4 Technical Writer Resume Examples & Writing Guide
Boost your odds of scoring a technical writer role with a standout resume. See 4 real resume examples from hired technical writers. Get practical tips to level up your own resume. Discover how to highlight your writing skills and industry expertise to impress employers. Plus, learn how to avoid common technical writer resume mistakes.
A solid resume is essential for landing technical writing jobs. But knowing what to include and how to structure it can be difficult. Even for experienced technical writers, presenting their skills and achievements effectively is challenging.
This article provides 4 real-world technical writer resume samples. Use them for inspiration and to see how others in the field structure their resumes. A detailed guide is also included to walk you through each section of a technical writer resume.
By the end, you'll know exactly what to include in your own resume and how to showcase your qualifications in the best light. Get ready to create a resume that will help you take the next step in your technical writing career.
Common Responsibilities Listed on Technical Writer Resumes
- Creating and maintaining technical documentation, such as user manuals, installation guides, and online help files
- Collaborating with subject matter experts, engineers, and developers to understand complex technical products or processes
- Researching and analyzing information to produce clear, concise, and accurate documentation
- Editing and proofreading technical content for accuracy, consistency, and adherence to style guides
- Developing and maintaining document templates, style guides, and content management systems
- Ensuring compliance with industry standards, regulations, and best practices
- Conducting user testing and gathering feedback to improve documentation
- Creating visual aids, such as diagrams, illustrations, and screenshots, to support technical content
- Updating and maintaining existing documentation to reflect product changes or enhancements
- Training and mentoring team members on technical writing best practices
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams, including product managers, designers, and marketers
- Ensuring consistent use of terminology and adherence to corporate style guides
- Developing and maintaining knowledge bases or internal wikis for technical information
- Participating in the development lifecycle, attending meetings, and providing feedback on product design and usability
How to write a Resume Summary
Just picture this: a busy recruiter sorting through a mountain of resumes, hurriedly skimming over each document until they stumble upon yours. Amidst the crowded desk filled with qualifications, responsibilities, and scatterings of achievements, one section stands out and immediately draws their attention: the summary objective.
Why is the resume summary/objective section so fundamental?
Integrating a well-articulated, engaging summary or objective section at the beginning of your resume serves as your professional billboard. This 2-3 sentence blurb is your moment to show not just what you bring to the table, but how you can contribute in a vibrant and purposeful manner.
The Ingredients of a Winning Objective/Summary
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Clarity - Define your professional identity as a Technical Writer clearly, and quickly offer insight into the unique skill set you bring.
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Relevance - Tailor your objective or summary to the specific role to which you're applying, rather than using a one-size-fits-all statement.
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Achievements - Instead of simply listing roles or tasks, weave within your statement any notable accomplishments that engender trust and communicate your prowess as a Technical Writer. Remember to quantify these achievements to highlight their impact.
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Brevity - Avoid meandering narratives or exhaustive lists of qualifications. The more concise you are, the more potent and memorable your statement becomes.
Tailoring the Section: Objective vs. Summary
Whether you opt for a 'Resume Objective' or a 'Professional Summary' predominantly depends on your stage of professional journey.
Objective
If you're at the outset of your career, or are transitioning into a different niche within technical writing, an objective statement provides a snapshot of your career aspirations. It communicates your motivation for applying and how this aligns with your upskilling journey.
Summary
For more established professionals, a summary is the optimal platform to showcase your credible career narrative. It brings your most noteworthy accomplishments to the fore, reflects your core competencies, and portrays the overall value you've delivered in your past roles.
In essence, the summary/objective area is a spotlight revealing your professional narrative. It provides a swift-establishing incisive connection between who you are, what you've done, and the value you can offer in the sought role. Maximizing its potential can turn it from an overlooked formality to a dynamic game-changer within your resume. Responsible for providing tangible information and insights to guide the recruiter, this section should not be underestimated and should instead be utilized to its fullest.
Strong Summaries
- Accomplished Technical Writer with a strong background in software documentation and a talent for breaking down complex technical terms into layman's language.
- Detail-oriented Senior Technical Writer with over 10 years of experience in translating complex processes into clear, comprehensive, easy-to-understand documents
- Experienced Technical Writer with a demonstrated history in the IT industry writes with a keen attention for detail and consistency.
- Versatile Technical Writer credited with significant improvements in documentation processes, effectively creating user-friendly manuals and guides.
Why these are strong?
