How to start a career in Technical Writing?

[Yuri_Prime]

How??

Most Technical Writing advertisement requires you to have knowledge of this or that software.

Do I need to take short course in Technical Writing? Anyone here who knows such course?

[jolog1]

It's actually a 4 year degree, not just a short course. They make good money but the job is VERY difficult because you have to be an expert on every subject you write about.

[sprint]

@Yuri_Prime,

These days, a technical writing job requires not just the ability to write, but also proficiency in using document production softwares. I was probably lucky the first time i was hired as technical writer because the only requirement was good writing skill.

I've been a technical writer for 5 years now and i never thought i'd make a career out of this because my degree is in the natural sciences. The job offer came at a time when i was desperate for a job - it was christmas and i have been jobless for 4 months. So i took the 10-month contract job where my primary duty was to write business process documents. I enjoyed it tremendously even if the pay was ridiculously low. That's how I started.

After my stint with that company, i had the opportunity to work for software companies where i had trainings (formal and self-study) in using softwares such as FrameMaker. For my second employer, my previous experience writing business process documents was my only credential but it was good enough since my immediate superior was willing to train me.

So if you are serious in pursuing this career, tell your interviewers that you are willing to be trained. If you have the money, you can buy the softwares although they can be costly (FrameMaker costs $1,000). You can also enroll in a technical writing course as jolog1 suggested. I cannot provide any info on this, though, because i'm not aware that there is now a 4-year degree in technical writing here in the Philippines. Maybe jolog1 can answer that for you. :)

[jolog1]

Actually, I don't know how it is here in pinas. When I was in college in the US, one of the required courses to take for my major was basic technical writing. My professor was trying to get more students to take that as their major. She said the pay was pretty high, around $40k per year starting salary (this is high at that time).

hmmm.... I think I'm off topic. Yuri was asking about technical writing software.

[woulfe27]

hello, i've been a technical writer since 1993. for starters dapat hilig mo talaga magsulat at dapat mahilig ka sa technical stuff. dapat din makulit ka so you'll get enough info from programmers, SQAs, etc. you also learn using the following tools: framemaker and robohelp - forget word, pang-resume lang yan). sa US and japan me 4-year course on tech writing. dito sa pinas wala. merun ilang short courses pero i doubt kung me experience talaga sa tech writing yung trainers nila. but the salary is really good. average salary is 50k to 80k a month for experienced tech writers. malaki kase demand pero konti supply. it took us more than half a year to finally fill up 3 tech writing positions in our company. but framemaker experience is a must for us.

[woulfe27]

sadly most companies want new tech writers to hit the ground running, meaning they don't have time to train new writers. kase nga wala namang nag-oofer ng training locally. so usually first day mo pa lang sa job sabihin sa yo "here's our new software, now write a user guide and a programmer's guide." kung me training man, it's more on the tools used, not on how to write technical documents. this books will also help: microsoft style guide and chicago manual of style. membership in the society for technical communication is also helpful. sobrang ganda ng magazines nila about tech writing.

[Bourne Supreme]

Any info on these short tech. courses?

[Japorms09]

is there a technical writing work you can do online?

[Bourne Supreme]

My bad! Tech. writing pala

[Yuri_Prime]

Thanks for the replies :)

Few months ago, I tried applying in FBM (FMB? cannot remember) Software as Technical Writer. And on interview I was asked if I have writing experience such as writing in school paper. I said I have no experience. I didn't get the job, so I figured that either I should start elsewhere as writer (not technical), or take a special course on technical writing.

jologs1>> I don't think there will be any problem in degree. I have a degree in Physics with units in Computer Electronics and programming.

sprint>>That's my main problem. The Frame Maker software. So far, FBM Software is the only company I encountered that does not require Frame Maker as computer skill for Technical Writers. (There are others but they require N years of experience.)That's the reason why I am looking for a course in technical writing. Maybe they teach Frame Maker or other Technical Writing software there.

woulfe27>> Now that you mentioned that there are short courses here in the Philippines.. care to share the info? Saang school? Paano mag-inquire? They might not be the best trainers but I need to start somewhere.

[woulfe27]

my friend used to be the head writer at fbm software. were u interviewd by nick puno? we were both tech writers at microsoft where we honed our skills in counter strike hehe.

yuri, i saw adn add about the vernon tapalla writing school, but to be honest, i wouldn't recommend that school to you kase sa tagal ko sa tech writing ngayun ko lang sila narinig. mas OK pa kung mag-OJT ka sa mga software companies. try mo GEIS sa p. tamo. look for elmer tagarino, alam ko they hire interns for documentation. pag natulor yung plano namin ng friends ko na magbukas ng tech writing school, sabihan ko kayo. you can check our credentials naman before enrolling :)

[adlaw]

10 times ang kita mo if you translate technical documents from one language to english. ;)

[Adroth]

Originally posted by adlaw
10 times ang kita mo if you translate technical documents from one language to english. ;)

Definitely. These guys are paid per word.

Originally posted by Yuri_Prime
Most Technical Writing advertisement requires you to have knowledge of this or that software.

Do I need to take short course in Technical Writing? Anyone here who knows such course?

For technical writing techniques, you might want to visit: http://www.techwr-l.com/techwhirl/index.php3

The learning curve for Framemaker is pretty steep. But with a good book, and Google, you can learn to make it sing and dance in no time.

There is more to tech writing than just using the software though.

[Adroth]

Originally posted by jolog1
It's actually a 4 year degree, not just a short course.

