Careers in Technical Writing
As long as manufacturers keep producing technology-oriented products,
technical writers are needed to explain their operation and communicate their
benefits to users. The need for technical writers is increasing as the market
recovers from the recession of 2000.
Technical writing is a fascinating and lucrative career choice for
many reasons, including opportunities to:
Develop a wide range of skills including writing, page layout, book design,
graphic design, Web development, training, and videography
Express your creativity in a variety of media and formats
Learn new subjects—from the experts!
Find work in almost any industry you like
Be involved in interesting programs throughout the product development cycle
Interact with a wide variety of subject matter experts and users
Develop diagnostic and problem-solving skills to anticipate and solve problems for users
Be a valuable member of great project and writing teams
Help other team members achieve their goals by assisting with planning,
organizing, and project management
Position yourself for career growth within technical writing or expanding out to
other areas such as management, marketing, advertising, and consulting
Take pride in the great manuals, brochures, Web sites, videos, training material, CD-ROMs,
and other work product you produce
Besides being a fun and interesting job, technical writing is also lucrative.
According to the salary center at Monster.com,
entry-level technical writing positions in the San Jose, California area
command annual salaries ranging from $42,505 to $55,553. Senior level positions pay up to $96,821 and
supervisors may break the $100,000 mark. (Data obtained from the Monster.com Web site 6/5/2005.)
If you are thinking about a career change and technical writing sounds like it might
be a good career for you, consider enrolling in TWRT 61, Introduction to Technical Writing,
to find out what it's all about. Enrolling at De Anza is easy and De Anza
strives to keep students' costs low. Visit De Anza's
admissions page to
learn how to enroll at De Anza College
and how to continue on to earn a certificate in technical writing—a valuable addition to any
technical writer's resume!
