How to hire a technical publications writer

How to hire a technical publications writer, step by step

Here's a step-by-step technical publications writer hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a technical publications writer job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new technical publications writer
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The technical publications writer hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect technical publications writer also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   This list shows salaries for various types of technical publications writers.

   Type of Technical Publications Writer	Description	Hourly rate
   Technical Publications Writer	Technical writers, also called technical communicators, prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents to communicate complex and technical information more easily. They also develop, gather, and disseminate technical information through an organization’s communications channels.	$25-42
   Writer	A writer can have different responsibilities depending on which industry or line of work they are involved. There are writers assigned in a corporate setting, some in journalism, while there are also writers in the entertainment Industry... Show more	$19-51
   Staff Writer	A staff writer is a professional who works in the television (TV) or entertainment industry to provide standard content such as news reports, reviews, and features. Since writing content is important, staff writers must be able to collaborate and brainstorm ideas with other staff members in the production process... Show more	$13-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Technical Publications
   • Technical Manuals
   • Technical Support
   • Subject Matter Experts
   • FAA
   • Engineering Drawings
   • SharePoint
   • Technical Writers
   • SME
   • Technical Documentation
   • RFP
   • Technical Data
   • Technical Reports
   • User Guides

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.
   • Review products and abstracts to verify that all vetting and dissemination requirements are meet prior to product dissemination/distribution to DHS costumers.
   • Identify and initiate wholesale computer upgrade to accommodate new CMS while allocating and managing staff resources devote to developing the software.

   More technical publications writer duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your technical publications writer job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A technical publications writer salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a technical publications writer in South Dakota may be lower than in California, and an entry-level technical publications writer usually earns less than a senior-level technical publications writer. Additionally, a technical publications writer with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average technical publications writer salary

   $68,526yearly

   $32.95 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level technical publications writer salary

   $53,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 19, 2025

   Average technical publications writer salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	California	$86,978	$42
   2	Arizona	$81,345	$39
   3	Virginia	$81,307	$39
   4	New Jersey	$75,770	$36
   5	Pennsylvania	$67,512	$32
   6	New York	$66,215	$32
   7	Maryland	$64,262	$31
   8	Texas	$59,654	$29
   9	Indiana	$59,547	$29
   10	South Carolina	$55,464	$27

   Average technical publications writer salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Yahoo	$91,699	$44.09
   2	American Express	$86,080	$41.38	26
   3	Joby Aviation	$84,811	$40.77	4
   4	Playdom	$84,225	$40.49
   5	U.S. Pharmacopeia	$83,307	$40.05	2
   6	World Wide Technology	$72,780	$34.99	28
   7	Lockheed Martin	$71,429	$34.34	71
   8	Raytheon Technologies	$71,303	$34.28	19
   9	Safran	$68,032	$32.71	12
   10	Republic Airways Holdings	$66,233	$31.84
   11	Singulex	$65,142	$31.32
   12	Cyient	$65,139	$31.32
   13	MAG Aerospace	$64,893	$31.20	1
   14	Cogent Communications	$64,840	$31.17
   15	Universal Instruments	$61,538	$29.59	4
   16	Accela	$58,227	$27.99

4. Writing a technical publications writer job description

   A technical publications writer job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a technical publications writer job description:

   Technical publications writer job description example

   Interim Technical Publications Writer
   
   Location: Government Site work IVO Virginia Beach, VA. Remote work authorization rests with Government client.
   
   Who We Are: Founded in 2007, SimIS Inc. is an innovative information technology solution Veteran Owned Small Business (VOSB) that models future environments, requirements and capabilities, and then secures the enterprise from internal and external threats compliant with Federal, State, and industry standard governance to ensure client mission success. Our performance standard is "excellence," with an outcomes-based, quality focus in our services and products, guided by our core values of honesty (in word and deed), relationships (confidence and trust with clients and partners), teamwork (shared goals, mission and purpose), loyalty (allegiance to our client and team), and importance of others (work and win as a team).
   
   Interim Technical Publications Writer Job Description - Requirements and Responsibilities:
   

   • Position Designation: Non-Critical Sensitive/IT- II
   • Develops, writes and edits material for reports, manuals, briefs, proposals, instructions books, catalogs and related technical and administrative publications concerned with work methods and procedures, and installation, operation, and maintenance of machinery and other equipment.

   
   
   Experience, Skills and Qualifications
   

   • Skill Level I: Associate's level degree in any graphic arts discipline or in any liberal arts discipline
   • Typical Experience: Two (2) years of professional experience in Technical Publication.
   • U.S. Citizenship and DoD Secret (or higher) Security Clearance required

   
   
   Location: Virginia Beach, VA or surrounding area or be willing to relocate to Virginia Beach, VA, and surrounding area.
   
   Travel: Approximately 10%
   
   Benefits:
   

   • Medical, Dental, and Vision
   • Short Term Disability (SimIS provides Short-Term Disability benefits at no cost to you)
   • Life Insurance
   • 401(k) Savings Plan
   • Tuition Assistance Program
   • Paid Time Off (PTO)
   • 10 Holidays each year

   
   SimIS, Inc. is an AA / EOE / M / F / Disability / VET / Drug Free Employer

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find technical publications writers for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your technical publications writer job on Zippia to find and recruit technical publications writer candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit technical publications writers, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new technical publications writer

   Once you've decided on a perfect technical publications writer candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   After that, you can create an onboarding schedule for a new technical publications writer. Human Resources and the hiring manager should complete Employee Action Forms. Human Resources should also ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc., and that new employee files are created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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