These are good examples because they highlight the applicant's relevant experience, expertise and skills as well as their contributions or accomplishments in their past roles. They are also targeted to the specific role, in this case, a Technical Writer position. Such summaries give the reader a quick snapshot of the candidate's qualifications, increasing their chances of getting noticed in the large pool of applicants. An effective professional summary is a valuable tool in making a strong first impression. It acts as an introduction and a 'hook' to encourage the reader to further delve into the resume.
Weak Summaries
- My previous jobs never really tested my skills as I handled only simple documentation projects. My major reason for seeking a new job is to find something more challenging.
- I'm a technical writer with one year of experience compiling, editing and revising technical documents. I think I can do this job because I like writing and I've done something similar before.
- I like to write and have some background in tech so I figured becoming a technical writer would be an easy job.
- I don't have much experience, but I have a degree in English and I'm capable of using Microsoft Word, so I think I could manage this job.
Why these are weak?
These examples are problematic for several reasons. Firstly, they convey a lack of enthusiasm or commitment to the role of a technical writer, one even stating that they assume the job will be easy. This would be a red flag for potential employers. Secondly, a professional summary should sell your skills and experience to the potential employer. The examples provided fail to showcase any real skills, experience or achievements and contain unnecessary or irrelevant information. Lastly, negativity or criticism towards previous positions and jobs is discouraged as it is unprofessional and employers might worry about potential issues with attitude.
Showcase your Work Experience
The Work Experience section of your resume functions as the heart of your professional story. Showing not just where you've been, but how you've made a real, quantifiable impact in those roles, is key. Through it, you can display how your skills, experience, and achievements align with the desired position. Importantly, it aids recruiters in understanding your capabilities and potential contribution to their organization.
Understand the Employer's Needs
Understanding what employers are looking for in a Technical Writer is the first step in tailoring your work Experience section. Do they require someone with strong project management skills? Or maybe they need someone with expertise in a particular software? Liaising with cross-functional teams may be vital in the role. Reading the job description thoroughly helps you identify these necessities. Once understood, mirror those needs with your past experience and demonstrated skills in concise, clear language.
Provide Context
In detailing your experience, ensure you provide context to make it easy for the employer to grasp your past roles. Start by outlining the nature of the companies you were part of (software development, technical consultancy, etc.). Include your tenure, highlighting points where you overcame challenges or aided in growth using your skills as a Technical Writer.
Quantify your achievements and impact using concrete numbers, metrics, and percentages to demonstrate the value you brought to your previous roles.
Showcase Achievements and Impact
Your achievements illuminate your ability to make an impact, underlining your value proposition to potential employers. When stating your achievements, focus on what you accomplished, emphasizing the positive outcomes for the company or project. For instance, significant improvements in the clarity and usability of documentation, successful completion of complex projects, or feedback scores for written work. Adopt a results-driven approach: quantify outcomes where feasible using precise numbers or percentages to make these achievements tangible.
Highlight Relevant Skills
Identifying you as a fit for the role, the skills you highlight in this section should align with the job requirements. Each role in your Work Experience should reinforce the fact that you possess the skills needed for the job at hand. It's crucial to show not just that you own these skills, but that you can use them effectively in a professional context. For a Technical Writer, these could range from proficiency in using specific content management systems and tools, attention to detail, to exceptional organizational skills or a knack for simplifying complex information.
Utilize Action Verbs
Begin each bullet point in your Work Experience section with strong action verbs. This strategy not only keeps your writing dynamic and engaging, but it also helps clearly illustrate your contributions. Words like "directed," "transformed," or "facilitated" show you as an active participant in your work, driving change and results.
In essence, a powerful Work Experience section should communicate two primary things to potential employers: that you possess the requisite skills for the role and can use them to make a substantial, positive impact on the organization. By delivering this message effectively, you're positioning yourself as a highly attractive candidate — not an easy feat in the ever-evolving landscape of technical writing.
Everyone's professional journey is unique and, therefore, the story each Work Experience section tells is different. However, by following these fundamentals, you should be on a firm footing to highlight your trajectory and value proposition through your resume's Work Experience section.
Strong Experiences
- Developed and designed user manuals for technical products, resulting in a 20% increase in customer satisfaction.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to understand product details and improvements, ensuring clarity and accuracy in documentation.
- Implemented a new documentation platform that reduced the time to deliver technical documentation by 30%.
