Technical Writer Resume Example & Guide (20+ Tips)

Smartphones, tablets, software, and even kitchen appliances—the way they work is as clear to you as the sky on a hot summer day. And you can easily translate the technical mumbo-jumbo into easy-to-follow lines.

With the current pace of technological development, your skills are in high demand. So you’re lucky! You can find a job easily.

But there’s one catch—you need a great technical writer resume to grab recruiters’ attention. Since you’re great at writing precise instructions, you are also good at following them. 

This guide will show you: 

• A technical writer resume example better than 9 out of 10 other resumes.
• How to write a technical writer resume that will land you more interviews.
• Tips and examples of how to put skills and achievements on a technical writer resume.
• How to describe your experience on a resume for a technical writer to get any job you want.

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Not technically looking for a technical writing resume? See our guides:

• Writer Resume
• Freelance Writer Resume
• Editor Resume
• Consultant Resume
• Business Resume
• Journalism Resume
• Interpreter Resume
• Sample Resumes for 500+ Jobs

Sample Technical Writer Resume

Here’s how to write a technical writer resume that gets jobs:

1. Start With the Best Technical Writer Resume Format

Technical writers use written words to explain complex topics in a simple way. Technical writers often write repair manuals, end-user documentation for consumer products and electronics, and medical studies. Technical writer resumes must show strong communication skills as well as deep technical savvy.

Warning:

They’ll judge your technical writing skills from the writing in your resume!

So—

Use the best layout for a resume for technical writing jobs.

That’s the chronological resume layout. This standard resume format lists your freshest tech writer achievements near the top.

Why does that matter?

Because that’s where most hiring teams look before moving on.

• Make a professional header with name, title (Technical Writer), email, phone, and LinkedIn.
• Don’t write an address on your resume unless you want to. City & state are enough.
• List the categories of information found in a resume as header, summary, work experience, education, and others like certifications or conferences.
• The best font for a resume for tech writers is Calibri, Garamond, or anything clear and simple.

Pro Tip: Send a resume format for job PDF as long as the posting doesn’t tell you not to. PDFs look cleaner than MS Word resumes on various machines.

2. Write a Technical Writer Resume Objective or Resume Summary

Technical writers do one thing well:

Summarize.

So, do it in your technical writer resume.

Start with a professional resume profile. That’s an elevator speech. We also call it a resume summary.

Write yours with:

• An adjective (clear, strong)
• Title (Technical Writer)
• Years of experience (3+, 4+)
• Goal (grow customer satisfaction)
• Skills evidence w/ measures (wrote 60% of 15 technical manuals)

Wondering how to write a resume with no experience?

Ditch the summary and write a good objective for your resume.

That’s the same, but with transferable skills from other jobs.

Examples: you worked in engineering or wrote marketing content.

Pro Tip: How long should resumes be for technical writers? The rule of thumb is a single page. The hiring manager isn’t likely to read even that much.

3. Bolt Your Resume to the Technical Writer Job Description

“This is the one.”

Want the hiring team to say that about you?

They won’t unless you fit the job exactly.

Knowing how to describe work experience on a resume means tailoring a resume to a job description:

• Select business position titles that fit. If they want a “Medical Technical Writer,” don’t say you were a “Technical Writer, Medical Field.”
• Show things you did with your technical writer skills, with numbers.
• Example: They want someone who can write manuals for phones. You wrote 15 of those. So, say it in your resume.

Pro Tip: Write with resume action verbs like wrote, worked, received, trained, and commended. Don’t just say, “responsible for” or “handled” because that doesn’t prove you helped.

4. Tune Up Your Technical Writer Resume Education Section

You can build your resume education section one of two ways in a technical writer resume.

Way #1:

State your school name, dates, and name of degree.

Way #2:

Use way #1 plus academic achievements that show technical writer qualifications.

Example: They need someone versed in engineering and you took 30 engineering credits.

Which method do you think the hiring team will respect more?

Pro Tip: You don’t need to be an engineer to be a technical writer. You just need to be able to talk their language, then translate it so everyday mortals can get the gist.

5. List Technical Writer Skills in Your Resume

Here are some skills to put on a resume for technical writer jobs.

Technical Writer Resume Skills

Use this list of skills in your technical writer resume.

First, add technical skills to list on resumes for tech writers:

• Writing
• Technology knowledge
• Visual communication
• Research
• Engaging writing
• Problem solving
• Understanding the audience
• Computer skills
• Troubleshooting
• Working with subject matter experts (SMEs)
• Technical skills
• Sociology
• Web design
• Teaching

But don’t forget the soft skills:

• Interpersonal skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Written & oral communication
• Teamwork
• Efficiency
• Self-motivated
• Active listening
• Organization skills
• Computer skills
• Professionalism
• Multitasking
• Time management

Pro Tip:  Never ever use all the hard skills for a resume from the list above. Let the job ad guide you toward the skills that work the best for this job.

When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.

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When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add “Other” Sections to Your Technical Writer Resume

You’re not a machine.

Can you believe you have to prove it?

Employers want to know you’re versatile.

Show them with added technical writer resume sections.

For instance:

• Activities
• Associations like STC
• Professional or personal projects
• Volunteer work
• Conferences
• Honors
• Certifications
• Awards
• Compliments from employers
• Publications
• Sports
• Hobbies

Pro Tip: Not sure how to put languages on a resume for technical writers? If your SMEs are ESL, say it big and loud, in your skills list and in your bullet points.

7. Send a Cover Letter With Your Technical Writer Resume

Should I include a cover letter with my tech writer resume?

Yes.

It’s true that more than half of employers don’t read them.

But then, more than half of customers won’t read your manuals.

Write them for the other half.

Follow these cover letter writing tips:

• Here’s how to format a cover letter: in the 3-paragraphs layout.
• What about how to start an application letter? Use a big hook. Example: “Writing most of Ampere Communications’ manuals was a great experience...”
• Show how you’ll fill the job requirements in the center of your technical writer cover letter.
• Next, how to conclude a cover letter: Offer a perk. Example: “I’d love to explain how I contributed to a 25% customer satisfaction boost.”
• How long should a cover letter be? 350 words.

Don’t skip the follow up email for a job application. You can simply say, “I’m following up on my application for the technical writer position.” But it helps to add a memorable detail from your resume.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

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See more cover letter templates and start writing.

That’s it!

That’s how to write a technical writer resume.

What’s your favorite part about being a technical writer? Does your resume for technical writer jobs really show you at your best? If not, what’s missing? Give us a shout in the comments. We’d love to talk!