How to Get into Technical Writing: A Guide for Translators
Introduction
Welcome to the guide on how to retrain from translation to technical writing. Changing careers can be daunting, but don’t let fear hold you back! Translators make great documentation writers, and you certainly won’t be the first to take this path. As a language professional, you already have skills that should give you a solid head start. All you need is some technical background and basic understanding of the field. In this guide, you will learn about:
- Career opportunities in technical communication
- Basic concepts and knowledge required in the field
- Tools used by tech comm specialists in everyday work
- Courses and certifications for technical writers
You will also learn how to build your portfolio, how to prepare your resume, and – hopefully – how to land your first job as a technical writer.
How to use this guide
The guide is divided into sections: larger chunks of content, and topics: smaller and more specific subchapters. You can access every section and topic at any time from the navigation bar or from the table of contents further down on this page.
The Overview briefly describes what technical communication is and what to expect as a beginner in the field. Planning will help you strategize your training according to your current knowledge and experience. Basics cover a few fundamental concepts you should be familiar with for an easier start. For a more practical perspective, refer to Tools, where you will learn about the software. Education should help you decide which courses and certificates are worth your time. Finally, in the Employment section, you will learn how to showcase your skills and prepare for an interview.
Refer to the Glossary if technical jargon confuses you. In the Links section, you will find all the websites and resources hyperlinked throughout this guide.
You can go through the pages in order by clicking “Next section/topic” at the bottom, or you can jump straight to whatever interests you and skip the rest. Works either way!
💡 TIP: Whenever an image is rendered too small in your browser, right-click it and select Open image in new tab to view in full size.
💡 TIP: When viewing the mobile version, remember that you can slide your finger to scroll content in tables horizontally (wide tables get squished on smaller screens, and horizontal scrollbards may be hidden).
❕ Disclaimer
This guide was created in 2022 and adapted to the Polish job market at the time. The author does not guarantee that the website will receive updates or that the content will be adjusted for other locations. Thus, certain practices, tools, and realities described in this guide might have changed since the initial publication date. For visitors outside of Poland, some information (especially chapters on education and employment) may be irrelevant due to regional differences. Hopefully, those readers will be able to find viable alternatives and similar solutions within their area.Table of contents
- Introduction ← YOU ARE HERE
- Overview
- Planning your training
- Learning the basics
- Tools
- Education
- Employment
- Conclusion
- Glossary
- Links
Next section: Overview