One of the oldest tech writers I know graduated with a degree in Medieval History. Your college degree is not a limiting factor.

. . . you have to be an expert on every subject you write about. [/B]

It definitely helps if you know the subject before hand. But if you don't, there are ways around it. Writers, especially contractors, are often asked to write about stuff that they aren't really familiar with -- and still manage to produce top rate work.

Just be honest about what you know and don't know, and you should be able to come up with a workable research arrangement with your subject matter experts. That way they know how much time they need alot to review your work for technical accuracy.

[exGS]

Originally posted by Yuri_Prime
How??

Personally, I believe you need to have the 5 core competencies listed here (http://www.asponline.com/toolsor.html).

If you do, then you just need to get a break, which usually means starting at the bottom somewhere to gain experience and get your feet wet (something that most people shifting careers to technical writing may not be willing to do).

There is actually quite a dearth of technical writing talent in the PH. I say this because from experience, the good ones (both with solid IT and writing skills) are already abroad (HK, SG, the Middle East, etc.) and not too many companies (save multinationals) are willing to pay a premium for technical writer skills. I once had an applicant whose title was "technical writer" but was basically more "executive / marketing assistant".

Most Technical Writing advertisement requires you to have knowledge of this or that software.

To break into the international technical writing job market, you need to know (at the minimum) Adobe FrameMaker and Macromedia RoboHelp. Adobe Acrobat (the full program and not just the Reader) counts more than PageMaker (which is what most filipinos know how to use).

Do I need to take short course in Technical Writing? Anyone here who knows such course?

There are quite a few, such as the professional courses offered in AIJC (http://www.asianjournalism.com.ph/pdp.htm), but I'd check the technical writing credentials of the instructor, specifically years of experience in the industry. Their "experience" may just be one or two technical writing textbooks more than yours.

A good example is a 2-day technical writing essentials course I once sent a technical writer to attend in Ateneo Rockwell Campus. What a disaster! The teacher was mostly theoretical (his MS in technical writing and 0 years working experience should've been a hint)... blathering on about "parts of the brain", "types of memory", etc. Nothing practical at all! The class unanimously failed the course and it was never offered again (I'm keeping tabs).

Anyway, this just adds to the already excellent advice previously shared by the others :)

[Adroth]

Originally posted by exGS A good example is a 2-day technical writing essentials course I once sent a technical writer to attend in Ateneo Rockwell Campus. What a disaster! The teacher was mostly theoretical (his MS in technical writing and 0 years working experience should've been a hint)... blathering on about "parts of the brain", "types of memory", etc. Nothing practical at all! The class unanimously failed the course and it was never offered again (I'm keeping tabs).
[/B]

Ey ExGS. Was wondering when you'd show up.

When did the Ateneo offer this course? What was the course called?

[soulthird]

me too... I wanted to start initially as a tech writer but the number of openings are really few.

[zareka]

there are also technical communication certificates offered by some US universities, like the extension office of UC berkeley and UC santa cruz. you can check 'em out at: http://www.unex.berkeley.edu/cert/techcom/course.html
http://www.ucsc-extension.edu/ucsc/public/category/courseCategoryCertificateProfile.do?method=load&certificateId=180

i wonder, though, if taking these certificate courses will increase one's marketability in the U.S.? I originally planned to pursue a master's degree in technical communication, but I am now considering taking a certificate course instead because it is cheaper.

advice from tech writing gurus in this thread will be much appreciated. also, can you comment on the certificate programs of the two universities mentioned? do the courses they offer meet the requirements of employers?

thanks a lot!

[Rugal 3:16]

I wanna venture into Tech writing too..

although I DID send my resume via E-mail to WWE with a FULL cover letter (I wanted to become a writer for them so they would stop producing silly storylines like marriage angles and T&A searchs)

anyway back to topic how vast or small is the market for Tech writers here.???

[altair]

these may help:

guidance on medical device labeling from the USFDA


http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/ohip/guidance/1128.pdf

http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/dsma/897.pdf

[altair]

pardon my ignorance,

what is so special with Adobe Framemaker?

[altair]

one easy way of getting into technical writing is to work for a north asian company (Jap or Korean)

[Adroth]

Originally posted by zareka i wonder, though, if taking these certificate courses will increase one's marketability in the U.S.? I originally planned to pursue a master's degree in technical communication, but I am now considering taking a certificate course instead because it is cheaper.


These courses are a dime a dozen. They may help, but not much. There are tech writers in the US with over 20 years of experience that are still out of work.

A writer in our company, who'd been writing since 1981 and had extensive experience in Linux kernel documentation, left the company to pursue a job that didn't pan out. After a protracted search for an alternative, she ended up coming back. Lucky for her, we recently increased our head count.

If you already have writing credentials, and want to break into tech writing, I'd recommend looking into technology certifications.

[Adroth]

Originally posted by altair
one easy way of getting into technical writing is to work for a north asian company (Jap or Korean)

Taiwan and Mainland China are desperate for writers. But growth prospects for the mainland, in the long term, appear brighter.

[Adroth]

Originally posted by altair
pardon my ignorance,

what is so special with Adobe Framemaker?

Its steadily displacing MS Word as the standard for manuals and the like. Its powerful, but is a pain to learn from scratch.

