Post job

Explore jobs

Find specific jobs

Explore careers

Explore professions

Best companies

Explore companies

OverviewJobs

Skills

EducationCertificationsDemographicsJob DescriptionHow To HireBest CompaniesJob OutlookCompare
zippia ai icon

Automatically apply for jobs with Zippi

Upload your resume to get started.

Technical writer lead skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025
6 min read
Quoted experts
Randall Auxier,
Kate Kurtin Ph.D.
Below we've compiled a list of the most critical technical writer lead skills. We ranked the top skills for technical writer leads based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 8.0% of technical writer lead resumes contained technical documentation as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a technical writer lead needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 technical writer lead skills for your resume and career

1. Technical Documentation

Technical documentation means any documentation that gives a functional, architectural, and handling description of a technical product or a product in use or development.

Here's how technical writer leads use technical documentation:
  • Worked with graphic designers, engineers, marketing, localization, production and product management to produce high-quality technical documentation.
  • Created technical documentation for engineering quality management software for use by the medical equipment, manufacturing, and pharmaceutical industries.

2. Subject Matter Experts

Here's how technical writer leads use subject matter experts:
  • Coordinated technical reviews, gathered information from functional architect and subject matter experts, supervised technical writer.
  • Identified current procedures by interviewing subject matter experts and incorporated those procedures into revised directives.

3. Maintenance Procedures

A maintenance procedure refers to a thorough list of steps that details the way a maintenance task needs to be performed. It also acts as a documented standard that should be maintained when performing the task or job.

Here's how technical writer leads use maintenance procedures:
  • Developed and wrote comprehensive maintenance procedures for diesel engine equipped vehicles from all available engineering source data and hands-on task analysis.
  • Collaborated with engineering, provided customer support, and performed procedural validations with the customer to ensure accurate maintenance procedures.

4. Status Reports

Here's how technical writer leads use status reports:
  • Attended and generated weekly management status reports with Project Managers to discuss cross-departmental activities progress and future requirements.
  • Produced feasibility studies, proposals, instruction manuals, process flows, test scripts, online tutorials, status reports.

5. 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 technical writer leads use engineering drawings:
  • Validated engineering drawings and Technical Data Package (TDP) to identify and help BAE engineering correct drawing errors.
  • Analyzed Engineering drawings, wiring diagrams, and fault isolation manuals to determine technical order impact.

6. User Guides

A user guide or manual is proposed to assist people in using a certain mechanical system. Usually scripted by a technical writer, it can also be written by project managers, programmers, product managers, or other technical staff, especially in a small company. User guides are mostly written for computer hardware, computer software, electronic goods but they can be written for almost any product. Most user guides are written in more than one language and contain associated images to enable users to understand better.

Here's how technical writer leads use user guides:
  • Wrote/edited computer documentation including user guides and technical summaries* Managed pool of technical writers
  • Created and maintained product documentation including User Guides, Install Guides, Implementation Guides, Release Notes, Quick-Start Guides etc.

Choose from 10+ customizable technical writer lead resume templates

Build a professional technical writer lead resume in minutes. Our AI resume writing assistant will guide you through every step of the process, and you can choose from 10+ resume templates to create your technical writer lead resume.

7. Visio

Visio or Microsoft Visio is computer software that allows users to create and draw vector graphics according to their requirements. The program is used to draw flowcharts, org charts, data flow diagrams, process flow diagrams, and modeling diagrams. Visio is also used to draw architectural designs including; building and floor plans, and 3D geographical maps.

Here's how technical writer leads use visio:
  • Designed graphics and illustrations for product documentation and training materials (CorelDraw and Visio).
  • Produced graphics for documentation using the Adobe Suite and Microsoft Visio.

8. Training Materials

Here's how technical writer leads use training materials:
  • General technical writing responsibilities including analyzing and interpreting technical information to create documentation, training materials and presentations.
  • Interviewed developers and coordinated with Marketing and Education departments to develop marketing and training materials.

9. SMEs

Here's how technical writer leads use smes:
  • Interviewed SMEs and business analysts for input on documentation of software applications.
  • Collaborated with SMEs to understand technical specifications.

10. SharePoint

Here's how technical writer leads use sharepoint:
  • Demonstrated basic proficiency with Microsoft Project and SharePoint.
  • Organized team reference documents on SharePoint.

11. Technical Publications

Here's how technical writer leads use technical publications:
  • Provided guidance in adhering to documentation standards and educated the customer on the Technical Publications review process.
  • Communicated effective ideas for business growth and personal development to Technical Publications Lead and higher-level management.

12. User Manuals

Here's how technical writer leads use user manuals:
  • Developed and modified several user manuals using government specification.
  • Reviewed program documentation and authored user manuals.

13. API

Here's how technical writer leads use api:
  • Edited and redesigned all existing REST API, hardware and configuration documentation for all products.
  • Created and maintained product application standalone and Visual Studio .NET API, language reference, and .Net collection help files.

14. HTML

Here's how technical writer leads use html:
  • Developed field-level, context-sensitive help in HTML for new Web-based Group Management applications.
  • Experience in proofing, editing and converting draft into PDF, HTML, MS Word and other formats required.

15. Configuration Management

Configuration management is a technical system of management controls that includes decisions, actions, and approvals that are applied throughout the life cycle of a program or system and that maintain the consistency of its performance, functional and physical attributes from the conceptual phase to production and finally to post-production support.

Here's how technical writer leads use configuration management:
  • Worked with Configuration Management lead in creating document repository and process.
  • Provided document control and configuration management support for IT division.
top-skills

What skills help Technical Writer Leads find jobs?

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

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

Randall Auxier

Professor of Philosophy and Communication Studies, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Writers have to be patient about this. The fields that were once supporting writers (e.g., journalism) have dried up. No one gets paid much for this kind of work any more. The best strategy is to seek a position that has upward mobility and become a writer in the fashion described above. You have to be good at it, of course, to increase your value to a company. Being sure that you are credited for everything you do, in the text, is very important, in creating a portfolio that makes you mobile. People will let you go uncredited unless you insist on being credited. Here you really must be bold. You are not moving your career forward unless you are credited for everything you do. No one can reasonably deny your request to be credited, so insist on it.

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

Kate Kurtin Ph.D.Kate Kurtin Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

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?
Read more about what experts have to say about technical writer lead

List of technical writer lead skills to add to your resume

Technical writer lead skills

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

  • Technical Documentation
  • Subject Matter Experts
  • Maintenance Procedures
  • Status Reports
  • Engineering Drawings
  • User Guides
  • Visio
  • Training Materials
  • SMEs
  • SharePoint
  • Technical Publications
  • User Manuals
  • API
  • HTML
  • Configuration Management
  • DOD
  • XML
  • Photoshop
  • Technical Manuals
  • Technical Specifications
  • Technical Content
  • Adobe Framemaker
  • Release Notes
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Technical Data
  • Content Management System
  • User Interface
  • SDLC
  • Installation Guides
  • End-User Documentation
  • PowerPoint
  • RoboHelp
  • Documentation Process
  • CAD
  • Windows
  • Logistics
  • Maintenance Manuals
  • Test Cases
  • ISO
  • Linux
  • Unix
  • Documentation Projects
  • Product Documentation
  • Dita
  • Documentation Standards
  • Led Training
  • PDF
  • RFP
  • Mil-Std
  • Software Applications

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
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.

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse arts, entertainment, sports, and media jobs