ATS Keywords & CV Guide for Technical Writer

Technical writers create documentation, API references, user guides, and help articles that make complex products understandable. They bridge the gap between engineering and users. When you apply for Technical Writer roles, applicant tracking systems scan your CV for the skills, tools, and responsibility phrasing below. Use them in context within your experience bullets, not just in a skills list.

Top skills recruiters scan for

These are the skills that appear most frequently in Technical Writer job descriptions. The importance score reflects how heavily each skill is weighted in the occupation's O*NET profile. Include the top 5 in your CV where you can prove them with real outcomes.

Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

Tools & software to name explicitly

Recruiters and ATS systems search for specific tool names. List the ones you have real experience with in your skills section, and prove them in your bullets. Tools marked as hot are currently in high demand in job postings.

• Markdown / MDXHot
• Git / GitHub
• Docs-as-code tools (Mintlify, ReadMe)Hot
• Figma (for diagrams)
• Notion / Confluence
• Swagger / OpenAPIHot
• Screen recording tools (Loom)Hot
• Grammarly
• Jira
• VS Code

Responsibility phrasing for your bullets

These are the core tasks a Technical Writer is expected to perform. Use them as starting points for your CV bullets, but rewrite each one with your specific outcomes, scope, and context. Do not copy them verbatim.

• Write and maintain API documentation, user guides, and help articles
• Collaborate with engineers to understand and document new features
• Create code samples and tutorials for developers using the product
• Organise documentation into a navigable information architecture
• Review and edit content from subject matter experts for clarity
• Test documentation against the product to ensure accuracy
• Gather user feedback to identify documentation gaps and improvements
• Maintain documentation style guides and content standards

Other titles this role is posted under

Job postings for this role may use any of these titles. Search for all of them to find more relevant opportunities, and use the matching title in your CV's professional summary when applying.

• Documentation Engineer
• Technical Author
• Documentation Writer
• API Writer
• Content Engineer
• UX Writer
• Information Developer

Related roles

Explore ATS keywords for other roles in the Content & Creative family:

• Content Writer

Includes information from O*NET 29.x by the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration (ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license.