Latest / The Career Change Podcast with Fexingo: Switching Fields, Bootcamps, and Reskilling / How Bootcamp Grads Can Transition Into Technical Writing
Transcript
- Lucas: If you can write clear code comments, you can write a technical document. And if you can read an API reference, you're already halfway to writing one. Luna: That sounds like a pretty direct pitch for technical writing as a bootcamp grad career move. Lucas: It is. Because a lot of bootcamp grads overlook this track. They think the only options are software engineer, data analyst, product manager. But technical writing sits right at the intersection of coding and communication, and it's growing fast. Luna: How fast? Do we have numbers? Lucas: The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects about 7 percent growth for technical writers through 2033, which is faster than average. But here's the real stat: the demand for developer-facing documentation — API docs, SDK guides, integration tutorials — is outpacing general technical writing. Companies like Stripe, Twilio, and HashiCorp are essentially publishing houses now. Their docs are a product. Luna: I've heard the Stripe docs are legendary. Developers actually enjoy reading them. Lucas: Exactly. And the people writing those docs are often former engineers or bootcamp grads who know how to code and can explain it to other developers. A bootcamp grad who's comfortable with Git, Markdown, REST APIs, and a little bit of JavaScript already has the core technical toolkit. Luna: So what's missing? What does a bootcamp grad need to learn to break into technical writing? Lucas: They need to understand information architecture — how to structure a document so a reader can scan it. They need to know the basics of style guides, like the Google Developer Documentation Style Guide or the Microsoft Style Guide. And they need a portfolio. But here's the good news: they can build that portfolio by contributing open-source documentation fixes. Luna: Fixing typos in open-source projects? That seems like a small start. Lucas: It's a foot in the door. But I'd go further. Look for projects where the docs are incomplete or confusing. For example, a few years ago, the Angular documentation had a major overhaul after the community complained. A bootcamp grad could write a tutorial on how to set up Angular with a specific state management library. That's a real contribution, and it shows hiring managers you can write for a developer audience. Luna: So the portfolio is essentially a GitHub repo with a few well-written READMEs and a blog? Lucas: That's part of it. But the most effective portfolio piece is a complete API reference for a small open-source library. Write the docs as if you're on the team. Include code samples, edge cases, error messages. That demonstrates you understand the technical depth and the user's perspective. Luna: And then how do you actually get hired? Is it through the same job boards? Lucas: Some are on LinkedIn and Indeed, but a lot of technical writing roles are filled through developer community channels. The Write the Docs community, for example, has a job board. Also, companies that have strong developer relations often hire technical writers directly. And many are remote. Stripe's docs team is fully remote. Twilio's too. Luna: It's also a role where the salary can be pretty good, right? Lucas: Yeah, the typical range for a mid-level technical writer at a tech company is 80 to 130 thousand dollars. If you specialize in API documentation or developer experience, you can go higher. And it's a career path with a lot of autonomy — you're usually the expert on the docs, so people trust your judgment. Luna: That sounds like a great fit for someone who enjoys teaching and has a knack for writing clear explanations. What about the interview process? Is it different from a software engineer interview? Lucas: Very different. You won't get a whiteboard coding challenge. Instead, you'll get a take-home assignment: write a tutorial for a hypothetical API, or improve a poorly written doc page. They'll evaluate your structure, clarity, and whether you anticipate user questions. Some companies also ask you to review a piece of existing documentation and present your feedback. Luna: So it's less about algorithm speed and more about empathy for the reader. Lucas: Exactly. And that's something bootcamp grads often excel at, because they remember what it's like to be a beginner. They know what confused them. That perspective is valuable. I've seen bootcamp grads get hired at companies like Google and Amazon for technical writing roles specifically because they could explain complex concepts simply. Luna: I want to circle back to something you mentioned earlier — the idea that technical writing is a product. Can you elaborate on that? Lucas: Sure. For developer-facing companies, documentation is the primary user interface. A developer decides whether to use Stripe based on how easy it is to integrate, and that's largely determined by the docs. So companies invest seriously in them. Twilio has a whole team of technical writers who sit alongside engineering. They treat docs as a product with its own roadmap, metrics, and reviews. Luna: That makes sense. And if today's episode helped you think differently about your career options, or gave you a concrete next step to explore, we want to mention something. This show stays ad-free because of listener support at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Even a small contribution helps keep the episodes coming without interruptions. Lucas: Yeah, it's a simple way to say 'this was useful' if it was. And we really appreciate it. So, back to technical writing: one thing I want to emphasize is that you don't need a degree in English or journalism. Bootcamp grads who can code and write clearly are actually in high demand. I've spoken with hiring managers who prefer candidates with a technical background over pure writers. Luna: What about tools? Do you need to know specific software like MadCap Flare or Adobe FrameMaker? Lucas: Not necessarily. A lot of modern tech docs are written in Markdown and published with static site generators like Docusaurus or Jekyll. If you know Markdown and Git, you're already ahead. Some companies use proprietary tools, but the core skill is writing. The tools can be learned in a week. Luna: So a bootcamp grad looking to pivot should start by writing a few sample docs, contributing to an open-source project, and then applying to roles that emphasize API documentation? Lucas: That's the fast track. Also, consider targeting companies that have a strong developer relations team. Those companies are more likely to value technical writing as a core function. And if you can get a referral from someone in the developer community, even better. Luna: Any final piece of advice for someone considering this path? Lucas: Start today. Pick a small open-source project you use, find a documentation gap, and write a pull request. That one action will teach you more about the role than any course. And it'll give you something concrete to show in an interview. Luna: Great advice. Thanks, Lucas. Lucas: Thanks, Luna. And to our listeners: if you found this episode useful, consider supporting the show at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Until next time.