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On a regular basis, industry peers, friends, and their friends ask me “do you know of a technical writing job?” or “is your company hiring?” or “can you give me some job search tips?” and especially “what are the best tech comm job boards to follow?”
From many years of answering these questions, I’ve maintained this work-in-progress how to find tech comm jobs blog post that I first published in 2013 and updated at various times over several years. If you know of additional resources, let me know and I can add them here. Rising tides float more boats. Let’s elevate each other.
The universe is changing and so is the job search journey. Social channels provide many paths to finding a compatible job.
A LinkedIn profile that allows you to be found is at the top of my job search essentials list. I received high quality inquiries after I enabled the LinkedIn #OpenToWork feature.
I set up a weekly jobs alert just to see who is hiring for technical communication roles. Sample technical writer search results.
Even when I’m not actively looking, I subscribe to job alerts and frequently visit tech comm job boards. I like to see who is hiring, what skills are in demand, and how the jobs are described. We have so many interesting tech comm career niches to explore. These popular and active tech comm job boards are available to all with no membership requirements:
Moderated email group for New England-based and remote job notices of interest to information designers such as technical writers, editors, usability specialists, course developers, and instructional designers.
The Nina-Net Writers group Web site requires a free Groups.io account.
To successfully use twitter as a job search tool, you’ll first need to be active on twitter as part of your digital branding. Follow and interact with job posters. Search for relevant key words, for example:
In 2021, I stumbled on Facebook Jobs and still get technical writer job notifications. Surprise! Tech comm jobs are everywhere.
I found a very satisfying 5-year remote technical writer job at DataStax on www.simplyhired.com. I registered on the site and subscribed to email job alerts.
I follow various companies on www.glassdoor.com and have made career decisions based in part on the company reviews. To help us all succeed, consider creating an account and posting company, salary, and interview reviews of your own. When I receive or hear of a low ball compensation, Glassdoor is a sharable resource to educate hiring managers about the current compensation standards.
Remote job postings are available on an overwhelming number of web sites. Over the past 5 years, remote job postings are showing up on standard job boards and in mainstream job alerts from Indeed.com and LinkedIn.com, along with other job boards. Previously, these remote-specific sites were on my radar and in the news:
Do you have other job boards that you follow? What sites can you share? Comment here or send me email.
It’s who you know. Our networks are always the best resource. Nurture your network.
Hat tip to Job Search Coach & Career Transition Strategist Vic Koster-Lenhardt for sharing this requirement: a targeted resume with relevant and quantified accomplishments, a connection to the hiring manager (or as close as possible), and a solid understanding of the work culture and the company. A LinkedIn profile that allows you to be found is also at the top of the list these days. (It worked for me!)
Hannah Morgan, the Career Sherpa, put together a list of websites to help with every aspect of the job search process, from assessment through negotiating your job offer and everything in between. Follow the Career Sherpa to learn about contemporary job searches.
TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a long-lived resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information. Remember list serves? Yep. For more than two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by, and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications. TechWhirl blog posts are handy, like How to Be an Amazing Tech Comm Job Applicant: Tips from a Tech Comm Hiring Manager and their job board http://jobs.techwhirl.com/
As always, LinkedIn as a social networking platform has enhanced job search options and a mobile job search app. Keep your profile current and your skills highlighted in your summary and job descriptions. Review your LinkedIn profile, do a careful edit, and add the right keywords for your job target. Be an active member and interact for an authentic experience. Plan to give 2 or 3 recommendations for every one recommendation that you request. Giving thoughtful recommendations not only helps you keep in touch, but it’s is a worthy activity and helps elevate your connections.
A friend shared that he does “proofing for Manning” to keep his technical skills sharp and earn extra money. Manning hires freelance copy editors and proofreaders.
Do you have additional tech comm job search resources? Share them so that we all benefit from our collective wisdom and experience.
Hat tip to Job Search Coach & Career Transition Strategist Vic Koster-Lenhardt for sharing this requirement: a targeted resume with relevant and quantified accomplishments, a connection to the hiring manager (or as close as possible), and a solid understanding of the work culture and the company.
Silver linings 
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