3 Levels And 3 Profiles Of Technical Writing

If you are curious what levels one can expect to reach in a technical writing career, here are 3 profiles just to give you a rough idea.

Please don't forget that this is just an approximate picture and does not mean that you have to go through each level in exactly the same manner.

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You may possibly start off from the Intermediate level if you are delivery with you a strong background in software package skills and job experience.

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Or who knows, you might reach a senior level inside just 5 years? That's for sure possible too.

Individual cases always vary. But I believe what follows is still a useful general picture in terms of presenting you an overall survey of the technical writing landscape and providing some general benchmarks. They are not supported any scientific study but on my personal experience of over 10 years as a technical writer.

Please let me know if you'd have any questions about these career profiles.

Profile 1: Junior-Level Technical Writer

Time on job

: 0-5 years

Job skills:

• Writing interface documentation including user guides, installation guides, quick reference guides, release notes, help files.
• No superior or direction skills.
• Optional: graphic and illustration skills.

Software skills:

• Microsoft Office Suite
• Optional: FrameMaker (Unstructured)
• Optional: Photoshop
• Optional: Illustrator
• Optional: Help file editor (RoboHelp, Flare, Quadralay, DoctoHelp, etc.)
• Optional: Version control software package (MS Source Safe, etc.)

Profile 2: Intermediate-Level Technical Writer

Time on job:

5-10 years

Job skills:

• Writing and editing interface and procedural documentation including user guides, installation guides, quick reference guides, release notes, system configuration guides, help files.
• Single-sourcing and structured authoring.
• Graphic, illustration, print-page and web design skills.
• Assisting projects as lead-writer and oversight one or more junior writers.
• Optional: simple document and site localization and translation skills.
• Optional: publication articles in popular professional periodicals like STC's Intercom.
• Optional: serving as a Juror in professional technical communication competitions.

Software skills:

• Microsoft Office Suite
• FrameMaker (Unstructured and Structured)
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Help file editor (RoboHelp, Flare, Quadralay, DoctoHelp, etc.)
• Version control software package (MS Source Safe, etc.)
• Optional: Advanced version and content direction software package (Agile, etc.)
• Optional: Dreamweaver and/or HTML secret writing

Profile 3: Senior-Level Technical Writer

Time on job:

Over 10 years

Job skills:

• Writing and editing interface and procedural documentation including user guides, installation guides, quick reference guides, release notes, system configuration guides, help files, API guides.
• Single-sourcing and structured authoring including DITA structuring and database publication.
• Graphic, illustration, print-page and web design skills.
• Leading projects as lead-writer and oversight one or more junior and senior writers.
• Advanced print and online documentation project localization skills.
• Publishing articles in peer-reviewed professional periodicals like STC's Technical Communication.
• Optional: serving as a Lead Juror in professional technical communication competitions.

Software skills:

• Microsoft Office Suite
• FrameMaker (Unstructured and Structured)
• Photoshop
• Illustrator
• Help file editor (RoboHelp, Flare, Quadralay, DoctoHelp, etc.)
• Version control software package (MS Source Safe, etc.)
• Optional: Advanced version and content direction software package (Agile, etc.)
• Optional: Dreamweaver and/or HTML secret writing
• Optional: XML Editor (FrameMaker, Arbortext, Oxygen, etc.)
• Optional: Database Publishing editor (TEX, PatternStream, etc.)