Overview
Technical writing is a growing field that sits at the intersection of technology and communication. Companies building software products, APIs, and developer tools all need people who can explain complex systems in clear language. For graduates, the challenge is showing you can write for technical audiences, not just produce academic essays.
This resume belongs to Isla MacKenzie, an English Literature and Informatics graduate from the University of Edinburgh. She completed a writing internship at FreeAgent, maintains a technical blog, and contributes to open source documentation. Her resume works because it demonstrates both writing volume and measurable documentation impact.
What Makes This Resume Work
API documentation work is specific and measurable. Writing 20 new pages, updating 15 existing ones, and reducing API support tickets by 12% connects Isla's writing directly to a business outcome. Technical writing is not just about words; it is about helping users succeed.
The blog shows consistent public output. 18 articles, 12,000+ views, and 450 subscribers prove Isla can write regularly and attract a technical audience. Having an article shared by the Write the Docs community adds professional credibility.
Open source contributions demonstrate collaboration. Contributing 6 merged pull requests to Astro's documentation shows Isla can work within established style guides, collaborate via GitHub, and have her work reviewed by maintainers and the community.
Key Takeaways
Technical writing hiring managers want to see published work. Start a blog, contribute to open source documentation, or write tutorials on dev.to. Count your articles, your views, and any measurable impact your writing had on user behaviour or support volume. Familiarity with docs-as-code tools like Git, Markdown, and static site generators is increasingly expected, so make sure those skills are visible on your resume.
