careers in technical communication for english majors
TRANSCRIPT
RA CHEL HOUGHTON A ND
BETHANY BOWLES
Careers in Technical Communication for English Majors
Presentation for the Sigma Tau Delta International Conference
March 21, 2013
Agenda
Technical communication
Skills
Disciplines
Career opportunities
Paths to careers in tech comm
Society for Technical Communication
Values
Benefits of membership
Technical Communication is …
• Communicating about technical or specialized topics in terms the layperson can understand• Communicating by using technology, including emerging new media• Providing instructions about how to do something
Skills
• Core skills in writing and editing• Creative page design• Photography and videography• Technical illustration• International communication: “Global English” for non-native-English speakers and for translation• Training and education• Web and IT skills
Creativity
Visual design
Photo
Video
Technical illustration
Writing
“Tech writing? Yccch! Bor-r-r-r-ing!”
“Not so. The days of ‘Tina the Brittle Technical Communicator’ in Dilbert are gone! New technologies bring new excitement in exercising traditional skills.”
Linguistics and International Communication
Source: http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/Dec12/LinguisticsOutreach.html
Education and Training
Training is much more than manuals!
Online rhetoric
Tutorials
Web-based instruction
Textbooks
New media
Rhetorical (Audience) Analysis
• The basic principles of rhetoric apply to business communication as well as to literature and the arts:
o Research your marketo Know your readers/viewers
Collaboration
• Teamwork is critical in technical communication• Collaborative writing is the norm in the field• Your communication skills also posture you well for leadership in collaborative teams in the workplace
Web/IT Skills
Opportunities for both analytical and creative technical writing and marketing communication
Web site content and design
Blogs
Wikis
Social media
IT expertise for collaborative writing environments
Disciplines
• Technical writing and editing• Hardware and software documentation• Technical marketing communication (e.g., proposals, brochures)• Scientific writing (and “ghost writing”)• Medical writing• Grant proposals• Web design• Usability and accessibility• Indexing• Information/knowledge management• Instructional design
Interdisciplinary Approach
An interdisciplinary approach is essential to successful technical communication, because the profession spans so many disciplines.
Tech Writing/Editing
Hardware and software documentation
Policies and procedures
Textbooks
Proposals
Marketing collateral
Video scripts
Magazine articles
Copy editing for publishers
Traditional Tech Writing
Instructions for installing, maintaining, and repairing hardware
Instructions on how to properly use software
Detailed manufacturing process plans
User manuals for everything from toasters to automobiles
Medical reports and research articles
Research
Pure
Applied
Research and writing within the field of technical communication
Collaborative writing with SMEs researching within their specialty
Aerospace & Industry
Proposals to capture new business
Technical reports and presentations
Marketing collateral to attract new customers
Multi-media presentations Web site content and
design Internal policies and
procedures Employee communications Media relations Community relations
Advertising & Marketing Communications
Advertising across multiple media Print Radio TV Billboards Web sites Social media
Diverse marketing collateral Brochures Flyers Fact sheets Trade show graphics Narrated video Web sites
Writing for Non-Profits
Grant proposals
Fund-raising collaterals
Literature for those who are served by the non-profits
Web site design, content, and maintenance
Empathy and commitment
Healthcare
Editing or ghost-writing articles by physicians for medical journals
Patient-oriented web sites Flyers describing illnesses
and treatments, for doctors’ offices
Medical transcription Instructions for
prescription medication Marketing collaterals and
web sites for for-profit hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, etc.
Gaming
Game designers
Documentation writers and designers
Strategy guide writers
Promotional writers
Excellent article in STC’s intercom magazine: http://intdev.stc.org/2012/01/its-all-in-the-game-technical-communications-role-in-game-documentation/
Career Opportunities
• Technical communication spans many disciplines the job market is huge• Unless technology stands still, it will always be a growth market• Companies are beginning to realize that poor writing and poor communication hurt their bottom line• Solving that problem taps into your core skills as English majors
Tap Core Skills
Writing accurately
Writing clearly
Writing concisely
Writing coherently
Writing creatively
Tapping diverse media
Crossing boundaries and cultures
Growing Job Market
There are 45,000+ technical writers in the U.S.!
Geographical Distribution of Jobs in Technical Communication
Competitive Compensation
State
Technical Writers Reporters, Correspondents Public Relations Specialists
Employed Mean
$/y
Median
$/y
Employed Mean
$/y
Median
$/y
Employed Mean
$/y
Median
$/y
Oregon 570 69.6K 74.5K 580 38.5K 32.4K 2,180 55.6K 52.2K
Maryland 2,000 70.0K 69.7K 600 39.0K 30.7K 2,900 70.7K 62.1K
New
Hampshire
180 71.1K 65.3K 190 43.8K 38.6K 870 60.5K 55.2K
New Jersey 1,530 71.5K 67.7K 860 47.3K 42.9K 3,820 64.6K 58.2K
Connecticut 910 71.7K 72.2K 570 40.8K 34.6K 990 59.4K 56.6K
Virginia 2,880 76.3K 72.9K 960 41.9K 35.0K 7,300 69.3K 62.6K
Washington 1,610 79.5K 79.7K 740 44.4K 34.4K 4,990 59.3K 56.2K
Massachusetts 1,960 82.1K 81.5K 1,170 64.1K 52.4K 8,650 62.1K 56.7K
California 5,910 84.4K 80.1K 4,010 48.5K 38.7K 22,920 71.0K 62.6K
U.S. 45,120 67.3K 64.6K 45,270 43.6K 34.9K 212,510 60.4K 52.4K
Salary Comparison Table, Part 1
Data is shown for the 9 states with the highest salaries in technical writing, plus the national average.
