James River Technical Communications LLC

2917 Four Mile Run Drive • Richmond, VA 23231-8905 • 804.795.2914

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Staffing Agencies

Need to Find a Technical Communicator?

Search keysYou’re looking for a Technical Writer? Or, a Senior Technical Writer/Editor? Just what job title fits these people? It’s confusing, to you and to practitioners of the craft. For instance, these are just some titles used to describe technical communicators:

By the way, 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.

Can a Candidate Do the Job?

As with any field, some candidates don’t have the experience or skills to step in and do what your client needs done. You could test candidates. You should check professional references and ask for samples or a portfolio. Keep in mind, however, some of the problems you may encounter:

  1. Qualified technical communicators often don’t have samples of their work because of the proprietary policies of their past clients.
  2. Someone can show you a wonderfully designed and written document, but you really can’t determine if it’s the candidate’s work. Unless, that is, the individual handed you a copy of the Declaration of Independence claiming to be the author.
  3. If you test candidates, who will evaluate the results? Do you have a professional technical communicator on staff to do this?
  4. Many companies today provide no reference other than to confirm the period of employment and salary or contracted rate paid.

You can do some things, in addition to acting on faith and first impressions. For example, 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.

If we can’t help you in any other way, we’ll help you find the best writer or editor to fill your accession requirement.

Save Time & Money

Come to us. We can save you money through fixed-fee pricing, if that’s an option. We know technical communicators and technical communication. Put our people and experience to work for you and your client.

Your Message is Our Business!