Who do I look for?

Technical communication is as diverse as our economy. We are involved with information design, usability, quality assurance, marketing, editing, online Help authoring, instructional design, graphic & technical illustration, requirements analyses, design specifications, database & system architecture, and product guide books, for example. "Specialization" is broader than with other professions: instructional designers create and publish training materials regardless of the subject or tool used. Experienced professionals tend to be good leaders and managers, though their résumés show a succession of apparently independent, sole-writer, contracts.

Good technical communicators rarely focus narrowly on a specific skill set, such as Java, .Net, or Sarbanes-Oxley, or are limited to a tool set, such as MS Office®, Adobe CS®, etc.

How do I find a technical communicator?

Technical communicators have adapted to the burst DotCom bubble. You can place job opportunities on Internet job boards (such as Dice or Monster), contract through local staffing agencies, find independent writers through the Yellow Pages, or engage companies such as ours that specialize in technical communication. You can also search the online databases of professional associations and their chapters or other organizations, such as the Software Contractor's Guild.

How do I know a candidate can do the job?

As with any field, of course, some candidates don't have the experience or skill to step in and do what you need done. You write and administer tests. You should ask for examples or a portfolio of work a candidate can show to be his or hers.

If you can't do this, look to see if the candidate is affiliated with a relevant professional association, such as the:

Membership in one or more of these organizations shows that the candidate keeps up with trends in the field and indicates his or her support for professional standards and ethics. Individuals on our staff, for instance, are members of the STC, IEEE PCS, and ASQ.