Competitive Compensation (Cont.)
State
Technical Writers Editors Writers and Authors
Employed Mean
$/y
Median
$/y
Employed Mean
$/y
Median
$/y
Employed Mean
$/y
Median
$/y
Oregon 570 69.6K 74.5K 1,050 52.8K 52.2K 630 56.4K 52.7K
Maryland 2,000 70.0K 69.7K 2,150 59.2K 55.2K 900 73.5K 66.6K
New
Hampshire
180 71.1K 65.3K 330 51.0K 46.4K 240 51.3K 48.1K
New Jersey 1,530 71.5K 67.7K 3,450 64.6K 58.2K 1,070 57.5k 53.3k
Connecticut 910 71.7K 72.2K 990 59.4K 56.6K 380 63.8K 62.2K
Virginia 2,880 76.3K 72.9K 3,190 59.8K 55.2K 1,640 62.4K 57.0K
Washington 1,610 79.5K 79.7K 2,580 64.0K 55.5K 870 70.7K 66.3K
Massachusetts 1,960 82.1K 81.5K 3,860 65.8K 58.2K 960 65.9K 58.7K
California 5,910 84.4K 80.1K 10,930 60.3K 52.9K 6,500 93.7K 65.2K
U.S. 45,120 67.3K 64.6K 98,990 60.5K 52.4K 40,930 68.1K 55.9K
Salary Comparison Table, Part 2
The mean and median salaries for tech writers are much closer than for other writers, reflecting dependable income.
Tech Writing Salaries Around the U.S.
Tech Writing Salaries in Major Metropolitan Areas
The higher the concentration of technology and industry, the higher the salaries.
Paths to Careers in Tech Comm
On-the-Job Training
Before tech writing programs appeared in universities, “OJT” was the only path to a career in technical communication
Degree Programs
B.A. in tech comm
M.A. in tech comm
Ph.D. in tech comm
Undergraduate minor in tech comm
A certificate based on a given number of courses in tech comm
Professional Certification
STC-developed professional certification program
Portfolio-based, not test-based
Candidates submit work samples demonstrating core competencies
Faster and cheaper than degrees or certificates
STC Membership
Society for Technical Communication
Largest and oldest professional association dedicated to the advancement of technical communication
Sets the global standards for technical communication
Members reach across every industry and continent
Produces a wide array of educational events
Publishes award-winning publications: intercom and
Technical Communication (a quarterly peer-reviewed journal)
Maintains a comprehensive website including an extensive archive of webinars
World’s largest technical communication conference
Values Behaviors
Innovation
Integrity
Professionalism
Respect
Commitment
Transparency
Open communication
Inclusion
Leadership
Values and Behaviors
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) in a technical communication discipline of particular interest to you• Access to salary scales, job listings, and other valuable intellectual property on the international STC web site
Benefits of Membership (Cont.)
Eligibility for STC student mentoring programs
Professional networking
E-access to industry-leading professional publications
Reduced rates for STC conferences, webinars (plus free webinars), and certification in technical communication
Career Growth
Networking within your Affiliated STC Communities
Job Search and Placement
Career Advancement
Professional Development
Mentoring
Student Mentoring Programs:The Why’s, How’s, and More
Bethany Bowles and Rachel Houghton
Presentation to Sigma Tau Delta International Conference
March 21, 2013
Joining STC
Membership Levels
Student Membership
New Technical Communicator
Classic Membership
Special for Sigma Tau Delta Members
•50% discount on membership for the rest of 2013 (save $37.50)
•Eligible for 33% discount on student renewal for 2014 (save $25.00)*
• Sign up at the conference
• Call 1-571-366-1909
Offer Ends April 30!
* Renew by Dec 31, 2013.
Questions? Come See Us!
•SMEs from STC for questions and answers
•Materials on the benefits of STC membership
•Materials on the various disciplines within technical communication
•Materials on careers in technical communication
•Materials on core skills for technical communicators
•Typical salary scales for jobs in technical communication
•“Toolkit” (printed book and accompanying DVD) on how to establish and sustain a student mentoring program
•Discounted STC student memberships!
•Free giveaways!
Better Together!
The Society for Technical Communication
Thank you for Coming!
Feel free to contact us! Rachel Houghton [email protected] Twitter rjhoughton
Bethany Bowles [email protected]
Dan Voss* [email protected]
*Co-developer of presentation.