The best way to start a technical writing career is to take up a technical writer intern job to learn the fundamentals.
However, you must develop your writing and communication skills to become a technical writer intern. As an intern, you will learn more about the organization, industry, and subject matter you want to develop.
In this article, we’ll examine a technical writer intern’s roles, duties, and abilities in more detail.
Let’s start.
What Does a Technical Writer Intern Do?
A technical writer intern is an entry-level position in the technical writing field. Depending on the industry and organization, it can be a trainee position or a full-time job that leads to a technical writer position. If you’re interested in learning about the technical writer intern job description via video, watch below:
Technical writing interns often have experience in content writing, business writing, or other forms of writing. In some cases, they may be knowledgeable in a specific subject and opt for technical writing in their field due to their expertise.
Furthermore, the technical writer intern’s role and job description depend on the organization. For example, a medical company prefers hiring someone experienced in medical writing or knowledgeable in the medical industry.
Since it’s a complex field, the company initially hires the person through a paid internship to check if they’re a good fit. The company will then hire the candidate as a technical writer.
Most companies in such industries tend to work the same way. This is a great way to attract qualified applicants and check their skills, knowledge, and overall compatibility with the company before hiring them.
Some internship programs don’t necessarily give technical writer interns direct tasks. The internship sometimes trains the intern on the industry and organization and how the products or services work. That means technical writer interns may sometimes have to learn other skills, such as basic software development.
Conversely, some organizations hire software engineering, project management, computer science, or information technology experts and turn them into technical writers.
The role of a technical writer intern depends on the industry and company.
Technical Writer Intern Duties and Tasks
Technical Writer Intern Duties and Tasks
Since every technical writer intern may have varying roles, their duties, tasks, and responsibilities differ. However, most technical writing intern jobs have a few typical duties and tasks.
The typical technical writing intern has the following duties, tasks, and responsibilities:
- Work under the technical writing team to learn about the industry and organization
- Learn about technical communication, documentation, and other technical concepts
- Work with product managers, product designers, and other stakeholders to learn more about the company’s products and services
- Work in the information development cycle to draft, revise, and validate technical documents
- Assist in writing technical documentation in different cases, including white papers, case studies, user manuals
- Offer suggestions to improve technical documentation
- Work with expert writers and editors to learn the technical writing fundamentals
- Design, write, update, and maintain various online guides, documentation, and, in some cases, API documentation
- Proofread various new technical documents and other deliverables before they reach the editors
- Research competitor products and services and resolve any issues in their technical documentation
- Develop a plan to ensure your organization’s products and services don’t make the same mistake and update any relevant documentation
- Work closely with subject matter experts depending on your organization and industry. For example, working at an IT firm, you may have to learn basic HTML or CSS to develop better technical documentation
Most technical writer interns can expect the abovementioned duties, responsibilities, and tasks. However, each organization will have industry-specific duties.
Check out our Technical Writing Certification Course if you want to learn more about breaking into a technical writing role.
Technical Writing Intern Skills and Abilities
While the tasks and duties of technical writer interns are similar, the skills and abilities required for the job will differ depending on the industry. Various skills and qualifications requirements change depending on the organization’s hiring objectives.
A technical writer intern should have the following qualifications, skills, and abilities:
- Most require a high school diploma and a bachelor’s degree in technical communication or a related field. Having a degree in a field related to your industry can also be a requirement, although not always
- Some experience in technical writing, the industry, or any other form of writing is favored but not always necessary
- Familiarity with technical concepts and knowledge of the subject matter, especially if the industry is technical. For example, if the company works with machine learning and AI, the intern must have fundamental knowledge
- Proficiency in the English language with excellent grammar and sentence structure
- Experience with Microsoft Office programs, such as Microsoft Word and Excel
- Some experience with using templates and samples
- Basic graphic design, image manipulation, and video skills
- Excellent communication skills and interpersonal skills
- A strong attention to detail
- Proofreading skills and fast typing speed
Technical Writing Intern Jobs Salary
According to ZipRecruiter, the average technical writer intern salary in the United States is $53,741. The average salary is between $14,500 and $113,500, with cities like San Francisco, New York, Seattle, Sioux Falls, Clearwater, and Troutville offering the highest salaries.
While most intern salaries are near or below the national average, some organizations offer high salaries that increase the average. Such companies usually have job postings as a precursor for hiring technical writers, thus resulting in high salaries. Other than that, most major companies like Intel, HBO, Splunk, LinkedIn, and Titan America offer salaries between $39,000 and $48,000.
Technical writer interns tend to earn more if the industry is more technical. For example, technical writer interns in the medical and computer science industries would earn more than their counterparts in HR or digital marketing.
In salary, it’s fair to assume that becoming a technical writer intern requires fundamental knowledge of your industry and great writing skills. That means you would need prior working experience in any related field.
How to Become a Technical Writer Intern
To become a technical writer, you must know enough about your industry and the organization in which you want to work. Furthermore, you should polish your English and writing skills to ensure you understand how to write user-friendly content.
Opting for technical writing certifications and courses is another great step. If you continue with such courses, you will learn how to handle the necessary tasks and duties.
Conclusion
Becoming a great technical writer intern involves writing high-quality technical documentation. The ideal candidate translates complex information into easy-to-understand bits for the general public.
Most technical writer intern job alerts focus on specific industry-based knowledge. Therefore, it’s best to stick with a niche and focus your efforts on it. Gathering more knowledge and understanding of one niche or industry is easier.
Continue to develop your professional career through online training, certifications, and courses to become a better technical writer intern. Ultimately, all these efforts, combined with the experience you get from the role, will power your resume and help you secure excellent entry-level technical writing positions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the main responsibilities of a technical writer intern?
A technical writer intern typically assists with creating and editing technical documents, such as user manuals, product guides, and online help files. They may also research and gather information from subject matter experts, organize content, and ensure that documentation is clear, concise, and easy to understand.
What skills are essential for a technical writer intern?
Key skills for an intern include strong writing and communication abilities, attention to detail, and proficiency in using documentation tools like Microsoft Word, Adobe FrameMaker, or MadCap Flare. Familiarity with technical concepts and learning new software quickly is also important.
How can technical writing internships benefit my career?
Technical writing internships provide valuable hands-on experience in related fields, allowing you to apply your writing and technical skills in a real-world setting. These internships can help you build a professional portfolio, make industry connections, and improve your chances of securing a full-time technical writing position after graduation.
What types of projects might I work on during a technical writing internship?
You might work on various projects during a technical writing internship, including creating user guides, software documentation, training materials, and online help content. You may also be tasked with updating existing documentation, conducting usability tests, and collaborating with engineers, designers, and other stakeholders to ensure accurate and effective communication.
What qualifications do employers look for in a technical writer intern?
Employers typically look for technical writer interns pursuing a degree in English, Technical Communication, Computer Science, or a related field. Strong writing skills, understanding and explaining technical concepts, and experience with documentation tools are highly valued. Additionally, having a portfolio of writing samples can help demonstrate your abilities to potential employers.
How can I prepare for a technical writing internship?
To prepare for a technical writing internship, focus on developing your writing and technical skills. Take relevant courses in technical communication, learn to use common documentation tools, and practice writing clear and concise technical content. Building a portfolio of your work, seeking feedback, and networking with professionals in the field can also enhance your chances of securing an internship.
If you are new to technical writing and are looking to break-in, we recommend taking our Technical Writing Certification Course, where you will learn the fundamentals of being a technical writer, how to dominate technical writer interviews, and how to stand out as a technical writing candidate.
