Becoming a private tutor - Tutoring Information, Tutor Training Options

Careers and seeking work in tutoring

There are opportunities for technical authors in many parts of the UK and abroad. Positions are advertised regularly in the national press and in technical journals. There is a demand for authors with backgrounds in all branches of engineering and technology. Technical authorship offers a rewarding and highly valued second career to personnel who have had experience in their particular field. Technical authorship is a second career for many personnel and for this reason age is no barrier to entry.

TECHNICAL PUBLICATIONS         

A typical publications department is responsible for a range of manuals dealing with the operation, servicing and maintenance of equipment. Other documentation will include sales and technical brochures, training aid books, modification leaflets, parts lists, reports and documentation for internal circulation. Most of the resources of a publications department will be taken up with the production of technical manuals.
An author coming into a department will spend an initial period becoming familiar with the company's products and reading over the existing technical publications. Once this initial period is over, the author will work within his own general field, mechanical, electrical, electronic and so on. He will work on his own initiative with access to his section leader or chief author to discuss any problems that may arise.

FREELANCE WORK AS A TUTOR

Many technical authors are employed on a freelance basis, working from their own premises or on-site. Such authors provide a valuable service to publications departments where increases in the work load create a demand for agency or freelance services.
Success in this area calls for sound technical knowledge, coupled with the ability to produce high quality documentation within a specified time scale. As most user support documentation is produced to a particular specification, the freelance author must be familiar with the main publications specifications. These are covered in detail in the course.

TECHNICAL PRESS           

Technical authors are in an ideal position to produce freelance articles for the technical press. In addition to their writing skills, authors often have access to new developments in technology and this is the staple diet of technical magazines and newspapers. Freelance articles can provide a useful additional source of income. The Tutortex course provides information on how to write successfully for the technical press.

SEEKING EMPLOYMENT

It is not always necessary to wait until you have completed the course before seeking employment, some companies and technical publications agencies are prepared to employ trainee technical authors.
The first approach in seeking employment as a technical author is to answer a recruitment advertisement in the press, enclosing a CV and stressing the fact that you are taking a training course in the subject.

The second approach is to write to manufacturing companies in your area, again enclosing a CV. To maximise the effectiveness of letters to prospective employers you should find out as much as you can about the companies' products and select those that best suit your technical background and experience.

Technical publications agencies employ authors from a complete range of technical backgrounds, so there is no need to be selective when contacting them.

The national press carries recruitment advertisements in engineering vacancy sections. The BT website, www.yell.com can be searched for agencies under 'technical writers' at local or national level.