[Adroth]

Here's an idea of what a newbie tech writer in the US is up against. A lot of these types of writers are "in between jobs", so it gets pretty competitive. This is an excerpt from a farewell letter of one of our contractors:

As I return to the job market, I'd really appreciate it if you keep your eyes and ears open on my behalf. As I've been here as in the capacity of technical writer, some of you might not know that my major career interest is web development. On the back end (at the server) I am most experienced coding in Perl, Python, or PHP on UNIX or Linux platforms, but I also know enough Java to be able to readily pick up JSP, and I have enough experience with the Microsoft server environment to adapt there as well. Along the way I have become a pretty good self-taught relational database designer, and though it's not a particular expertise, I can handle setting up and configuring servers and general sys admin stuff too. On the front end (the client web browser) I'm very adept at writing standards-compliant HTML, XHTML, Cascading Style Sheets, and JavaScript, and at handling browser quirks and incompatibilities. Though I'm not an artist by any means I can work with all kinds of media tools -- images, audio, video.

That's the kind of stuff I most like to do, but I can do anything related that's interesting.

Then there's technical writing, and though it's my second choice, I'm very experienced and good at it, and being a programmer/techie type, I've learned to use the tools (Word, FrameMaker, RoboHelp, etc.) at a far deeper level than the average person. I'm also somewhat interested (though by nature I'm somewhat disinclined towards management or supervisory work) about the notion of putting together a documentation department for a start-up or a small, growing firm -- my years of experience in this arena have given me a lot of insight into what the common problems are and how to do things right.

This guy also has a BS and MS in Physics, and has been writing since 1992.

[zareka]

thanks for your insights adroth = )

[exGS]

Originally posted by Adroth
Ey ExGS. Was wondering when you'd show up.

When did the Ateneo offer this course? What was the course called?
Happy New Year, Adroth. When I saw you replying to this thread, I *knew* I had to participate as well ;)

The Ateneo course was called "Technical and Professional Writing Program" and was held last July 2003. I believe they've focused more on business writing and general English communication eversince.

[exGS]

Originally posted by Adroth
These courses are a dime a dozen. They may help, but not much. There are tech writers in the US with over 20 years of experience that are still out of work.

If you already have writing credentials, and want to break into tech writing, I'd recommend looking into technology certifications.

I fully agree with Adroth on this one. WHERE you get a techwriting education may help you compete against other newbie writers but EXPERIENCE (e.g., where have you worked or what have you written) will help more than anything.

Also, you should realize that "technical writing" has different meanings depending on the company or industry. For most IT companies, this means writing volumnious as-thick-as-the-yellow-pages user manuals for customers. However, in some cases, this may mean documenting programming standards or internal processes, which are for internal use only. For some, it may mean maintaining website or intranet content in collaboration with a webmaster. Still for others, it may mean a glorified secretarial or executive assistant position or even a sales / marketing support role. Best to read the fine print ;)

I'm actually appalled that some companies choose techwriters with IT certifications over those with better English comm skills. :eek: I believe this is because it is more expensive to train someone in IT than English. And since we're usually writing for a global audience (most of which don't have English as their primary language), a writer with 90% English accuracy with some IT skill / understanding is better than one with 99% English accuracy with no IT skill.

Anyway, if you go for IT certification, be sure to get one that helps you get the techwriting job you want. For example, Microsoft wouldn't hire you as a techwriter regardless of how many Linux certs you may have but IBM may give you a 2nd look.

Finally, regardless of how high-tech a techwriting career sounds, it is still very much a "networking" industry, where referrals from other techwriters will count more than sent-in resumes or walk-in applications. In the end, technical writing is more a social service than an IT skill :cool:

[exGS]

Originally posted by Adroth
Taiwan and Mainland China are desperate for writers. But growth prospects for the mainland, in the long term, appear brighter.

Another 2nd-the-motion to Adroth. As companies move their business to China then so to do their back-end operations including technical writing. However, to increase your chances, you'll have to be fluent in Mandarin.

I actually know quite a few people who went into techwriting careers because of the opportunity to go abroad. However, the trend is that such work is being offshored HERE.

If you want to know where techwriting jobs will be based for a particular company or industry, take a look at where their product development teams are located. This is because techwriters who do user manuals / documentation are generally positioned with these teams ;)

[woulfe27]

i attended an STC (Society for Technical Communications) in sacramenmto, CA, last month. i was sponsored by my company. and there really are tech writers there who are out of work, kase naka-outsource na yung jobs nila sa india and philippines. our office in california used to have 4 tech writers, now there's only one writer there. but we have a five-person documentation team in manila and a three-person team in india.

exGS is right, mas madali para sa tech writers makakuha ng informatyion kung katabi lang nila yung mga developers. and why would foreign companies pay $6000 a month for tech writers abroad, when they can get a tech writer in manila for $1000 to $1500 a month? laking tipid nga naman.

usually ngayon nagkakatalo na lang sa software/authoring tools na alam ng applicants. kahit parehong magaling, kung marunong ng framemaker or robohelp yung isa, syempre dun ka na. para first day pa lang pwede mo na bigyan ng trabaho. :)

abour framemaker, we initially asked edupro, inc., to provide our new writers with advance framemaker training so we won't have to do it ourselves. sabi nila kaya nila, kaso nung dumating yunf trainer, kahit basic framemaker hindi pala nya alam, pero inamin naman nya. mabuti pa puntahan nyo site na to: www.frameusers.com.

BTW, lahat ng writers sa microsoft great plains dati walang IT certifications. iba-iba rin tinapos namin. me engineer, me ab english lit, me pol sci, me masscom. so wala talaga sa course yan. siempre pag programmer's guide ang gagawin mo, advantage na me alam ka sa coding kahit papano. :)

[Adroth]

Originally posted by woulfe27
[B]i attended an STC (Society for Technical Communications) in sacramenmto, CA, last month.

