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Specifications writer skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Tiffany Kinney PhD,

Kate Kurtin Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical specifications writer skills. We ranked the top skills for specifications writers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 16.6% of specifications writer resumes contained technical specifications as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a specifications writer needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 specifications writer skills for your resume and career

1. Technical Specifications

A technical specification is a document that clearly explains the specific requirements needed to get a project, product, material, or system ready for public or private use. It's the preliminary stage of any engineering or product design that must be followed to the letter because it defines the technical standard and safety measures for the product in the field of engineering design.

Here's how specifications writers use technical specifications:

Coordinated and reviewed consultant technical specifications for conformance with WMATA standards.
Coordinated and wrote technical specifications for bidding and obtained pricing for labor and materials for all AMHA Projects.

2. Data Sheets

Here's how specifications writers use data sheets:

Prepare technical documentation from engineering/vendor technical information, customer specifications, and/or published data sheets.
Prepared specifications from engineering change notices, customer specifications, and/or published data sheets.

3. Leed

LEED is basically the acronym for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a certification program that approves the standards of buildings that are ecology-oriented. This includes the maintenance, building, and even the working of the ecological infrastructure.

Here's how specifications writers use leed:

Executed LEED Silver Certification for Mecklenburg Freedom Center.
center that includes a library facility for student and faculty users; LEED Silver Certification (2008 2009).

4. Product Flow

Here's how specifications writers use product flow:

Maintain specification files, review drawings and data, and translate language into standard procedures and product flow.

5. Architectural Specifications

Here's how specifications writers use architectural specifications:

Prepare master plan study report, feasibility studies,architectural specifications, cost estimates and biddocuments Coordinate with various engineering and technicalagencies

6. Construction Specifications

Here's how specifications writers use construction specifications:

Compiled, modified and edited construction specifications using office masters as a guide.
Created construction specification Sections for doors, frames, and door hardware.

7. Reference Standards

Here's how specifications writers use reference standards:

Serve as a resource for technical information, reference standards, and product selection.

8. Specification Writing

Here's how specifications writers use specification writing:

Managed specification writings in Siemens SIMATIC IT Interspec system for design and distribution of raw materials.
Develop first generation of PC-based specification writing software and product databases.

9. Engineering Drawings

Engineering drawings are technical drawings that tell about the requirements for engineering components or equipment. Such drawings have standardized languages and symbols. There are multiple types of engineering drawings such as isometric drawing, orthographic or multiview drawing, schematic drawings, one view, and two view drawings, etc.

Here's how specifications writers use engineering drawings:

Analyze Specification, and engineering drawings to calculate quantities of all finish materials used within a specific aircraft configuration.
Reviewed, corrected, and/or approved over 26,000 engineering drawings and wrote approximately 4200 related specifications.

10. Construction Products

Here's how specifications writers use construction products:

Evaluated construction products from manufacturers' product data and experience.

11. Technical Manuals

Technical Manuals are informative pieces of writing, often including diagrams and images, which educate the person who is using it and assist them in learning how to control, build, fix, or otherwise handle the product or products which it speaks of. A technical manual is also known more commonly as a user manual and it typically comes with most products, especially items such as furniture, electronics, appliances, software, machinery, and even medication and medical devices.

Here's how specifications writers use technical manuals:

Worked closely with vendors and technical teams to create, update, and maintain existing technical manuals.
Researched, developed and edited aircraft technical manuals by translating complex engineering data into clear, concise and easy-to-understand maintenance documents.

12. Adobe Acrobat

Acrobat Reader, a software program created by Adobe Systems, and they are used to view files in PDF. The main purpose of Adobe Acrobat is to view, create, and edit PDF documents. It can also import nearly all document as well as image formats, and save them in a PDF format.

Here's how specifications writers use adobe acrobat:

Used Windows XP, Word, Excel, Visio, MS Project, Adobe Acrobat and Framemaker.
Edited and revised existing hardware manuals for telecommunications equipment using Adobe FrameMaker, and Adobe Acrobat.

13. Specsintact

Here's how specifications writers use specsintact:

Processed specifications in SpecsIntact according to project requirements working with a team of engineers, architects and project managers.

14. Construction Projects

A construction project is an organized process of constructing, redeveloping, renovating, or otherwise improving a building, or structure. The project phase begins usually as a broad criterion that is then made with the help of a brief, feasibility analysis, funding, and planning. The majority of construction projects are one-time jobs.

Here's how specifications writers use construction projects:

Coordinated, supervised, and managed renovation and construction projects.
Project management of various construction projects ranging from $50,000 to $35,000,000.

15. AIA

Here's how specifications writers use aia:

Act as Firm's Point of Contact with AIA Continuing Education System and oversee compliance with AIA guidelines.
Prepared Change Orders, AIA Documents, Addendums, etc.

What skills help Specifications Writers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What specifications writer skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?

Dr. Tiffany Kinney PhD

Associate Professor of English, Colorado Mesa University

In terms of general advice, students just entering the career field after graduating should apply far and wide. In other words, I would suggest that students not limit themselves because they might be surprised where they can land a job. With that said, they should still tailor their application materials for the job that they want, instead of just sending out the same materials again/again.

What technical skills for a specifications writer stand out to employers?

Kate Kurtin Ph.D.

Associate Professor, California State University, Los Angeles

Every article on the subject says that communication skills are the most important skills to have when on the job market - and this is not my bias speaking, even Warren Buffet said it! Public speaking, critical thinking, interpersonal skills, etc., these are things that stand out to employers.

Do you want to know more?

List of specifications writer skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a specifications writer resume and required skills for a specifications writer to have include:

Technical Specifications
Data Sheets
Leed
Product Flow
Architectural Specifications
Construction Specifications
Reference Standards
Specification Writing
Engineering Drawings
Construction Products
Technical Manuals

Adobe Acrobat
Specsintact
Construction Projects
AIA
Technical Documentation
Data Entry
SharePoint
HTML
Contract Specifications
R
Material Specifications

Engineering Specifications
CAD
RFP
Cost Estimates
Product Specifications
ISO
NMD
Solidworks
Products Research

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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