Do you ever wake up and just want to dive right in, without first having to plan your day? You can pretty much set your clock by now, waiting for the red signal to arrive. It’s not everyday that you get that excited about a job, is it?
You can get really creative with your approach to landing a technical writing job. You don’t always have to stick to what is ‘traditional’ to get noticed. As long as you can prove that you are a reliable source of information, you will be able to convince employers that you are the person they are looking for.
But how often do you actually end up doing technical writing? Let’s examine the statistics for different professions to get an idea of just how many opportunities are out there.
Median Annual Salary
According to the most recent data from the U.S. Department of Labor, the median annual salary for a technical writer ranged from a low of $80,000 to a high of $97,000.
The table below breaks down the data by experience and geography.
The most in-demand occupations in terms of salaries are systems analyst, junior systems engineer, and network systems administrator. The least in-demand are forensic computer investigator and computer engineer.
Salary information can vary widely depending on a number of factors. One of the most important factors is experience. The more experience you have, the more you can charge. A good rule of thumb is to multiply your hourly rate by about 10% to accurately gauge your income. For example, if your hourly rate is $25, then you can expect to make around $300 per week, plus bonuses and other benefits.
Job Outlook
The employment prospects for a technical writer are quite promising, especially since the demand for this profession is expected to grow by 17% from 2020 to 2025.
Based on the available data, it would appear that technical writing is a lucrative alternative to other professions. The more experience you have, the better. The American Institute of Stress points out that many types of technical writing can be quite demanding and stressful. This may explain, at least in part, why so many people choose to specialize in this field. Since much of the work is objective and fact-based, it can be an excellent fit for someone who is detail-oriented and has a good attention to detail.
Job Category
The most in-demand occupations for technical writers are data entry clerk, market research associate, and survey research assistant.
Data entry clerk is the most in-demand job category, with an expected increase in demand of 14% from 2020 to 2025. Market research associate is also expected to see an increase in demand by 13%, while survey research assistant is expected to see a sharp increase in demand by 25%.
The least in-demand jobs for technical writers are accountant and legal assistant.
If you are qualified to be a technical writer, but have no idea where to start, here are some helpful tips. First, do not underestimate the value of a well-structured resume. Employers tend to favor candidates who have mastered the art of resume writing. A good resume not only helps you get the job, but it also helps you stay employed.
Second, learn to use online resources efficiently. One of the things that make technical writers so useful is that they are often skilled at finding the facts and figures needed to support a given argument. With so much information readily available online, the job of a technical writer is definitely not as challenging as it might seem. Instead of looking for resources that are hard to find, learn to use your favorite search engine effectively. This will greatly reduce your workload and help you land that all-important first job.
Who’s Hiring?
The American Institute of Stress notes that many types of technical writing can be quite demanding and stressful. This may explain, at least in part, why so many people choose to specialize in this field. Since much of the work is objective and fact-based, it can be an excellent fit for someone who is detail-oriented and has a good attention to detail.
Based on the available data, it would appear that technical writing is a lucrative alternative to other professions. The more experience you have, the better. The American Institute of Stress points out that many types of technical writing can be quite demanding and stressful. This may explain, at least in part, why so many people choose to specialize in this field. Since much of the work is objective and fact-based, it can be an excellent fit for someone who is detail-oriented and has a good attention to detail.