How are your efforts to organize a Philippine chapter of the STC?

[woulfe27]

mahal org fee. Abot ng $5,000 all in all last tim e na nag-inquire kami :( magmember na lang din kayo. $145/year, kasama na yung magazines :)

[Yuri_Prime]

Originally posted by exGS
If you do, then you just need to get a break, which usually means starting at the bottom somewhere to gain experience and get your feet wet (something that most people shifting careers to technical writing may not be willing to do).


That' what exactly I wanted to know? Where is this "bottom" from where I can start? I don't think I need skills for abroad as of the moment. :)

Originally posted by woulfe27
yuri, i saw adn add about the vernon tapalla writing school, but to be honest, i wouldn't recommend that school to you kase sa tagal ko sa tech writing ngayun ko lang sila narinig. mas OK pa kung mag-OJT ka sa mga software companies. try mo GEIS sa p. tamo. look for elmer tagarino, alam ko they hire interns for documentation. pag natulor yung plano namin ng friends ko na magbukas ng tech writing school, sabihan ko kayo. you can check our credentials naman before enrolling :) [/B]

Puwede pa bang mag-OJT ang graduate na??

[Adroth]

Hi Yuri,

We might be in a better position to provide advice if we knew what you currently have to work with.

You mentioned that you have a degree in Physics, major in Computer Science. That gives us an idea as to the industry for which you might be suited. (tech writers aren't limited to IT, so we've narrowed things down a bit).

Can you share more details?

What sort of writing have you done?

This may sound like a dumb question, but we really should get it out of the way as well. Do you really like to write?

[Adroth]

This might help beef up one's resume. Note, no advertisement nor endorsement implied.

Check it out: http://www.geocities.com/v1rtualaussie/

Quote from the Web site:

Join the writing pool and earn Australian Dollars!!. For less than a week's work, you can earn up to AUD 150 (PHP6,000+/- depending on the exchange rate)!

Process:

(1) We understand the market.
(2) We create the opportunity.
(3) You perform the job.
(4) We deliver it to market.
(5) You get paid!


http://www.geocities.com/v1rtualaussie/how-diag.gif

[jiggybabymiggz]

Hello to all you technical writer peeps in here. All i can say is that Technical Writing is not just confined in Software Dev. You are also considered a technical writer if you do Business Process Documentation (Process, Flows). So, Technical Writing requires keen systems & process analysis and not just knowing whatever software for documentation is available. Technical Writing may also be present in Marketing, wherein, you'll be in-charge for maintaining website contents or producing brochures. It would depend on what area of Technical Writing you'll function or enjoy the best but it would not hurt if you at least have exposure to these technical writing area. The more you know, the better your marketability. Demands are great here for Technical Writers but the resources are few, which kind of makes it lucrative nowaday. Hello adroth, i can still remember your nick from way back in a different thread but with the same topic.

[Adroth]

Ey Jiggy, Happy New Year. Yup, am the same bloke on this one:

Technical Writer (http://www.pinoyexchange.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=148854&perpage=40&pagenumber=1)

Roger that on tech writing not being limited to software. One of the people I currently work with once documented a baggage handling system in an airport.

How's the CMM / IEEE work going?

Any word on "therealkiller". He was newbie writer in the old thread, and his experience would be perfect for this one.

[Forbidden_Amber]

Hello!!!!

I can still recall the names i see here.. i think they are the same people i asked in another thread when i was trying to apply for a tech writing position way back then. unfortunately, i wasn'table to pass the final interview exam in that company but still i want to shift to tech writing...

Q: Do i have to enrol in some IT certifications if i want to pursue this field?

[Adroth]

Keep trying Amber. The job with your name on it is out there.

Certifications are advised, but not a must.

Have you tried some freelance work?

[exGS]

Originally posted by Yuri_Prime
That' what exactly I wanted to know? Where is this "bottom" from where I can start?

The "bottom" could be at your current company. You just need to look for opportunities to exercise your writing skills. Is there a need somewhere to do training materials? Process (how-to) documentation? Company website content?

Try getting involved in these as much as possible... this will give you some practice while at the same time make you realize if you really want this type of career shift or not (it might just be a passing fancy). Such output can also be used when applying for entry-level technical writing positions as sample work.

I once hired a guy as a techwriter because he volunteered to document and produce the operations manual for his previous company.

[Adroth]

Originally posted by exGS
The "bottom" could be at your current company. You just need to look for opportunities to exercise your writing skills.

<edited>

I once hired a guy as a techwriter because he volunteered to document and produce the operations manual for his previous company.

My turn to agree with ExGS on this one. :D

This example is actually mirrors how I got in the door in my current company. I had school-based writing experience that I could show during the interview. But my resume almost got thrown out because my degree wasn't an obvious fit for the job. My coming from a provincial school didn't help matters either. There were over 60 applicants when I applied, so competition was pretty stiff.

Happily the company recruitement officer prided himself with being able to find talent in odd places, and took time to give his stack of "on-the-way-to-the-trash" resumes one last look. He later told me that what saved me was an odd-ball software development and documentation project that I undertook to have myself transferred from my previous job's branch in Davao to the Makati head office.

I had originally planned to use that project as a springboard to get into my company's IT department. Little did I know that it was actually a ticket to a more rewarding career.

[woulfe27]

my first writing job was at innodata. i was an abstractor/indexer/editor for almost 6 years. there were some technical articles that required abstracts and index terms, and they were usually assigned to me. after that, transition to tech writing was very easy.

