How to hire a technical writer lead

How to hire a technical writer lead, step by step

Here's a step-by-step technical writer lead 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 writer lead job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new technical writer lead
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the technical writer lead you need to hire. Certain technical writer lead roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A technical writer lead's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, technical writer leads from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   This list presents technical writer lead salaries for various positions.

   Type of Technical Writer Lead	Description	Hourly rate
   Technical Writer Lead	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.	$25-40
   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
   Contributing Writer	A contributing writer is responsible for contributing content to a publication or a specific client, typically on a freelance basis. Contributing writers must have a strong command of their language and extensive understanding of the topics assigned to them... Show more	$16-36

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Technical Documentation
   • Subject Matter Experts
   • Maintenance Procedures
   • Status Reports
   • Engineering Drawings
   • User Guides
   • Visio
   • Training Materials
   • SMEs
   • SharePoint
   • Technical Publications
   • User Manuals
   • API
   • HTML

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Coordinate meetings, write and edit documentation, maintain SharePoint database, manage high-visibility special projects in a fast-pace environment.
   • Design graphics and illustrations for product documentation and training materials (CorelDraw and Visio).
   • Model include XML, HTML, and style sheet templates, guidelines, and training sessions.
   • Collaborate with SMEs to understand technical specifications.
   • Design an HTML instructional help system for a secure-encryption network product.
   • Process documents though the BCCR process for FDA regulations and legal requirements.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your technical writer lead job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. A technical writer lead salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, technical writer leads' average salary in indiana is 46% less than in district of columbia.
   • Seniority. Entry-level technical writer leads earn 39% less than senior-level technical writer leads.
   • Certifications. A technical writer lead with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in a technical writer lead's salary.

   Average technical writer lead salary

   $66,624yearly

   $32.03 hourly rate

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   Entry-level technical writer lead salary

   $52,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 5, 2025

4. Writing a technical writer lead job description

   A technical writer lead 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. Below, you can find an example of a technical writer lead job description:

   Technical writer lead job description example

   FICO (NYSE: FICO) is a leading global analytics software company, helping businesses in 90+ countries make better decisions. Join our world-class team today and fulfill your career potential!
   
   Providing documentation for FICO Platform and its supported Enabling Capabilities and Market Leading Capabilities
   Job Description
   The Opportunity
   “Bring your passion for learning new and emerging technologies to FICO where you'll be part of an innovative product team with hands-on access to the product.Our Technical Writers create documentation deliverables for leading edge software products deployed in Cloud, SaaS, ASP, and hosted environments. The deliverables may include installation guides, user guides, API reference guides, tutorials, examples, videos, and blogs.” - Director, Technical Publications
   
   What You'll Contribute
   Proactively learn about the FICO products to which you are assigned.Work with development team to define the documentation deliverables for each release.Research, write, and edit the deliverables.Coordinate the production and handoff of all final deliverables.Proactively explore architectural and platform issues relevant to the products, and provide technical assistance to sales, marketing, support and other technical writers.Frequently interact with Product Managers, Development and QA teams, subject-matter experts, and the Technical Publications team. Interaction is both scheduled and ad hoc in our iterative development environment.Work with other technical writers across FICO to look for ways to continually improve our processes and procedures.
   
   What We're Seeking
   BA/BS degree in Technical Writing, English or Computer Science.Significant technical writing or software development experience, or the equivalent combination of work experience and education-all candidates will be asked to provide writing samples.Proven ability with English spelling, grammar, punctuation, syntax and composition rules and a clear business/technical writing style.Ability to create and incorporate diagrams, graphics, and code samples as appropriate to illustrate targeted content.Writing topics in DITA and working with a content management system.Familiarity with Java or another object-oriented programming language.Support for the full range of enterprise software user documentation, including specifications, user guides, installation guides, administration guides, and release notes.Project source control familiarity, such as Bitbucket.Writing programming guides and API references is a plus.Working in an Agile environment is a plus.Familiarity with XML and HTML is a plus.
   
   Our Offer to You
   A culture and work environment strongly reflecting our core values: Act Like an Owner, Delight Our Customers and Earn the Respect of Others.The opportunity to make a difference by leveraging your unique strengths.Highly competitive compensation and rewards.Flexible work options, opportunities to give back to your community, social events with colleagues and a comprehensive benefits program inclusive of progressive parental leave.
   
   Why Make a Move to FICO?
   
   At FICO, you can develop your career with a leading organization in one of the fastest-growing fields in technology today - Big Data analytics. You'll play a part in our commitment to help businesses use data to improve every choice they make, using advances in artificial intelligence, machine learning, predictive and prescriptive modeling, and much more.
   FICO makes a real difference in the way businesses operate worldwide:
   Credit Scoring - 150+ billion FICO Scores have been sold to date, making it the most used credit score in the world.Fraud Detection and Security - 2.6+ billion payment cards globally are protected by FICO fraud systems.Lending - 3/4 of US mortgages are approved using the FICO Score.Anti-Money Laundering - our solutions check more than half a billion transactions a day to prevent criminal schemes such as terrorist financing
   
   Global trends toward digital transformation have created tremendous demand for FICO's solutions, placing us among the world's top 100 software companies by revenue. We support many of the world's largest banks, insurers, retailers, telecommunications providers and other firms reach a new level of success.
   
   Our success is dependent on really talented people - just like you - who thrive on the collaboration and innovation that's nurtured by a diverse and inclusive environment. We'll provide the support you need, while ensuring you have the freedom to develop your skills and grow your career. Join FICO and help change the way business thinks!
   
   Learn more about how you can fulfill your potential at www.fico.com/Careers
   
   FICO values the benefit that diversity and a culture of inclusion bring to our workplace. We are an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and we're proud to offer employment and advancement opportunities to all applicants without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status.

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5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find technical writer leads 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 writer lead job on Zippia to find and attract quality technical writer lead candidates.
   • Use niche websites such as problogger, media bistro, journalismjobs.com, content writing jobs.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit technical writer leads, 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 writer lead

   Once you've selected the best technical writer lead candidate for the job, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, this letter should include details about the benefits and perks you offer the candidate. Ensuring that your offer is competitive is essential, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and you should be open to discussion. After you reach an agreement, the final step is formalizing the agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new technical writer lead first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

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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