What Technical Writers Actually Do
Curiosity & fundamentals
Independence & ownership
Architecture & leadership
Strategy & org impact
Technical Writing spans several critical areas:
API Documentation (Core)
- Reference documentation - Endpoint descriptions, parameters, responses, examples
- Code examples - Working samples in multiple languages
- Integration guides - Step-by-step setup instructions
- SDK documentation - Library documentation, usage examples
- Changelogs - API version changes, migration guides
Developer Guides
- Getting started - Quickstart tutorials, first steps
- Tutorials - Step-by-step guides for common tasks
- Best practices - Recommended patterns, common pitfalls
- Architecture documentation - System design, technical decisions
- Troubleshooting - Common issues, debugging guides
User Documentation
- How-to guides - Task-oriented instructions
- Feature documentation - Explaining product capabilities
- FAQs - Answering common questions
- Video tutorials - Screen recordings, walkthroughs
- Release notes - Product updates, new features
Documentation Infrastructure
- Docs-as-code - Markdown, version control, CI/CD for docs
- Documentation sites - Building and maintaining doc sites
- Search and navigation - Organizing content for findability
- Feedback loops - Collecting and acting on user feedback
- Localization - Managing translations and internationalization
Content Strategy (Senior)
- Information architecture - Organizing documentation structure
- Content planning - Roadmap for documentation
- User research - Understanding documentation needs
- Metrics and analytics - Measuring documentation effectiveness
- Cross-functional collaboration - Working with product, engineering, support
Skill Levels
Junior Technical Writer
- Writes clear, accurate documentation
- Basic technical understanding (can read code, understand APIs)
- Follows style guides and templates
- Needs guidance on complex technical concepts
- Can create basic tutorials and guides
Mid-Level Technical Writer
- Writes comprehensive documentation independently
- Strong technical understanding (can work with engineers effectively)
- Improves documentation structure and organization
- Handles complex topics and edge cases
- Can create advanced tutorials and architecture docs
Senior Technical Writer
- Sets documentation standards and strategy
- Mentors junior writers
- Influences product through documentation needs
- Handles documentation infrastructure and tooling
- Balances user needs with technical accuracy
What to Look For by Documentation Type
API Documentation
- Priority skills: API understanding, code examples, OpenAPI/Swagger, multiple languages
- Interview signal: "How would you document this API endpoint?"
- Tools: OpenAPI/Swagger, Postman, code example generators, API testing tools
Developer Guides
- Priority skills: Tutorial writing, code examples, developer empathy, technical depth
- Interview signal: "Write a getting started guide for [technology]"
- Tools: Markdown, documentation generators, code examples
User Documentation
- Priority skills: Clear writing, user empathy, task-oriented thinking, screenshots/videos
- Interview signal: "How would you explain [feature] to a non-technical user?"
- Tools: Documentation platforms, screenshot tools, video recording
Internal Documentation
- Priority skills: Architecture understanding, process documentation, runbooks
- Interview signal: "Document this system architecture"
- Tools: Markdown, diagrams, wikis, knowledge bases
Common Hiring Mistakes
1. Confusing Technical Writers with Content Writers
They're different roles. Technical Writers document technical products for developers/users; Content Writers create marketing content. Technical Writers need technical understanding; Content Writers need marketing skills.
2. Requiring Engineering Skills
Technical Writers need to understand code and APIs, but they don't need to be engineers. They need to read and understand code, not write production code. Don't require software engineering skills unless you need a hybrid role.
3. Ignoring Writing Quality
Technical understanding is important, but writing quality matters too. A candidate who understands everything but can't explain it clearly won't be effective. Review writing samples and test their ability to explain complex concepts simply.
4. Not Testing Documentation Skills
Can they write clear API docs? Create tutorials? Organize information effectively? These are core Technical Writing skills. Give them a documentation task, not just a writing sample.
5. Underestimating Developer Empathy
Great Technical Writers understand developers' needs: quick answers, code examples, clear structure. A candidate who doesn't understand developer workflows will create documentation that frustrates users.
Interview Approach
Writing Assessment
- Documentation task - "Document this API endpoint" or "Write a getting started guide"
- Writing sample review - Review their portfolio and discuss choices
- Technical explanation - "Explain [technical concept] to a non-technical audience"
- Code example creation - "Create code examples for this API"
Experience Deep-Dive
- Past projects - What documentation have they created? What was the impact?
- Collaboration - How do they work with engineers? Handle feedback?
- Documentation challenges - What difficult topics have they documented? How?
- User feedback - How do they collect and act on documentation feedback?
Red Flags
- Can't explain technical concepts clearly
- No understanding of developer needs
- Poor writing quality or organization
- Can't work with code or APIs
- No portfolio or writing samples
Technical Writer vs. Content Writer
Technical Writers
- Focus: Developer/user documentation, API docs, technical guides
- Audience: Developers, technical users, internal teams
- Skills: Technical understanding, clear writing, developer empathy
- Tools: Markdown, docs-as-code, API tools, code examples
- Output: Documentation, guides, tutorials, API references
Content Writers
- Focus: Marketing content, blog posts, website copy
- Audience: Customers, prospects, general audience
- Skills: Marketing writing, SEO, storytelling
- Tools: CMS, marketing platforms, SEO tools
- Output: Blog posts, marketing pages, case studies
The overlap: Some Technical Writers can write marketing content, and some Content Writers can document products. But the roles have different priorities. Technical Writers make products usable; Content Writers make products sellable.