[exGS]

Might as well come clean like Adroth and Woulfe 27 :angel:

Eventually discovered I had a knack for writing research papers, dissertations, and extension publications while taking Economics in college.

Soon realized that there wasn't much of a local market for my degree. Worked for a USAID project in DENR for two years, where I did more research and even some training materials, which kept my skills sharp.

Jumped to corporate, where my previous experience was enough to land a documentation stint in a B2B company. Its basically where the heavens opened up and I finally realized I could build a CAREER around my English communication skills :)

After a year, I moved on to my current employer, where I've finally taken root and have stayed more than 3 years, helping manage a global English knowledge base of technical support information for our customers (probably the only one in the PH to do so?).

Woulfe mentioned Innodata, which I usually consider an advantage when screening techwriter applicants given the work ethic and environment in this now closed (?) company. Same goes for (in no necessary order) Global Sources, Diwa, and any major bank's training department, all of which generally give good foundation skills for tomorrow's techwriters. But thats just my opinion ;)

[Forbidden_Amber]

Keep trying Amber. The job with your name on it is out there.
Certifications are advised, but not a must.
Have you tried some freelance work?

Thanks for the advice... Not yet. I would take in even a volunteer work on tech writing to hone my skills and at least to have a picture what is it like to do it.

:-)

[jiggybabymiggz]

my first writing job was at innodata. i was an abstractor/indexer/editor for almost 6 years. there were some technical articles that required abstracts and index terms, and they were usually assigned to me. after that, transition to tech writing was very easy.
I was also with Innodata for 2 years, way back '99-'01. I was not in production though but in a support department doing technical writing jobs. Hint: we prepare everything for a project before handing them over to production

[woulfe27]

jiggy, so kilala mo si john santos and hope nuyda? siola yung mga kasabay ko sa innodata way back in 1992. di na sila nakaalis dun hehe

[Yuri_Prime]

Hi Yuri,

We might be in a better position to provide advice if we knew what you currently have to work with.

You mentioned that you have a degree in Physics, major in Computer Science. That gives us an idea as to the industry for which you might be suited. (tech writers aren't limited to IT, so we've narrowed things down a bit).

Can you share more details?

What sort of writing have you done?

This may sound like a dumb question, but we really should get it out of the way as well. Do you really like to write?

Hi Adroth!

No, they don't sound dumb questions to me.

Do I really like to write? Yes definitely!

I am not sure if this will count. I write manuals and exams for a tutorial center as part-time. I am currently working on an entrance exam manual. Will these credentials put me in significant advantage on applying as technical writer?

My full time work is document abstractor. But we deal with legal documents, and I do not see any connection between legal stuff and the skills in technical writing.

Thanks for helping me :)

The "bottom" could be at your current company. You just need to look for opportunities to exercise your writing skills. Is there a need somewhere to do training materials? Process (how-to) documentation? Company website content?

Try getting involved in these as much as possible... this will give you some practice while at the same time make you realize if you really want this type of career shift or not (it might just be a passing fancy). Such output can also be used when applying for entry-level technical writing positions as sample work.

I once hired a guy as a techwriter because he volunteered to document and produce the operations manual for his previous company.

In the company where I work as an abstractor, they are currently looking for volunteers for the online newsletter. I would like to join, however the abstractor work is a 3 months contract that will end on February, anyway, I do not have any plan to stay long with that company. Do you think is it worth my time to join the newsletter volunteer if I only have one month remaining?

[sips coffee]

For all of those who posted in this thread, thanks for all your replies. Sorry if I cannot respond to all of them. I really appreciate your help but I don't have much time.

:)

[Adroth]

I am not sure if this will count. I write manuals and exams for a tutorial center as part-time. I am currently working on an entrance exam manual. Will these credentials put me in significant advantage on applying as technical writer?

This sounds promising. At least your not starting with a blank page.

What sort of tutorial center?

My full time work is document abstractor. But we deal with legal documents, and I do not see any connection between legal stuff and the skills in technical writing.

There's more being a technical writer than just writing :angel:

On more than one occasion, I've been given favorable job evaluations because of the way I piece together information for my docs. I attribute that to my past experience as an investigator.

I'm sure, one way or another, that you've learned some skills in your present job that you'll find useful when you finally break into tech writing. They may not necessarily help you get in the door, but they might keep you in.

In the company where I work as an abstractor, they are currently looking for volunteers for the online newsletter. I would like to join, however the abstractor work is a 3 months contract that will end on February, anyway, I do not have any plan to stay long with that company. Do you think is it worth my time to join the newsletter volunteer if I only have one month remaining?

If participating in the newsletter doesn't get in the way of other more worthwhile activities, I'd advise you to go for it. It'll give you more material to add to your resume.

[Yuri_Prime]

Thanks for the advice Adroth. I just submitted some portfolio to the newsletter.

I am having difficulty finding time to post here in PEx. I hope this thread will be help to anyone who also aspires to be Technical Writer.

[Adroth]

I hope this thread will be help to anyone who also aspires to be Technical Writer.

I just discovered that the Tech Writing discussion we had the other year has been deleted. Man, that thread had a lot of really cool stuff.

Might be a good idea to bump this thread every now and then. Sound off guys.

[sneaker23]

hi guys, i thought abstractors and indexers are in your field..
i am lukin at an opportunity either of the two.

there's this opening for eng'g abstractors and eng'g indexers.

ofcourse, compensation is relevant but which of the two, im not familiar on each exact day to day work but im a graduate of eng'g.

any1 who can shed light to facilitate my decisions..

