- Work experience
- Education
- Personal information
If you cover all the points listed in this sequence, you are likely to meet the format. However, you should also use keywords relevant to the field of technical writing, use .doc and .docx format to be readable by applicants tracking software, and don’t use charts, graphs, tables and other excessive formatting details.
Technical Writer Resume Objective
The objective statement in a resume is the place where you summarize your professional experience and emphasize your main achievements and goals for your future career. If you are looking for entry level technical writing jobs and don’t have some professional acquirements in the sphere, you are likely to have either good writing skills or some technical background. In this way, you should highlight your prerequisites of becoming a technical writer and show your high interest in developing lacking skills. If you have some technical background, specify it and how it can be applied in the profession. In case you have writing experience, also put that down, giving possible links to your works and showing interest in technological knowledge and acquiring new skills.
Technical Writer Resume Examples
Overall, there are many companies that offer writing professional resumes, but it will not be a problem to make it on your own using the samples provided and prepared by experts in resume writing.
A great, clear and concise technical writer resume sample can be found on Indeed job portal.
The next is the example of a junior technical writer resume.
And one more entry level technical writer resume samples for those who don’t have experience in the field but possess relevant skills and education.
Technical Writer Resume Templates
We can offer a number of professionally designed, neat and perfectly organized templates for your resume. You can find on our TemplateMonster site, but we have prepared a brief list of great and suitable products for you to have a basic understanding of how perfect they are.
Allison Reed Resume Template
You can describe your technical writing skills in this resume, which is organized exceptionally and looks stylish. The piece is fully customizable and represented in various file formats.
Christine Resume Template
This resume comes with a cover letter in the same format. It is prepared in A4 paper size and accessible in MS Word, PSD and Ai formats.
Zackary Resume Template
This is a stylish resume and cover letter. What you need is to download it, customize in one of the available formats and enjoy the professional topnotch resume.
Brenner Minimal Clean Resume Template
You’ll get a modern, sleek, two-page technical writer resume template with a free font download. This template is completely customizable and print-ready.
Henry Hayes Resume Template
This is a well-organized CV layout in A4 paper size, which is fully customizable and ready to print.
Technical Writer Resume Template Comparative Table
| Template | What’s Included | File Formats | Requirements for Software | Price |
| Allison Reed Resume Template | Resume
Business card |
EPS
PSD AI |
Ps CC+
Ai 8+ |
$17 |
| Henry Hayes Resume Template | Resume
Cover letter |
EPS
PSD AI |
Ai CS2
Ps CS2 |
Free |
| Christine Resume Template | Resume
Cover letter |
EPS
AI DOC |
Ai 8+
Ai CS2 Ps CS2 |
$10 |
| Zackary Resume Template | Resume
Cover letter |
EPS
AI DOCX |
Ai 8+
Ai CS2 Ai CS2 Ps CS2 |
$10 |
| Brenner Minimal Clean Resume Template | Resume
Cover letter |
EPS
PSD DOCX |
Ai CS2 | Free |
FAQ
What should I include in my technical writer resume?
You should include all the main information about your skills and qualifications, relevant work experience, technical knowledge and writing skills. The resume should contain your name, contacts, objective statement, skills, work experience, education and interests.
How can I get a job as technical writer?
You should analyze whether your skills and education meet the requirements. If you possess the needed skills, prepare a well-structured resume that highlights your relevant experience and projects your goals and send it to the desired company.
What skills do I need to become technical writer?
Overall, a technical writer should possess writing skills, analytical thinking, technical knowledge and the ability to present complex things in plain words.
Does a technical writer require programming skills?
A technical writer is occupied with technical documentation, programming techniques and closely cooperates with developers. While programming knowledge is not often required for this position, acquiring the basics of programming is highly recommended in this field of work.
Read Also
40 Free Printable Resume Templates 2020 to Get a Dream Job