Specialty Fields and Industries
One of the main requirements of a practicing technical communicator is what is called domain knowledge. This can mean subject matter in which one writes about one of the following (to name a few):
- education
- science
- finance
- industry (of various sorts)
- public policy
- public health
- medicine
- pharmaceuticals
Some college students meet this requirement by taking a double major, electives, or a minor in a specific field. Others acquire it on the job or through internships. Many technical communicators rely on practical experience working in various industries to supply them with a field's basic working knowledge. After gaining this experience, they use it in their new careers as technical communicators.
Diane Borgwardt pointed out that many times, it is hard to decide on a specialty until you have experienced TC in that specialty. Temporary or contract positions can give you the needed knowledge for this, and many employers are hiring only on a temporary basis until the economy gets better.