6. Other
A good technical communicator___
- has strong general organization skills;
- knows his/her hardware and software (particularly if s/he is freelance!); and
- keeps his/her general knowledge base up to date.
The digital age puts at our disposal more information than we can consume, manage, or even bear! Through complacency and/or overestimating the reliability of their hardware, technical communicators are vulnerable to losing impressive quantities of work. Routine, basic filing skills retain usefulness and, due to the volumes potentially at stake, are perhaps more valuable than ever (1.). Regular backups significantly reduce the possibility of the sudden, irreversible, catastrophic data losses that once terrified computer users. Understanding current hardware and software eases data creation and transaction processes (2.).
Thorough comprehension and skill with cloud services (and local backups for good measure) have become paramount concerns, especially in cross-platform, mobile, trans- or intra-corporate, real time service, or localization scenarios where data ubiquity is elemental.
In common with all workers (particularly those in highly structured, complex product- or service-supplying corporations), fluency in project management will also be a serious asset.
Knowledge in specialist subject matter should be acquired and maintained (admittedly, for generalists this is not always possible, hence the necessity for positive interaction with Subject Matter Experts). If flawless mastery is too remote a prospect, then competent familiarity, at the very least, with relevant technologies and terms should be acquired. The software and languages that facilitate technical communication constitute essential tools of the trade, so understanding them is a major, often deal-breaking priority.