- Conducted user-testing for documentation usability, resulting in significantly reduced customer support calls.
- Managed and updated an easy-to-access and well-structured database of all technical documents.
Why these are strong?
These examples are good because they are specific and result-driven, highlighting the impact the person had in their role. Each bullet point displays a different skill, demonstrating a versatile technical writer who can bring value to a team. They show clear understanding of the role of a technical writer and the value they can add to a team, from doing the groundwork of writing manuals to designing and managing a documentation database. Furthermore, they've quantified their achievements where possible, which adds credibility and gives a clearer idea of their capabilities.
Weak Experiences
- * Wrote technical stuff
- * Assisted in things
- * Used some tools for writing
- * Coordinated with some team
- * Involved in a project
Why these are weak?
The above examples are clearly poor due to their vagueness and lack of information. They do not provide any details about the specific tasks, tools used, project scope, or the extent of participation, aspects that are vital for potential employers characterizing the applicant's skills and experience.
For instance, 'Wrote technical stuff' is too vague and does not demonstrate the nature of the content written or the complexity of the subjects handled. ‘Assisted in things’ also fails to provide what kind of tasks were assisted with, which does not help the reader understand the applicant's role and contributions.
Each bullet point in a work experience section should ideally contain action verbs, specify a task, and the result of that task. Good examples would detail software or tools used, describe the project, and articulate the individual's role and outcomes within that project. Bad examples, like those provided, fail to do this and would not be considered good practice for composing a resume.
Skills, Keywords & ATS Tips
Crafting a Technical Writer resume requires a careful blend of hard and soft skills. At their core, hard skills are the technical abilities necessary for the role, while soft skills revolve around how you work. Keywords, ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), and skill matching play a crucial part in this. Let's delve deeper into these aspects.
Hard and Soft Skills
Hard skills for a Technical Writer might include proficiency in technical writing software, profound understanding of technical terminologies, or being well-versed with documentation standards. These are solid, learnable abilities that are key to perform the work.
On the other hand, soft skills often reflect your work habits and personality traits. For a Technical Writer, these can include attention to detail, impeccable grammar and syntax, ability to simplify complex concepts, and proficient communication skills. Combining these with your hard skills can make you stand out.
Keywords and Applicant Tracking Systems
Applicant Tracking Systems, or ATS, are software used by hiring teams to filter resumes before they're seen by human eyes. Without the right keywords, a resume might never make it to a hiring manager.
For Technical Writers, these keywords can be specific hard or soft skills or technical terminologies. For instance, terms like 'technical documentation', 'content management', 'proofreading', or 'copy-editing' could be important keywords that ATS look for.
Matching Skills
The job description is your roadmap to understand what the employer is seeking. Extract keywords from it and match those with your skills. Synchronizing your observable skills with the listing can significantly strengthen your resume’s relevance.
The skills section of your resume is your chance to showcase your abilities relevant to the role. Aligning this with the job description, incorporating the right keywords, and balancing hard and soft skills can lock in the interest of the hiring team and the ATS alike.
Top Hard & Soft Skills for Full Stack Developers
Hard Skills
Soft Skills
Top Action Verbs
Use action verbs to highlight achievements and responsibilities on your resume.
Education & Certifications
While crafting your resume as a Technical Writer, it's essential to highlight your qualifications, be it formal education or industry-specific certificate courses. Begin by creating a dedicated section such as "Education" or "Certifications" on your resume. To list your qualifications, start with your degree, followed by the name of the institution, graduation year, and your major - if applicable. For certificate courses, provide the certificate name, issuer, and date of completion. Always prioritize relevance and listing from most recent to oldest. Consider the skill requirements of the role you're applying to, drawing focus to the most relevant qualifications.
Some of the most important certifications for Technical Writers
The CPTC certification is designed to validate the knowledge and skills of technical communicators.
The ACE certification demonstrates proficiency in using Adobe's Technical Communication Suite.
The DITA certification validates proficiency in using the Darwin Information Typing Architecture.
Resume FAQs for Technical Writers
What is the ideal resume format for a Technical Writer?
The most recommended resume format for Technical Writers is the reverse-chronological format. This format highlights your work experience and achievements in a clear, organized manner, which is essential for technical writing roles.
How long should a Technical Writer's resume be?
A Technical Writer's resume should typically be one page in length for candidates with less than 10 years of experience, and no more than two pages for those with more extensive experience. Concise and well-organized content is key to effectively showcasing your qualifications.