TIA

[woulfe27]

hi guys, i thought abstractors and indexers are in your field..
i am lukin at an opportunity either of the two.

there's this opening for eng'g abstractors and eng'g indexers.

ofcourse, compensation is relevant but which of the two, im not familiar on each exact day to day work but im a graduate of eng'g.

any1 who can shed light to facilitate my decisions..

TIA

bro, when you say abstracting, you write the abstract of ang eineering article, then you add the index terms (at least, that's what we did at Innodata).

if pure indexing lang, you just read the main article and enter index entries based on what the article is all about.

siempre, mas malaki bayad sa abstracts with index (10 years ago mga P30/abstract). indices mga P12/index. when we were at Inno, most of us can fnish 50 abstracts per day. so that's P1.5k a day - a lot of money 10 years ago (pero hindi na ngayon).

[sneaker23]

ic.
now i want to know typical monthly salary of the two
i mean, entry level salary? i think they provide training.

Thanks

[woulfe27]

it depends on how fast you index or write abstracts. kase sa innodata noon, we were paid per abstract/index. typically, sa innodata 10 years ago 20K to 30K ang sweldo ng abstractor/indexer.

[Adroth]

Hi Karellen,

The discussions on this thread will be of interest to you.

[exGS]

Hmmm... interesting. Does a career as an abstractor or indexer translate into a technical writing career? :naughty:

The answer lies in the individual, specifically the skill set and personal inclination.

For skill set, I think rock solid English writing skills serve both well so its easy to jump between the two (e.g., woulfe professes to being such a success story since he mentioned Innodata).

For personal inclination, are you more a WRITER or an EDITOR? Why is the difference important? EDITORS need source material to improve upon but have trouble filling up a blank page with content. I've noticed editors can easily become abstractors and indexers, but need more adjustment to be technical writers. WRITERS are the opposite... have trouble abstracting since they want to express themselves, but just need to learn or catch up with IT to be good technical writers.

Lucky for you if you're both WRITER AND EDITOR! This is very rare (like being ambidextrous is rare) and I'm usually skeptical when somebody says they are both. Parang sinabi mo na rin na ikaw ay "doctor and nurse" ;)

[castelgarde]

hi guys! i just want to ask if there are institutes/schools that offer short courses on technical writing? or companies which you know of that accepts interns/trainees on technical writing/documentation?

i'm a com sci student and i just graduated last aug. searching for jobs online, i noticed that many companies are looking applicants with a minimum of 1 year work experience related to the field. i'm wondering if my experience during my ojt in writing a technical manual would have a significant weight if ever i decided to apply on such companies i mentioned above. and another experience i have is that i (most of time) take the responsibility of being the writer/editor of the documentations for the projects we had in college.

thanks,
alvin

[Adroth]

For personal inclination, are you more a WRITER or an EDITOR? Why is the difference important? EDITORS need source material to improve upon but have trouble filling up a blank page with content. I've noticed editors can easily become abstractors and indexers, but need more adjustment to be technical writers. WRITERS are the opposite... have trouble abstracting since they want to express themselves, but just need to learn or catch up with IT to be good technical writers.

Interesting observation exGS. This would explain a lot of the behavior I noticed in my previous department.

[woulfe27]

hehe i remember when i was an editor sa innodata, madaming nagalit na writers sa kin. kse raw masyado "masakit" comments ko mga abstracts nila. kase naman, mali mali yung grammar, as in yung iba di nila alam yung subject-verb agreement. some of them told me that instead of giving harsh criticisms dapat daw turuan na lang sila ng correct grammar. por dyos por santo equals eight, nag-apply sila ng writing position tapos gusto nila tuturuan sila ng correct grammar? di ba dapat given na yun na pag writing job ang gusto, you have a good grasp of English grammar? so sinagot ko sila, sabi ko" kung gusto nyo matuto ng correct grammar, bumalik kayo sa high school." after that HR sent me a memo. so sabi ko sa HR, sila ang palpak kse di dapat nakalusot sa tests nila yung mga applicants na ganun. tameme sila. :bop:

yung isa namang barkada ko na editor din (still works with Innodata, now ESS), sobrang bait. he rewrote entirely the poorly written abstracts by some writers. ang nangyari, sya na lang nagsulat ng abstracts, nag-encode na lang yung mga writers. e P5 lang per abstract ang editing e.

sa current job ko naman, we do peer-to-peer editing. so all of us are editors (with one senior editor). sanay na ko sa ganitong trabaho, pero yung iba naming junior writers halata na hindi pa sanay (or takot) mag-edit. so sabi ko sa kanila, they shouldn't worry na baka ma-offend yung iba sa edits nila kse kasama sa trabaho ng writer ang tumanggap ng feedback from editors. *okay*

[Adroth]

so sabi ko sa kanila, they shouldn't worry na baka ma-offend yung iba sa edits nila kse kasama sa trabaho ng writer ang tumanggap ng feedback from editors. *okay*

Agreed. Its hard to edit one's own work, so third-party comments will always be handy.

[exGS]

sa current job ko naman, we do peer-to-peer editing. so all of us are editors (with one senior editor). sanay na ko sa ganitong trabaho, pero yung iba naming junior writers halata na hindi pa sanay (or takot) mag-edit. so sabi ko sa kanila, they shouldn't worry na baka ma-offend yung iba sa edits nila kse kasama sa trabaho ng writer ang tumanggap ng feedback from editors. *okay*

Agreed. Its hard to edit one's own work, so third-party comments will always be handy.

