Entry-level technical writer resume example

By the Rezumed team · Updated November 7, 2026

A technical writer turns how a product works into steps a stranger can follow. An entry-level technical writer resume should show that you can understand a system by working with the people who built it, write user guides and API documentation that hold up when someone tests them, and keep terms consistent across every page.

What this resume has to prove

The Bureau of Labor Statistics says technical writers "prepare instruction manuals, how-to guides, journal articles, and other supporting documents" that make complex, technical information easier to understand. Their listed duties include: "Determine the needs of users of technical documentation", "Study product samples and talk with product designers and developers", "Write or revise supporting content for products", "Edit material prepared by other writers or staff", "Standardize content across platforms and media" and "Collect user feedback to update and improve content". BLS adds that technical writers may serve on teams that conduct usability studies to improve product design.

On education, BLS says employers generally prefer candidates with a bachelor's degree in English, communications, journalism or a related field, and that technical writing jobs may require knowledge of a technical field. It notes that "Many technical writers need short-term on-the-job training to adapt their narrative style to a descriptive style of writing", and that some associations offer certification, which is not mandatory. So the resume has to show both halves: you can write precise, tested instructions, and you can work with engineers to understand what you are documenting.

Sample resume

The internship comes first because it shows the full loop: study the product with experts, write, add visuals, get a technical review. The campus job proves steady publishing for real users, plus the API project shows the software side many postings ask for.

What to put in each section

Experience: the reader, the document and the review

A strong technical writing bullet names who the document was for, what kind of document it was, the tool you wrote it in and how it was checked. "Wrote documentation" could mean anything.

Projects: documentation people can see

If you have no internship yet, projects carry the resume. Open source projects often welcome help with README files, tutorials and reference pages, and merged pull requests are public proof. A usability test from a course counts too, because it shows you check instructions against real readers instead of assuming they work.

Portfolio: three to five samples

Pick samples that match the posting: a task-based procedure, a reference page or API doc, and one piece with diagrams or annotated screenshots. Add a line on the audience, the tool and your part. Never post an employer's internal documents; rewrite a public sample or ask permission first.

Education and technical courses

List the degree, school and graduation month, then technical communication courses and any engineering, computer science or science courses. BLS says some jobs require knowledge of a technical field, so a minor or a few programming courses belong here. List a certification only if you hold it; BLS says it is not mandatory.

Skills to list

Technical writing postings name authoring tools, markup and the product area. Use their exact words for the tools you have used, such as "MadCap Flare", "Markdown" or "docs-as-code". The University of Maryland career center also suggests mirroring the job description's keywords. Mark tools you only used in a course as coursework.

Tools

• Authoring: MadCap Flare, Adobe FrameMaker, Paligo or Microsoft Word templates
• Docs as code: Markdown, Git, GitHub and a static site generator such as MkDocs or Docusaurus
• Wikis and knowledge bases: Confluence, ServiceNow or Zendesk Guide
• Screenshots and diagrams: Snagit, Visio, Lucidchart or draw.io
• API tools: Postman, OpenAPI files and basic Python or JavaScript

Abilities

• Interviewing engineers and subject matter experts
• Writing numbered, task-based procedures
• Seeing a product the way a new user sees it
• Editing for consistent terms and plain language
• Testing instructions and revising from feedback

Common mistakes

• A resume with typos. BLS says technical writers "must be precise about every step." A resume is your first writing sample, and one typo undercuts it. To avoid that, read it aloud before you send it.
• Creative writing as the main proof. Poems and short stories show you can write, but not that you can document a product. Lead with instructions, guides and reference pages.
• No sign of technical review. Say who checked your work: an engineer, a maintainer or the help desk. It shows your documents are accurate, not just readable.
• Tool lists with no documents. "Flare, Confluence, Markdown" means little alone. Tie each tool to something you wrote in it.

FAQ

How is this different from an IT support resume?

Both explain technology to people who are not experts. An IT support resume centers on fixing problems one ticket at a time, while a technical writer resume centers on documents that answer the question for everyone at once. See the entry-level IT support specialist example and keep a version of each.

Do I need a technical degree?

Not always. BLS says employers generally prefer a degree in English, communications, journalism or a related field, and that some jobs may require knowledge of a technical field. If your degree is in English, add programming or science courses, an API project or open source docs to show the technical side.

How long should it be?

One page, in one column. Put full samples in the portfolio rather than on the resume. See How to write a new grad resume for the general layout.

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More resume examples

• Entry-level IT support specialist resume exampleA campus help desk job, CompTIA A+ and a home lab, with bullets that show the problem, the fix and the system.
• Software engineer new grad resume exampleInternship, TA work and two projects, plus how to write project bullets that name your part.
• Entry-level QA tester resume exampleA QA internship, a student testing job and a test automation project, with bullets on test plans, bug reports and regression runs.

See all resume examples.

Sources

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Technical Writers
• University of Maryland Career Center: Resume how-to guide