What sections should be included in a Technical Writer's resume?
A well-structured Technical Writer's resume should include sections such as a professional summary, key skills, work experience, technical proficiencies, and education. Additional sections like certifications, publications, or awards can be included if relevant.
How can I make my Technical Writer resume stand out?
To make your Technical Writer resume stand out, highlight your expertise in specific technical domains, showcase your ability to simplify complex information, and quantify your achievements using metrics or examples. Additionally, tailor your resume to the specific job requirements and use industry-relevant keywords.
A Technical Writer creates comprehensive documentation that helps users understand and effectively utilize technical products and processes. Their role involves analyzing complex information, identifying key components, and translating concepts into clear, concise guides and manuals. When writing a resume for this role, highlight your technical writing prowess, expertise in simplifying intricate topics for diverse audiences, and proficiency with relevant software tools and documentation formats. Include writing samples that showcase your ability to convey complex subjects engagingly and accessibly while maintaining precision and accuracy.
Highly skilled Technical Writer with over 7 years of experience creating comprehensive user manuals, documentation, and guides for complex software and hardware products. Proven ability to translate technical jargon into easy-to-understand language, ensuring end-users can effectively utilize products. Skilled in collaborating with cross-functional teams to gather information and deliver high-quality documentation on time.
- Lead technical writer for AWS Lambda and Amazon API Gateway documentation, improving user engagement by 30%.
- Developed and maintained documentation for multiple AWS services, ensuring accuracy and clarity for developers.
- Collaborated with product managers, software engineers, and other stakeholders to create comprehensive documentation.
- Implemented a new documentation framework, reducing time to publish by 25%.
- Mentored junior technical writers, providing guidance on best practices and writing techniques.
- Created user guides, release notes, and API documentation for Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
- Collaborated with UX designers to develop intuitive in-app help content.
- Conducted user research to identify documentation needs and improve user experience.
- Developed and maintained a style guide to ensure consistency across all documentation.
- Contributed to the localization process, ensuring documentation was accurately translated for global audiences.
- Wrote user manuals, installation guides, and troubleshooting documentation for Dell servers and storage systems.
- Collaborated with engineering teams to ensure technical accuracy of documentation.
- Developed and maintained documentation using DITA and XML.
- Created video tutorials to supplement written documentation.
- Participated in Agile development process, ensuring documentation was delivered on time.
Entry-level technical writers create instructional content like user guides and manuals, requiring strong writing, research, and technical abilities. When crafting a resume, highlight relevant coursework, writing samples, and skills like problem-solving and attention to detail. Use clear, concise language showcasing your ability to convey complex information accessibly.
Highly motivated and detail-oriented technical writer with a passion for creating clear, concise, and user-friendly documentation. Skilled in translating complex technical information into easily digestible content for a wide range of audiences. Adept at collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality documentation that enhances user experience and supports product goals.
- Developed and maintained user guides, API documentation, and release notes for Zendesk's customer service software suite.
- Collaborated with product managers, developers, and UX designers to ensure documentation accuracy and consistency.
- Implemented a new documentation style guide, resulting in a 30% reduction in customer support inquiries related to documentation.
- Created interactive tutorials and walkthroughs using MadCap Flare, improving user onboarding and adoption.
- Conducted regular documentation audits to identify and address gaps in content coverage and quality.
- Assisted in the development of user manuals, installation guides, and troubleshooting documentation for Amazon's consumer electronics products.
- Collaborated with subject matter experts to gather and organize technical information for documentation projects.
- Developed and maintained a knowledge base of frequently asked questions and common issues, reducing customer support workload by 15%.
- Created and edited video tutorials to supplement written documentation, improving user engagement and comprehension.
- Participated in user testing sessions to gather feedback and identify areas for documentation improvement.
- Provided technical writing services for a variety of clients, including software startups and e-commerce businesses.
- Developed user guides, API documentation, and knowledge base articles tailored to each client's specific needs and target audience.
- Collaborated with clients to establish project scope, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring successful completion of documentation projects.
- Implemented best practices for document organization, formatting, and version control to maintain consistency and quality across projects.
- Received positive feedback from clients for delivering clear, comprehensive, and user-focused documentation.
