How to Become a Technical Writer

How to become a technical writer

Maybe an introduction would fit here to explain what you're going to talk about in this article, rather than jumping straight in to your three main points.

 

Even though the job title is the same as a technical writer, each company expects different responsibilities from their technical writer.

Even though the job title remains consistent, each company has different expectations and responsibilities for technical writers.

This correction improves the formality of the sentence and removes the confusing wording of the first half of the sentence, which came from equating the job title to technical writer. Instead, talk about the consistency between technical writers.

 

For example

This is a fine transition! However, you do have some other options:

For instance, // To elaborate, // Additionally,

 

This is because they have plans to enter an international market.

This results from the common desire for companies to enter the international market.

 

For example , some Korean companies hire technical writers as a kind of technical translators for Korean and English language.

To elaborate, some Korean companies hire technical writers with the intention of using these workers as translators for technical discussions in English.

This correction removes the phrasing of "kind of", which sounds a bit informal or too casual for the context. To fix this, I rearranged the wording slightly and inserted a more formal phrase.

 

They want you to have an understanding of technical topics as well as a good command of English, especially in writing.

As such, this job positions requires a thorough understanding of technical topics as well as fluency in English.

The original sentence required a bit more emphasis. To say that technical writers should just have an understanding of technical topics is not quite true; rather, they should be semi-experts in the field to provide well-written articles about those topics.

In addition, I also changed the wording of "a good command of English" because I was not entirely sure what this was supposed to imply. You may have meant, "a good grasp of English"? This would communicate to the reader that technical writers need to have solid skills in speaking/writing English.

 

If the job description includes the responsibility of writing guide documentation in Korean and English, you need to prove your English skills.

If the job description includes the responsibility of writing guide documentation in Korean and English, you need to prove your English skills.

This sentence seems to be a bit redundant because the last paragraph already mentioned that English is an incredibly important skill for technical writers. Instead, I would suggest moving this sentence to the last paragraph so that the overall flow improves.

 

Other than that, if you have experience using documentation tools such as gitbook, GitHub, and git, it would be beneficial. Some interviewers may ask about the commonly used git command lines.

Apart from technical knowledge and lingual skills, having experience using documentation tools is also beneficial. Examples include: Gitbook, GitHub, etc.

The phrasing of "other than that" is a bit vague, so I believe it would be better to specify the topic(s) you are moving on from.

 

Some interviewers may ask about the commonly used git command lines.

Some interviewers may even ask about common Git command lines.

 

Secondly, think about the strong points that can be distinguished from other candidates.

Secondly, you should prepare a list of factors or experiences that distinguish you from other candidates for the technical writing position.

"Strong points" can be elaborated into "factors or experiences" to add more detail. Also, it would be good to remind the reader what this article is about: getting a technical writing position. This is why I specified that at the end of the sentence.

 

For instance, many people just focus on writing skills.

For instance, many people make the mistake of solely focusing on their writing abilities.

 

However, technical writing is something more than just writing.

I would remove this sentence because the article has explained previously that technical writers can also serve as translators. As a result, it is implied that the job is not just about writing.

 

If your strength is only writing, it would be challenging to stand out from numerous candidates.

If your only strength lies in writing, it would be challenging to stand out from the multitude of other candidates who share this common trait.

 

In my case, I have a background in technical support at Apple. On top of that, I learned Swift which is an iOS mobile development language for 6 months through an online coding Bootcamp. Even though I don’t have a background as a developer which many companies prefer when hiring a technical writer, I have shown interest in a technical area.

In my case, I have previous experience working in technical support at Apple. I even learned Swift, an iOS mobile development language, on my own time to supplement my knowledge base. As such, even though I do not have the highly sought out background of being a developer, I have shown consistent interest in a technical area. This would put me above other candidates who do not have a similar experience.

질문 왜 as a developer가 아니라 of being a developer라고 쓴건지?

 

I don’t have a background as a developer

-> 이렇게 얘기하면 듣는 사람 입장에서는 아 그럼 지금은 developer라는 거야?하고 오해할 수도 있음

not of being a developer

-> I haven't been a developer

과거에도, 지금도 developer 아니다 분명히 말함

 

I do not mean every technical writer candidate must have a technical background like developers or technical support.

It is not my intention to imply that every technical writer must have worked in a technical field, such as development or technical support.

 

Everyone has their backgrounds and strengths. You need to figure out how your strengths and experience can be connected to a technical writer job.

Rather, everyone has their own experiences and strengths. You just need to figure out how those can be translated to a technical writing career.

 

Lastly, prepare a portfolio that shows your ability as a technical writer.

Lastly, prepare a portfolio that showcases your relevant abilities to technical writing.

showcase가 좀 더 강조함 (뉘앙스)

그냥 단순히 show 보여주겠다는게 아니라 어필하겠다는 의미니까 강조하기 위함.

 

For example, I have written posts on my Korean blog regularly.

This sentence is grammatically fine! However, you might benefit from listing how long you have been posting for, since it is important to show how consistent you have been. For example: I have been writing posts on my Korean blog for ___ years now.

 

It shows how I have a passion for writing and the posting shows my strong writing ability.

This displays my talent for writing, and the consistency of my uploads proves that I am dedicated to growing in this field.

 

If you prepare a writing sample on technical topics, that would be a plus.

If you could prepare a writing sample on a technical topic, that would be a major addition to your portfolio.

 

On my technical writer blog, I share what I have learned such as coding, computer science basics, English, and so on. A blog is also an excellent opportunity to show that you are a person who keeps learning with a growth mindset.

On my blog dedicated to technical writing, I share what I have learned: coding, computer science basics, English, and so on.

I think that this last paragraph could be combined with the previous one because it relates to the topic of providing a writing sample (i.e. a blog) for your portfolio. Moreover, I would suggest writing a separate concluding paragraph to finish everything off. As it stands now, the last paragraph does not conclude the article too well and leaves the reader thinking about your personal experiences rather than the main idea (how to become a technical writer).