It?s no surprise that we are living much longer than ever before. Due to improvements in healthcare, nutrition, and exercise, many people who retire at 65 find themselves completely bored within a few months and start to look for something new to do. They are no way near ready to be put out to pasture. A?growing number of?retirees are starting off on a completely new career path, and the really smart ones are getting their feet wet years before they actually retire.
These new careers have come to be known as ?encore careers? and one of the common themes in encore career choices in flexibility. Technical Writer jobs may be a great field for those looking for a second career. Technical writer jobs do not require a certain degree, no certification or specialized training is required, and employers are used to hiring freelance technical writers.
So What do?Technical Writers Do?
They create?online help.?This is one of the largest jobs in technical writing now. When someone using a software or Web-based program can?t figure out what to do to get past a problem or error, they usually select the Help button some where on the page. Technical writers create these little help programs that support the software.
They write?user manuals.?User manuals?can be either printed or downloadable and use step-by-step instructions to show a new user how to operate the product. These kinds of technical writer jobs usually appear in the software business, but are also found in hard products such as toasters and electronics.
They write?procedures manuals.?These are documents created for a particular department about how some kind of internal process works. They need to be clearly written without any kind of fluff or marketing spin to be effective. A procedure manual might describe some HR process, expense reporting procedures, etc.
Salaries for technical writers continue to be high. A recent survey showed that technical writer jobs paid an average $ 60.000. But freelance rates are even better. Freelance and contract technical writers earn over $ 50.00 and hour on average. This is great for those who want to earn a decent paycheck and not have to work full time.
There are a number of source for learning about technical writing online and most colleges have credited or non-credited classes in technical writing and technical communication. If you?ve never done this kind of work before you can get a few quick projects under your belt using web sites like elance.com and sologig.com. You may have to take very low pay at first, but get a few projects behind you and you can increase your rates quickly.
For?almost all?technical writer jobs, you?don?t?need to?have a strong and lengthy technical background.?You just need to be able to break a process down into simple steps, and be able to?deliver?instructions clearly and simply.?
Richard Sheffield has 15 years experience as a technical writer, freelance technical writer, and technical communications manager. He moved from technical writer jobs to content development and Web content strategy, and currently works as managing editor for a Fortune 50 company?s Web site.
george huguely ellen degeneres jcpenney yeardley love nba all star reserves alyssa bustamante duke rock center
No comments:
Post a Comment