Technical writing bootcamp: Learn the essentials and launch your career

Instructor: Julia Hurley

Overview: This course provides an introductory overview of the technical writing field, charting its evolution and highlighting pathways for newcomers and career changers. Students will learn about the diverse roles and day-to-day responsibilities of technical writers across various specialties. The course offers a detailed guide to the key hard and soft skills necessary for success, emphasizing technology proficiency and interpersonal abilities. Participants will receive practical advice on entering the field, including education paths, career transition strategies, and real-life success stories. Additionally, the course covers career development strategies for technical writers at different stages, addressing challenges and exploring opportunities for advancement, including managerial roles. We will also examine flexible working options, such as remote, freelance, and cross-time-zone work, discussing their benefits and challenges.

Instructor bio: Julia Hurley has 20 years of experience in technical writing, knowledge management, UX writing, front-end web development, and anxiety-reducing leadership. She has led technical documentation teams across higher ed, large corporate, and startup companies. She also taught a technical writing course, Creating User Documentation, at her alma mater, Virginia Tech. Julia holds a bachelor of arts degree in music performance, a minor in professional and technical writing, and a master of science degree in corporate and professional communication.

Features:

• Duration: 8 modules, around four hours total
• Delivery Method: Online asynchronous instructor-led sessions
• Assessment: Assignments with personalized instructor feedback
• Certification: Certificate of completion upon successful completion of the course

 

Course structure:

Introduction (available June 3)

• Welcome and intro
• Learning objectives
• What to expect

 

Is technical writing for me? (available June 10)

• What is a technical writer and what do they do?
• Professional writing jobs other than tech writing
• A brief history of the field
• Joys and frustrations of tech writing
• A day in the life of a tech writer

 

Roles and responsibilities in tech writing (available June 17)

• Types of tech writers
• The documents they write
• Role names
• Defining reviewers and approvers

 

Essential skills for technical writers (available June 24)

• Soft skills vs. hard skills
• Industry knowledge
• Analyzing your audience
• The TWP: Plan, design, write, edit, review, manage

 

Common deliverables and getting off to a quick start with templates (available July 1)

• Types of deliverables
• Templates for deliverables
• Tips for quickly getting to work

 

Breaking into technical writing (available July 8)

• Paths into technical writing
• Get qualified with the right courses
• Keep learning – continuing professional development
• Professional organizations and networking
• Applying for jobs

 

Career survival, growth, and flexibility in tech writing (available July 15)

• Thriving in your first role
• Career paths and levels of seniority
• Working as an individual contributor
• The management track
• Careers after tech writing