Reader Response: Can I Get a STEM Job With No Degree in the Field?

Posted on April 11, 2026 by Bart Leahy

While I’ve been retired from this page for a bit, it’s nice to know that the content is still finding its designated audience. With the reader’s permission, I’ve reposted our recent correspondence, with a bit of editing here and there. Thanks for reading, Ruwa!

Hi Mr. Leahy, I found your website through my technical communications professor, who is trying to get us acquainted with the profession. After looking at your LinkedIn, I saw that you have extensive experience working as a technical writer for companies within the STEM field without a degree in the sciences. How difficult has it been, especially in recent years, to get a job in a STEM field without an education in the field? Also, what advice would you give to a soon-to-be English grad interested in entering a technical writing job in the STEM field? Continue reading →

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Heroic Technical Writing in a Time Fraught with Political Peril

Posted on January 26, 2026 by Bart Leahy

I’ve talked about this before, but it seems to be that sort of time again. This is going to be a challenging post to write, but it is also necessary. How do you write heroically (i.e., write in line with your personal conscience) if the work you are doing conflicts with your personal beliefs? The short version, I would say, is to rein in your urge to talk or write in a way that might alienate coworkers or managers and save your unabashed feelings for social media. If that becomes impossible, you might want to consider changing work locations, circumstances permitting. I have more thoughts below. Continue reading →

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And Now for Something Completely Different

Posted on August 15, 2025 by Bart Leahy

A while back, I got assigned to a different supervisor, a guy younger than me who’s dedicated to doing all the “coach” things, including helping me with my career. My first response was, “Dude, I’m 55 years old. How much career development do you expect me to do?” Still, I agreed to think the matter over and see what I might do with the 10-20 years of useful work left in me. Continue reading →

Posted in business writing, careers, education, engineering, interviews, management, presentations, research, technical writing, Technology, workplace | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Proposals: What Are You Writing About?

Posted on April 19, 2025 by Bart Leahy

Recently, a colleague (DD, not to be confused with D2) called asking my help on proposal writing. She was relatively new to the field, and it was vexing her. The big complaint she had was, “When I ask the engineers, ‘How are you going to do X?’ or ‘How does that work?’ they didn’t know. Aren’t they supposed to?” This brought up a point I hadn’t considered in a while because I’d adsorbed it early in my career: what, exactly, are you writing about in a proposal when you’re writing the technical approach? Continue reading →

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Communications & Career Lessons from the von Braun Symposium

Posted on November 4, 2024 by Bart Leahy

Hello, technical communication enthusiasts! I know, it’s been a while since I wrote here, so let’s get to it. On assignment for my job, last week I attended the annual American Astronautical Society (AAS) von Braun Space Exploration Symposium in my old stomping grounds, Huntsville, Alabama. While I picked up only a few useful tidbits for my employer, I came away with a lot of good discussion points for tech writing students, engineers, space communicators, and anyone looking to stand out as a job candidate. Lucky you, I’m here to share.

Continue reading →

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