Technical Writers and Editors

Employers

The Department of Labor reports that the following metropolitan areas offer the best opportunities for technical communicators:

• Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C., Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia
• New York-Newark-Jersey City-New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania
• Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, Massachusetts, New Hampshire
• Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, California
• Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas
• San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California

There are approximately 58,400 technical writers currently employed in the United States. Editors of all types (including technical editors) hold 118,700 jobs.

Employment may be found in many different types of places, such as in the fields of aerospace, computers, engineering, pharmaceuticals, and research and development, or with the nuclear industry, medical publishers, government agencies or contractors, and colleges and universities. The aerospace, engineering, medical, and computer industries hire significant numbers of technical writers and editors. The federal government, particularly the Departments of Defense and Agriculture, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and the Energy Information Administration, also hires many writers and editors with technical knowledge.

Starting Out

Many technical writers start their careers as scientists, engineers, technicians, or research assistants and move into writing after several years of experience in those positions. Technical writers with a bachelor's degree in a technical subject such as engineering may be able to find work as a technical writer immediately upon graduating from college, but many employers prefer to hire writers with some work experience.

Technical editors who graduate with a bachelor's degree in English or journalism may find entry-level work as editorial assistants, copy editors, research assistants, or proofreaders. From these positions they are able to move into technical editing positions. Beginning workers may find jobs as technical editors in small companies or those with a small technical communications department.

To work for the federal government, writers and editors need to pass an examination. Information about examinations and job openings is available at federal employment centers. Job openings may also be found through career services offices and employment agencies. Another job-hunt route is to research companies that hire technical writers and editors and apply directly to them. Many libraries provide useful job resource guides and directories that provide information about companies that hire in specific areas.