How to hire a 'Future-Proof' Technical Writer

I came across quite a few recruitment ads in the papers and job announcements in mailing lists that ask for a technical writer. It is good to see that the demand for my ilk has shot up. What’s appalling though is the emphasis that the companies place on a tool: ‘should be acquainted with ‘ALL’ features of FrameMaker’ or ‘experience in writing for semi-conductor chips a must’.

Here’s my take:

My complaint is very few of them actually are bothered about writing skills. I know that writing skills alone don’t make a good technical writer. A good perspective of technology and writing (to an audience) skills do.

I’ll speak for the IT industry: A tech writer should NOT be code-phobic. She should have excellent interviewing skills. Should be a friend. Should have a lot of patience (your SME can get on your nerves I am telling you). She must die for her users… (your boss may slap your back and say ‘atta girl! It’s looking great.’ But if your user doesn’t understand what you’ve written or can’t navigate through your documentation, it is not a blot only on your skills, but also on the product). So writing to an audience is something that I’d look for when I am hiring a technical writer.

Let’s go for the tools now:

Tools change. Say that again aloud. And learning a new tool doesn’t take time. I am positive that any good technical writer can pick up FrameMaker in a week’s time. But being an expert at it? Go for a desktop publishing person man.

I have no problems understanding technology; the APIs, the chips, the front-end processing, the database… I’ll understand it all. I’ll interview your SMEs, I’ll study code, and I’ll move mountains to ensure that the technical nitty-gritty is translated into something that your user understands. But don’t go ‘a technical writer with expertise in FrameMaker, RoboHelp, XML, SGML, HTML, Java, C++…’ Gimme a break will ya?

I am not saying that a reasonable level of expertise in popular (they wont remain popular for long though) tools is not required. What I am saying is, if your candidate were good she’d be comfortable in most of the tools. If she’s not an expert in FrameMaker or Snag IT don’t write her off for god’s sake. Don’t pin your technical documentation to a tool. Pin it to a person. A person that understands the trade, the users… as I said, if need be that person will pick up your tool.

Also, it’d be nice if your technical writer knows how to break the rules. I mean I know a lot of writers who guard the English Grammar with talibanistic zeal. If I were you, I’d bother about the ‘usability’ of the error message than its grammatical integrity.

Let’s summarize it: Don’t confuse writing and publishing. They are two different domains. A good writer needn’t be a great publishing expert. Look for a person with a good technical perspective, impeccable writing skills, user-focus and integrity. If I can’t (wont) stand up for my user, I can go home. So my dear reader, the next time you go shopping for a technical writer, remember “Tools change.”

If you listen to me you’ll get yourself a ‘Future-proof’ technical writer. If you didn’t you got yourself a Johnny. And I won’t be surprised. ;-)



Related Links:

FrameMaker
RoboHelp
SnagIt
AuthorIT
Irfanview
HTML Kit
Swish

[Note: There are a million tools out there. I have listed what I use.]



write to me: Suman@sumankumar.com