Re: Question: Technical Writing Titles

[Scott Wahl <swahl -at- BRIDGEWATERSYS -dot- COM>]

Hi all,

A job title should refer to what the person is doing, not the level at which
they are doing it -- if you write technical documentation, you're a technical
writer, whether you have 1 year experience or 20 years.  This mirrors the
engineering groups with which I have worked: all the software designers are
called "software designers" regardless of experience, because that's what they
do: design software.  The job title only changes when they become team leaders
or managers.

It is important to make distinctions for different jobs: technical writer vs.
illustrator vs. editor vs. manager (or team leader) vs. publisher.  And it's
fair to distinguish between "senior" technical writers and others if the senior
technical writer does some coordination, planning or editing for a team of
writers.

Scott

Connie Fabian-Isaacs wrote:

> Jasmine,
>
> First I appologize for sending my last message before I wrote anything. I
> guess I need one more cup of coffee.  I agree with your title plight.  It
> has been difficult while job hunting or trying to justify why I want the
> money I might want.  There also seems to be a negative connotation connected
> with "Tech Writer", one I don't really understand.  I actually refer to
> myself as a writer specializing in online help development.  My official
> title here is "Technical Documentation Specialist" with the next level being
> "Senior Technical Documentation Specialist" and then "Technical
> Documentation Manager".  This gives some credence to experience and yet I
> find there are those with similar titles who have very little experience.
> It will be interesting to follow this string and see the kinds of titles you
> receive.
>
> Connie
>
> Connie Fabian-Isaacs
> Technical Documentation Specialist
> VISIONAEL Corporation
> (918) 663-1455 X1390 (phone)
> (918) 663-1456 (fax)
> cfisaacs -at- visionael -dot- com
>