Technical Writing "Path For Big Bucks"

Writing was always boring in school, be it homework or exams. But it had its own charm with the good writers in the class getting the attention of everyone. But writing is more than that. In this age of technology it offers lucrative careers.

For all those interested in technology and have flair for writing and deciphering technical details, here is a lucrative career option for you.

Remember how you were completely baffled about the functioning of your new cell phone or the brand new MP3 player?

And how you sought online help when you were working on your computer? What do you remember came in handy for you, when you were frantically seeking help?

Well, isn’t it the user manual or the on-line help files? They are all written by professionals called technical writers.

Increasing numbers

The rise in number of technology users worldwide over the last few decades has accentuated the need for technical documentation. With the burgeoning growth in technical products and services, the subsequent demand to create good documentation worldwide has given the under recognised technical writing a new professional dimension.

“A technical writer is considered as an honest mediator between people who create technology and who use technology,” explains Anupama Reji, the Vizag centre in-charge of The Writers Block (TWB), a Bangalore-based technical writing training company. The scope for technical writers is vast.

“Right from the directions written behind a wrapper of a Maggi noodle pack to writing a user manual for a product, there is immense potential in this field,” she says.

Simplifying information

Technical writers simplify the information, which can be used as an intermediate, or a final component of the information centric-technology driven environment.

Their craft involves breaking down jargons and complex technological pieces of information into a simple set of instructions and explanations that are accessible to users – both within and outside the organisational structures, thus bridging the gap between technological information and its users.

They work on technical documents either for technology intermediaries like software writers and testers, engineering and implementation teams or users of products –both consumer and industrial like instruction guides, maintenance manuals, consumer technology products like mobile phones, music systems and TVs.

Documentation for industrial products include machinery usage guides, process documentation, software development life cycle documents, policy manuals, product formulations and industry/organization standardization manuals.

The sectors where this kind of documentation may be required are diverse and range from software, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, telecom, nanotechnology, heavy engineering and automotives.

Eligibility

The basic requirements for a career as a technical writer are a graduate in any field with strong communication skills and a ‘hands-on’ experience with working on a computer.

“Familiarity with technology and a grasp of domain fundamentals are key to success as a technical writer,” says Anupama.

Career prospects

The demand and scope for technical writers covers a wide spectrum of sectors. Companies that provide integrated IT and BPO solutions and services to various industries, software development firms, engineering firms, automotive manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, research organizations – all need technical writers to have a strong technical documentation system in place.

They can be employed in any of the following capacities: technical writer, multimedia content developer, web content developer, copywriter, instructional designer, courseware developer, instructional designer, technical editors, subject matter experts (SMEs), knowledge managers, publication in-charge or information managers.

According to the 2005 salary survey figures of technical communicators by the Society of Technical Communication India, the median salary for technical communication professionals in India is Rs. 3.74 lakh per annum.

The median salary for technical communicators with less than two years of experience is Rs. 2.12 lakh per annum. The survey also reveals that there has been a consistent rise in the salary structure of technical communicators at a rate of almost 22 per cent per year in many cities.

Training

While a significant number of universities in the USA offer various degree programmes in Technical Writing, there is a dearth of trained professionals in this field in India. Few institutes like The Writers Block offer certificate programmes in this area. TWB has set up its branches in cities like Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Nagpur, Trivandrum, Ernakulam, Coimbatore and Vellore apart from its head office in Bangalore. These centres have introduced the TWB Online that offers formalized training to students from remote locations. Anybody with access to computers can enrol for this course.