Careers in Technical Communication - 2/2015
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This presentation provides an overview of careers in technical communication. It defines technical communication and discusses the career security and growth in the field. Various paths to careers are presented, including developing core skills, on-the-job training, and degree programs. Local industries that hire technical communicators are listed. Membership in the Society for Technical Communication is discussed as a way to network and gain access to resources and job opportunities.
Careers in Technical Communication - 2/2015
- 1. Careers inTechnical Communication Presentation for Dr. Liz Angeli’s Classes Towson University, February 2015 Presented by Carolyn Klinger
- 2. Agenda Techcomm definition Career security Paths to careers in techcomm Society forTechnical Communication
- 3. Technical Communication is… Contributing to business goals by designing and enhancing internal communications and by reusing content in cost-effective ways.
- 4. Technical communicators have this in common a user-centered approach to providing the right information, in the right way, at the right time to make someone’s life easier and more productive.
- 5. STC Body of Knowledge Go to http://stcbok.editme.com to learn, contribute, and add to your online portfolio. Adopt a topic!
- 7. Disciplines • Technical writing & editing • Content strategy • Information architecture • Advertising & marketing communication • Science writing (and “ghost writing”) • Medical writing • Work for nonprofit organizations (grant proposals, etc.) • Usability and accessibility • Instructional design • Indexing
- 8. TechnicalWriting & Editing • Hardware and software documentation • Policies and procedures • White papers • Textbooks • Proposals • Marketing materials • Video scripts • Magazine articles • Copy editing for publishers
- 9. MedicalWriting • Editing or ghost-writing articles for medical journals • Patient-oriented websites • Flyers describing illnesses and treatments, for doctors’ offices • Medical transcription • Instructions for prescription medication • Marketing materials and web sites • Instructions for using medical devices such as X-ray machines • Biotech
- 10. Work for Nonprofit Organizations • Grant proposals • Fund-raising collaterals • Literature for clients of the nonprofit groups • Web site design, content, and maintenance
- 11. Advertising & Marketing Communications • Advertising – Print – Radio – TV – Billboards – Web sites – Social media • Marketing collateral – Brochures – Flyers – Fact sheets – Trade show graphics – Narrated video – Web sites
- 12. • Job market for techcomm is huge • Technology is always a growth market • Smart companies know that their communication with their customers can make or break them Career Security
- 13. TechWriting is One of the Best Jobs in America http://money.cnn.com/pf/best-jobs/2013/snapshots/86.html
- 14. BLSTracks Salary and Outlook http://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/technical-writers.htm
- 16. Growing Job Market There are 46,100+ technical writers in the U.S.! (according to the 2012-2013 STC Salary Database) States with the most high tech and industry jobs have the most techcomm jobs
- 17. Annual STC Salary Database Data are from the 2012-2013 STC Salary Database
- 18. Data are from the 2012-2013 STC Salary Database, which is drawn from data reported by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics
- 19. Local Industries • Biotech/Medical/Science • Computer hardware • Computer software • Computer networking and security • Consumer products • Telecommunications • Finance • Academia • Government/Defense/Aerospace • Nonprofit organizations
- 20. Local Jobs from jobs.stcwdc.org .
- 21. STC’s Job Bank has 544 Jobs http://stc.org/job-bank Available only to STC members .
- 22. Paths to Careers inTechcomm
- 23. Develop Core Skills • Writing accurately • Writing clearly • Writing concisely • Writing coherently • Writing creatively • Tapping diverse media • Crossing boundaries and cultures
- 25. Degree Programs • B.A. in techcomm • M.A. in techcomm • Ph.D. in techcomm • Undergraduate minor in techcomm • A certificate based on a given number of courses in techcomm
- 26. Joining STC
- 27. Benefits of Membership • Affiliation (geographic or virtual) with an STC student chapter • Affiliation (geographic or virtual) with an STC geographic chapter • Affiliation with one STC special interest group (SIG) • Access to salary scales, job listings, and other valuable intellectual property on the international STC web site • Opportunities to expand your network and build skills through volunteering
- 28. Benefits of Membership (Cont.) • Eligibility for STC student mentoring programs • Professional networking • Online access to industry-leading professional publications • Reduced rates for STC conferences, webinars (plus free webinars), and certification in technical communication
- 30. Your Local Chapter is wdcb.stcwdc.org
- 31. ThankYou! • Contact me: • @cklinger • carolyn.klinger@verizon.net
Editor's Notes
- #10: Helps to have a tech/science degree in related field (e.g., biology, chemistry, animal science, physiology, etc.) Practical experience is also good (lab tech, EMT, vet tech, regulatory affairs, etc.) Ability to read and interpret research data Basic statistics
- #11: There are many opportunities for good writers in the non-profit sector, and, in most cases, the writing isn’t that technical. In general, the salaries are lower than they are in the commercial sector, but it can be a great place to start and gain some experience. There’s also satisfaction in helping a worthy cause, as opposed to building the corporate “bottom line.”
- #12: Technical marketing writing demands a special kind of creativity. Corporations are moving into a new paradigm on advertising. Instead of relying purely on “push” advertising where they blitz you with their brand until it finally sticks, they are exploring interactive communication with customers and potential customers in online forums such as blogs, wikis, Facebook, and Twitter.
- #13: So, how good is the job market for technical communicators? We’ll look at some of the numbers on the next few charts, but as you can see, it’s a huge market, and it’s a growing market. Technical communicators bring business value to the companies they work for, which is directly reflected in their median salaries.
- #17: Technical communication may not be as well-known a profession as many, but as you can see in this chart, there are a lot of technical communicators in the United States. Not surprisingly, the highest concentration of technical communicators is in the states that have the greatest concentration of high technology and industry. Like every profession, technical communication took a dive during the Recession, but as the economy starts to crank back up, so will technology and industry.
- #18: Technical communication may not be as well-known a profession as many, but as you can see in this chart, there are a lot of technical communicators in the United States. Not surprisingly, the highest concentration of technical communicators is in the states that have the greatest concentration of high technology and industry. Like every profession, technical communication took a dive during the Recession, but as the economy starts to crank back up, so will technology and industry.
- #24: Writing accurately— It’s important get it right Writing clearly— It’s vital to keep it clear Writing concisely— It’s wise to keep it short Writing coherently— It had better make sense (outline!) Writing creatively— It needs to come across to a lay audience Tapping diverse media— It’s a multi-media world. Text must be reinforced with, visuals, multi-media, web design, and social media Crossing boundaries and cultures— Here’s where “Global English” becomes so critical. And you can do that!
- #29: Many benefits are free and the member discounts you get on the others will very quickly exceed your student membership fee.