Ditto on what Woulfe and Adroth have said. Anyone who isn't open to having his or her work reviewed by others or can't take comments or criticism regarding his or her output probably shouldn't be in the technical writing field (or part of the human race for that matter! :naughty:).

The trick is not to take things personally (even if sometimes it is!) and learning as much as you can from how others view your work. Peer reviews and 3rd-party comments can definitely go a long way in helping you improve - and succeed as a technical writer.

I personally believe a technical writer should spell SUCCESS not by the number of publications or projects done or how fast and efficiently deadlines are met - this may help you advance your career but you'd be missing the point :bop:

Its all about CUSTOMER SATISFACTION! *okay* The best writers know their audiences and find ways to make their output both useful and relevant to their users - sometimes within very strict corporate guidelines and writing style limitations.

[Adroth]

Its all about CUSTOMER SATISFACTION! *okay* The best writers know their audiences and find ways to make their output both useful and relevant to their users - sometimes within very strict corporate guidelines and writing style limitations.

Guys,

What are your thoughts on writing metrics?

[Blue Zoo]

Do you mean actually creating metrics for the company to use?

Metrics are not really a technical writer's job. Writing and making tests are completely different skills. Perhaps someone in QA would have some commonality but a tech writer writing metrics would be using purely logic and not really job experience to do that.

To me, testing and such is no joke. The danger when you decide on criteria and values to judge other people is that you might end up unfairly representing them.

[roxyd3428]

Lucky for you if you're both WRITER AND EDITOR! This is very rare (like being ambidextrous is rare) and I'm usually skeptical when somebody says they are both. Parang sinabi mo na rin na ikaw ay "doctor and nurse" ;)

di naman ex GS - all you need is a dleibrate shift of mindset to switch to both.
the good editors are almost always writers because they will know how to let the writer express the idea in a way that the writer's voice will shine through.
the editors just know when to hit the brakes (logorrhea, anybody?)

writers also need to be editors as well. as originators/developers/authors, they know that the first step to clear expression is precision ..... ;-)

[Adroth]

Do you mean actually creating metrics for the company to use?

Metrics for determining the quality of a document. In your opinion, what makes a good document, and how is it measured?

[Adroth]

writers also need to be editors as well. as originators/developers/authors, they know that the first step to clear expression is precision ..... ;-)

I believe exGS's skepticism towards editors comes from the observation that they tend to be grammarians who focus too much on the minutia, at the expense of the overall purpose of the document. They'd prefer to focus more on wordsmithing, than researching and verifying -- which is really half the tech writing game. I've seen some of this behavior myself.

I'm not saying writing perfectly worded documents is not important. But what use is a perfectly written technical document that either doesn't say anything or contains inaccurate information?

Precision in tech writing goes beyond merely choosing the right word or paragraph / document structure.

[Adroth]

Time to bump this thread :)

[Blue Zoo]

Metrics for determining the quality of a document. In your opinion, what makes a good document, and how is it measured?

Wow, that's a tough one. I, like most, have an idea of a good doc when i read one, but to quantify what makes it good is difficult.

I can say that a good doc should be accurate, clear, organized and complete. If any of these qualities are missing, it cannot be a good document. I suppose then that if I had to quantitatively rate a doc, I'd use these metrics to do it.

[Adroth]

Wow, that's a tough one. I, like most, have an idea of a good doc when i read one, but to quantify what makes it good is difficult.

I can say that a good doc should be accurate, clear, organized and complete. If any of these qualities are missing, it cannot be a good document. I suppose then that if I had to quantitatively rate a doc, I'd use these metrics to do it.

Yup. This is indeed a tough one.

I wonder what Wolfe, and Madf have to say.

[madfedaykin]

Yup. This is indeed a tough one.

I wonder what Wolfe, and Madf have to say.

A tough one indeed. Here's a good set of guidelines from a book written by technical information folks at IBM. (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0131477498/sr=1-1/qid=1155115650/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-8792290-0839860?ie=UTF8&s=books)

Technical Documentation must be:
Task oriented
Accurate
Complete
Clear
Correct
Stylistically appropriate
Well-organized
Retrievable
Visually effective

These quality measures are discussed in detail in the book. They also mentioned a few more quality characteristics that are related to those above like conciseness, consistency, preciseness, readability, relevance, simplicity.

The book is a good reference for Information Development teams trying to develop their own writing standards. Some guidelines are biased toward DITA (Darwin Information Typing Architecture) so some topics may not apply to teams which do not implement structured writing or CMS/XML or DITA.

[james1979]

Hi guys,

I know I might be 2-3 years late in participating in this post. I sadly, only saw this forum after searching through the net for information on technical writing careers. Your posts have been very interesting and helpful.

Like you guys, I enjoy writing. For the past few years, my work involved a lot of writing. However since the companies I have worked for are small companies (in Brunei Darussalam), we had to do a lot of multitasking. Writing is a just a part of the many jobs I have. But, its the favorite part of my job.

I have been a Quality Assurance Coordinator for a number of food companies. As QA, my job involved a lot of documentation development (including implementation) of Procedures, flow charts, Quality manuals, Food Safety manuals, Employee rules manuals and others. (some of the manuals have been certified by Third party Auditors)In some I was the subject matter expert on others I merely did the re-writing. editing and format checking as well as translating from Bahasa Melayu to English.

Having experienced all that, I realized that it was the documentation development which I enjoyed the most. Thus I tried to search for careers which focused a great deal on documentation development and fortunately, late last year, I stumbled upon technical writing while I was surfing the net. There and then, after browsing through the job profiles of technical writers, I realized that it was the career I wanted to do for at least the next chapter of my career.

