What industries employ technical writers? It is really hard not to answer ‘all of them’. Yes, this profession is quite popular now, and many spheres require tech writing specialists. When you know where exactly you can find employment, you have the opportunity of weighing out your options and choosing what’s best for you personally.
This article will tell you about the fields that are hiring technical writers like there’s no tomorrow. You might also be interested in another post on our blog called Salaries of Technical Writers 2018; with these two topics covered, you are all set to start your job search.
IT
This is probably the first professional field everyone thinks about when mentioning technical writing. Any type of software requires a user manual, and the IT industry keeps growing. Augmented reality, the IoT, the mobile sector… it seems like these spheres are going to have massive extension in the future, so, looking for a vacancy there is a great idea.
Engineering
There’s no software without hardware. Also, engineering is much more than just computers. And, it is here to stay, which is good news, since it has been always playing a huge role in employment of technical writers.
As you know, usually, there are no specific requirements concerning a tech writer’s background, although, in engineering, being a techy would be nice. Quite often, the main goal of technical writing in engineering is to simplify and break down a complex system for readers to be able to process it. Actually, this principle will still be true for tech writing in general, but engineering is the field where simplifying and adjusting information really enters the picture. By the way, we have an article that can help you figure out how suitable you are for a career in tech comm as far as personal characteristics of a good technical writer are concerned.
Overall, engineering is a great field for building a career as a tech writer.
Science and Healthcare
In this industry, some specific background (depending on the science field) would be nice. If we take medicine and healthcare as an example, we will see that, quite often, technical writers in this sphere come from being a physician or another medical professional. But, of course, there are tech writers without any medical background who are creating content through thorough research.
What kind of technical documentation exists in healthcare? Often, these are pharmaceutical and regulatory documents, some educational content, medical articles.
So, in conclusion, we can say that science industries are open for tech writers with any background, but you might just feel more comfortable having an applicable degree.
Aerospace Industry
This is one of the most exotic and yet popular employers of technical writing specialists. To reach the stars, to fly to the Moon…this sounds awesome! Of course, this, sadly, has nothing to do with technical writing, but still being employed by a spaceship building company does add a nice touch to it.
Even without actually landing on the Moon, being a technical writing specialist in the aerospace industry means directly participating in all these unbelievable things like helping humanity explore outer space. This industry is also highly interested in hiring techcomm specialists.
Conclusion
We have enlisted the biggest and most influential industries that employ tech writers. But, the truth is, technical writing is needed in so many fields that everyone can not only find a job but find it in the sphere they are personally interested in.
Good luck with your technical writing!
ClickHelp Team
Author, host and deliver documentation across platforms and devices