Advice for Junior Technical Writers

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If you're a junior technical writer and aggressively managing your career, you know you must possess a boatload of skills (more than your peers) to stand out and advance your career. While core knowledge and the ability to execute is paramount (don't forget the Eight Pillars of Technical Writing), more subtle elements of your career can have a major impact on your success.

There's much for junior technical writers to celebrate. They have their entire career ahead of them and can manage it however they want. They may choose freelance, contracting, consulting, or an FTE (full-time employee) position. Regardless, their mindset, knowledge, and decisions will determine if they are considered excellent and exceptional or mediocre and second-rate.

Junior Tech Writer Advantages

Junior technical writers enjoy a range of potential advantages over their senior counterparts. This includes higher energy levels and sometimes more passion. This isn't just due to the fact that a significant portion of junior tech writers are relatively young (in their 20s and 30s), but also because of the inherent excitement of migrating to a new profession, regardless of one's age.

Also, junior tech writers are often less jaded than veteran writers. There's a certain energy that comes with entering a new industry segment. The demand for good technical writers is strong and getting stronger every day, so it's reasonable to be motivated and passionate.

Let me take this opportunity to stress that junior tech writers are not necessarily 24-year-olds who recently graduated and have little job experience. Some have transitioned from other industries after a downturn, layoff, or merely boredom and bring decades of IT and business experience to the table. I mentor some middle aged people who made the gutsy decision to seek greener pastures as IT documentation specialists.

Technical Writing is in Demand

According to ClickHelp, the cloud-based software documentation tool company, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting considerable expansion in the number of technical writing positions in the U.S. between now and 2032. "Technical writing is a rapidly developing sector expected to experience substantial growth in the coming years."

Between now and 2026, the growth rate for the technical writing sector is "even more optimistic," according to ClickHelp. It reported that the demand for technical writing "is expected to grow by 10-11 percent" during this period. That's real opportunity for junior and senior tech writers alike.

Seek Senior Mentors

If you're a junior technical writer or documentation specialist and seeking mentors, look to the most experienced resources in your company (or the industry; that's a role well served by social media and groups like Daily Technical Writing Success). Offer to take prospective mentors to lunch in exchange for picking their brain for advice that will help you navigate your career the right way from the beginning.

Personally, I enjoy hearing war stories from senior resources who sport an impressive and long list of top-tier clients. This helps me vett such senior tech writers. The ones who have worked for premium clients have demonstrated their worth not only because they were chosen by Fortune 500 and Inc. 5000 companies, but even more so due to the success they achieved on those projects.

Make Continuous Learning a Habit

As a junior resource, get into the habit of continual learning. Updates to technology, operational best practices, and regulatory oversight in many industries require the best technical writers to almost constantly be learning, reading, listening, and getting certified.

Speaking of which, LinkedIn is a great place to learn. All Premium accounts offer unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning. Many courses offer certification. Starting at only $20 a month, an investment of this type is a no brainer.

Listen to Seniors on Social

Beyond mentoring, be sure to follow standout senior technical writing resources on social media. While not as intimate as a mentoring relationship, merely paying attention to the posts of seniors and reading their articles can help any junior writer gain valuable insight. Seniors can teach juniors about strategies that mean the difference between success and failure and a raise or being laid off. Also, seniors have many lessons learned (what not to do is just as important as what you should do).

Good Luck

Junior tech writers sometimes best their seniors in terms of raw energy and ability to hustle hard. However, they often lack the deep experience and insight, including successes and failures, of their senior counterparts.

If you remember only one thing from this article, make it the need for continuous learning. Get certified in different topics. Network with your peers. Ask questions. Learn from the technical writing community.

Here's another helpful article for junior tech writers >> Technical Writing Tips & Tricks.

But that's just my opinion. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

— Curt Robbins, Senior Technical Writer

P.S.: I'm currently taking on new clients. I enjoy helping companies with their documentation and communications strategy and implementation. Contact me to learn about my reasonable rates and fast turnaround.