Technical writing is a great opportunity for those who enjoy remote or hybrid work—that is, working some days in the office and some days from home. Many technical writers do a hundred percent of their research, writing, and editing from their home office. All you need is a quiet location where you can concentrate, permission from your manager, and a stable internet connection that allows for videoconferencing and screen sharing.
It’s important to note that remote work isn’t for everyone:
- If you’re a beginner, it might help your career to be in the office until you’ve learned the ropes. Being physically present might help you interact with others including your team and your subject matter experts (assuming they’re also physically present in the office!) In doing so, you may soak up the office culture and norms more quickly than at home.
- If you’re a technical writer who writes about hardware and you need access to it to make sure your documentation is accurate, then remote work might not be for you. You may need to spend at least a day or two a week on site physically learning how to use the hardware. Many hardware tech writers relish this aspect of their job.
- You may be required to be on site if you work for the government or any organization that requires you to work on confidential documents from a secure location.
- Finally, some organizations have very strict rules regarding remote and hybrid work. Some don’t allow it at all, while others swing completely the opposite way, building remote work into their employee value proposition to help them recruit staff. Check what their expectations are before you start working for them and find out that their working arrangements aren’t going to suit you.
 Voice of Practitioner |
| Francis Role: Technical Writer Location: Manchester, United Kingdom “If you’re working remotely, take care of your persona online. For example, if you’re going to have a beard, trim it. If you wear a t-shirt, make sure it’s not one the cat slept on. If you’re on camera, pay attention when people are talking, especially your boss. Don’t be typing when people are speaking, or looking like you’re falling asleep, or not looking into the camera. This is a big thing in the workforce. It doesn’t matter how passionate you are about the company, they’ll always pick the people who seem to have more of a positive persona for the opportunities.” |
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