As a Senior Technical Writer, you are responsible for developing comprehensive documentation that effectively communicates complex technical information. Craft an eye-catching resume that showcases your exceptional writing abilities, in-depth knowledge of documentation tools and standards, and proven expertise in translating intricate concepts into clear, user-friendly language. Highlight quantifiable achievements that demonstrate your talent for delivering accurate, high-quality documentation on time and within budget. Ensure your resume reflects a meticulous attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and the capacity to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams.
Seasoned technical writer with over 12 years of experience crafting engaging documentation for complex software systems. Adept at translating technical jargon into clear, concise language for diverse audiences. Proven track record of collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality user guides, API documentation, and knowledge base articles. Passionate about leveraging cutting-edge tools to streamline documentation processes and enhance user experiences.
- Spearheaded the development of comprehensive documentation for Salesforce's AI-powered analytics platform, resulting in a 30% reduction in customer support inquiries.
- Collaborated with product managers, developers, and UX designers to create user-centric documentation for new features and enhancements.
- Implemented a structured authoring approach using DITA, reducing documentation maintenance efforts by 40%.
- Conducted user research and analyzed feedback to continuously improve documentation quality and user satisfaction.
- Mentored junior technical writers, fostering a culture of knowledge sharing and professional growth within the team.
- Created and maintained documentation for AWS's cloud computing services, including EC2, S3, and Lambda.
- Developed interactive tutorials and code samples to help developers quickly onboard and leverage AWS services.
- Collaborated with localization teams to ensure documentation was accurately translated into multiple languages.
- Implemented a docs-as-code approach using Markdown and Git, streamlining the documentation lifecycle.
- Contributed to the development of AWS's public-facing documentation style guide, ensuring consistency across all content.
- Developed user manuals, installation guides, and troubleshooting documentation for Dell's enterprise hardware and software products.
- Collaborated with subject matter experts to gather and distill technical information into easily digestible content.
- Created and maintained a centralized knowledge base, reducing the time spent on customer support inquiries by 25%.
- Conducted workshops and training sessions to help internal teams effectively use and contribute to the documentation.
- Received the "Outstanding Contributor" award for consistently delivering high-quality documentation and driving process improvements.
API Technical Writers create documentation explaining how developers can integrate and utilize APIs, SDKs, and code libraries. When crafting a resume for this role, highlight technical writing proficiency, programming knowledge to grasp complex concepts, and the ability to simplify intricate information with clarity. Provide portfolio samples showcasing your API documentation skills along with an emphasis on accuracy and organization.
Highly skilled API Technical Writer with a passion for crafting clear, concise, and user-friendly documentation. Adept at collaborating with cross-functional teams to deliver comprehensive API documentation that empowers developers and enhances the overall developer experience. Proven track record of creating and maintaining high-quality documentation across various industries and platforms.
- Spearheaded the development and maintenance of API documentation for Stripe's extensive suite of payment APIs, resulting in a 30% increase in developer adoption and satisfaction.
- Collaborated closely with product managers, engineers, and UX designers to ensure accurate and up-to-date documentation across multiple platforms and programming languages.
- Developed and implemented a structured authoring framework using Markdown and Git, streamlining the documentation process and reducing time-to-publish by 40%.
- Created and delivered comprehensive API onboarding materials, including tutorials, code samples, and best practices, reducing developer support inquiries by 25%.
- Actively contributed to the development of internal documentation standards and style guides, ensuring consistency and quality across all technical content.
- Developed and maintained API documentation for various AWS services, including EC2, S3, and Lambda, ensuring clarity and accuracy for a global developer audience.
- Collaborated with subject matter experts to gather and distill complex technical information into easily digestible documentation, code samples, and tutorials.
- Implemented a docs-as-code approach using Markdown, Git, and CI/CD pipelines, enabling faster updates and improved version control.
- Created and maintained API reference documentation using Swagger and OpenAPI specifications, ensuring consistent and machine-readable API definitions.
- Actively participated in documentation working groups and contributed to the development of company-wide documentation standards and best practices.
- Created and maintained technical documentation for Bloomberg's financial data APIs, including REST and WebSocket APIs, ensuring clear and concise information for financial developers.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and implement a unified documentation strategy across multiple products and platforms.
- Developed and delivered API documentation workshops and training sessions for internal stakeholders, promoting best practices and fostering a documentation-centric culture.
- Conducted regular documentation audits and user feedback sessions to identify areas for improvement and ensure documentation met the needs of the target audience.
- Contributed to the development and maintenance of the company's internal documentation portal, improving discoverability and user experience.