Now, I want pursue this field much more. To start , I have applied for a diploma in computer science program (I have a bachelor’s degree in Microbiology) which I hope to get accepted soon and I’m trying to learn more graphic programs to supplement my writing

My reason for writing is that in would like ask for advice on what to do next. Actually I’m pretty unsure on how to start to advertise myself as technical writer. I am 29 year man old (who recently became
A father so I need more income) with at least 5 years of policy and procedure manual writing (Food Manufacturing Industry).

Any advice for a newbie like me?

Thank guys


James

[madfedaykin]

Hi James,

This might help: http://www.ittc.up.edu.ph/shortcourses.html#tc

Check out the outline of the "Technical Communication for IT" short course. I think they rescheduled the classes to start in April.

[james1979]

Hi Madfedaykin

Thanks for your reply. I checked out the website you gave me and it was for informative. Sadly, as much as I would love to take the affordable courses, I am based in Brunei Darussalam. The courses offered here are a bit on the expensive side and having a kid, I simply cannot afford to study here. Anyhow, I have applied to UP Open university for a diploma in Computer science. I hope I get accepted.

In you opinion, with my background in management system development, do I stand a chance in shifting to technical writing career? I am very keen on returning to the philippines to pursue this career.

Are you still doing technical writing related work?

[exGS]

In you opinion, with my background in management system development, do I stand a chance in shifting to technical writing career? I am very keen on returning to the philippines to pursue this career.

I don't see a whole lot of technical writing jobs being advertised anymore (or maybe I'm just looking in the wrong places?) - and it would appear the ones I've scanned recently would consider you over-qualified and may hire someone else since they wouldn't have to match your salary in Brunei.

For most technical writers (at least in my circles), the career options are:
1) move up the ladder (e.g., become a manager),
2) go freelance,
3) stay put
4) bring your communication skills as a strength into another career.

For James1979, maybe a career as an Auditor or a similar Quality professional will do (given the work experience you've mentioned). If computers is what you really like, try to see which jobs require good communication skills (e.g., project manager, business analyst, etc.) so you can differentiate yourself from the rest of the field.

Regardless, good luck!

[madfedaykin]

In you opinion, with my background in management system development, do I stand a chance in shifting to technical writing career? I am very keen on returning to the philippines to pursue this career.

Are you still doing technical writing related work?

Hi James1979,

Yes, I am still in the technical communication field.

I don't see why a company that requires documentation in areas that you have experience in would not want to hire you. You could be hired to document Quality Management or Process Improvement methodologies, something that I do now. Some food manufacturing company may want to have their regulatory documents updated and maintained by someone who has experience in food safety. An IT company developing solutions for the food industry may want to hire you to document client requirements.

There seems to be no limit to the domains that a technical communicator can specialize in. Also, technical writers can come from different educational or career backgrounds. One technical writer (a former boss) who I look up to for her IT technical knowledge, and information architecture skills was a former marine biologist.

Whether or not there are companies with requirements for technical communicators of your skills, at the time that you are looking for a job is a different story. T'yagaan lang siguro sa kakahanap and kakahintay for the right opportunity. Find time to read techcom forums (e.g. www.techwr-l.com), or read the free online articles from STC (http://www.stc.org/intercom/Index.asp) to familiarize yourself with other opportunities in the field.

Good luck!

[Orly4Ever]

Hi. I'm an out-of-work Java/JEE programmer- thanks to the Lehman brothers!! :( I have a knack for writing which I want to rekindle. I used to be a technical writer; wrote single-handedly two professional-looking manuals for the software that a certain bank used. Writing is my second passion, next to programming and I'm advertising myself here in case anybody wants to hire me as a technical writer.

I have used Robohelp before so that's one less learning curve. Now all I need to do is learn FrameMaker (reading this entire blog, led me to believe it's invaluable) which I intend to learn while I'm on my "honeymoon" :)

You won't regret it, I assure you. From my previous jobs - not related to technical writing - I've been complimented many times on my writing skills whenever I had to document something.

Thanks for bearing with me. :)

[james1979]

Ex GS, Madfedaykin,

Thank you all for all the advices. I don’t know has gotten into me. I have been working for a long time as a QA and yet it is the beginning part where in I start to organize scattered bits and pieces of information in order to come up with manual that really gets me going. In my job I also Manage/supervise quite a number of people but truthfully, I care more for the development of the documentation rather than the day to day running of the QA system. That is the reason I want to venture in to real tech wiring/communicating where in my scope of work is just the development of the manuals.

Project based writing is what I see myself doing in the future not only of QA systems but of the marriage between TQM/QA and information systems which I see most online companies provide.

I am very excited whenever I have to design formulas in spreadsheets even thought I know that is just a simple excel process. The prospect of organizing scattered or inadequate documented information for future clients and building thorough information systems which encompasses not only the core business processes but also the sub-processes and providing them with a manual which covers the IS and the integrated management system excites me tremendously.

I honestly don’t know how to achieve my dream but I am taking small baby steps like participating in this forum as well as going back to school. I am also having talks with a future partner (a friend of mine, whose father owns a local film studio, and also does the hardware and software maintenance of their computer editing equipment).

Anyhow, I’m starting my studies in June, I have registered for Odesk. (No clients yet hehe), I am furiously documenting my current company's business processes to achieve TQM and like a sponge I am absorbing all of the training that our TQM consultant is giving me to improve myself.

Thank you all.

TO ORLYF4EVER-good luck on your job-hunt.