As local technology companies develop new products and services, they continue to fuel a growing need for skilled communicators able to explain and teach various audiences about the benefits, features and use of those products and services.

Communicators who can translate complicated and often confusing technical information into clear, concise and usable material are in demand at each step of the development lifecycle of a product or service. These technology communicators -- skilled in either written or oral communication or both -- typically hold jobs with titles that range from technical writer and technical trainer to editor, publicist and marketing communication specialist.

Recently, there has been a heightened demand by local technology companies and the marketing communications firms that support them for staff whose focus is technology marketing and public relations. Titles for the jobs being created include PR coordinator, marketing communication specialist, media relations manager, and account executive.

"There is a big need for two kinds of communications professionals in technology," said Robin Sachs, president of RMR & Associates, Inc., a Rockville advertising, marketing and public relations firm. "You have the traditional tech writers, who can write and edit manuals, develop training material and other technical documentation and then there is a big need for technical marketers. We definitely see a very urgent need for marketing communication people who understand technology and can help technology companies be more successful."

That help, according to Sachs, can have a very real influence on a technology firm's bottom line profitability. "The biggest contribution a technical marketer can make is to enhance the client's brand so that it is perceived to have a premium value in the marketplace," said Sachs, whose firm has 25 fulltime employees augmented with freelancers as needed for specific projects. "Increasing the brand's value requires that you be an evangelist for your company, your market and your technology and that you repeat key messages enough to the right people. With all the hot technology companies around this area, I like to think that our marketing and PR efforts are helping to create the next IBM, Microsoft and AT&T;"

Sachs and others in the technology marketing and PR field say business is booming, a situation that's produced the recent growth in demand for communicators with the right skills. What's more, projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics(BLS) suggest the growth trend is likely to continue. According to the BLS, the employment of marketing, advertising, and public relations managers, particularly in business services industries such as computer and data processing firms, is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005.

"Our agency has been expanding at the rate of 30 percent growth for the past two years," said Mike Smith, vice president of public relations for E. James White Company, a Herndon, Va., advertising, marketing, public relations and interactive communications firm.

Stackig Advertising & Public Relations of McLean is another local technology-focused marketing communications firm that's experienced significant growth in the demand for its services in the last two years. "My biggest single management challenge is finding staff to keep up with our clients' needs," said David C. Swanston, president of Stackig's PR division. "We finally decided a few years ago that the best approach is to train our own, so we have a very comprehensive internship program where we hire people right out of college."

The rapid growth experienced by technology marketing and PR firms has led to corresponding rapid rises up the career ladder for some people. "Our director of PR started off as an account executive two years ago," said Smith. "She's almost doubled her salary and moved up three levels since that time."

"It's a fun profession and a fun field to be in now," said Smith. According to Smith, there are only a handful of Washington-area agencies that currently specialize in technology communications, but he said a number of the large national PR and advertising agencies are also forming technology practices based in the Washington area. In addition, high tech companies in the area are also looking for PR and marketing people to fill staff jobs in marketing communications.

"The demand for communicators is growing exponentially," said Smith. "When the high tech companies start up here, they generally first bring in the technology people to drive the product they're building, then they bring in the marketing people to sell it. Pretty soon, these companies find out they need communicators to help them do both."

Temp Jobs Too

The demand for talent is strong in the temporary job market as well. For technology companies or PR agencies seeking to fill positions on either a temporary or temp-to-perm basis, Washington's PRofessional Solutions, LLC, offers a roster of experienced practitioners ready to handle a variety of assignments.

"This is an incredibly expanding field," said Kate Perrin, president of PRofessional Solutions. "People throw all sorts of activities -- from media event coordination, promotional writing, media relations, public affairs, grassroots campaigns -- under the broad communications umbrella."

Strong writing ability is the number one skill sought by all the organizations interviewed for this article. "Writing is still the basic building block in PR and communications, so they need to be able to clearly put ideas down on paper or on screen," said Perrin.

Other skills considered important for technology communicators are computer literacy, media relations, strategic thinking and research ability. Four-year degrees -- usually with majors in journalism, public relations, communications, or English -- are the minimum education required for most technology communicator jobs.

As for personal characteristics and attitudes, flexibility and initiative top the list followed closely by enthusiasm and an energetic outlook. "It does take a special type of person who is somewhat enthralled about the rapid pace of change and has enthusiasm for keeping pace with the ever- changing high tech landscape," said Smith. "Every day there is a new trend or new product and you have to be able to jump in and quickly become conversant about a lot of industries. You can be on the phone talking to a client about telecommunications then have to switch gears to work on a project with a value-added reseller or a systems integrator."

Perrin says flexibility is also a prized trait for her PR temps. "First they need to have experience in a skill area and, just as important, an attitude -- a willingness to work, to be flexible and be adaptable to client needs. These are the people who are going to be the most valuable to us."

And, if you've been told you're a hard-driving Type A, technology communication may be a good career fit. "It's a cliche, but I'm looking for self-starters, people who have initiative, a can-do team attitude and are pretty much Type A personalities," said Sachs. "We have a lot of fun here but it is a lot of pressure. There are always deadlines and a lot of client interaction. Not everybody fits in, but people-oriented people will usually do well here."

Swanston echoes that sentiment. Even when filling entry-level publicist positions, Swanston says in addition to looking for people with public relations degrees and relevant internships, he looks for those with high energy levels. "This is a tough way to make a living and you've got to be energetic and ready to work pretty hard to make a substantial commitment to clients," said Swanston. "That energy and enthusiasm for the business -- if you don't have it, nothing else really matters."

What about technical skills? Although technical expertise is a big asset, it isn't required to be a technology communicator. "A minimum exposure and comfort level with technology will stand communicators in good stead," said Perrin. "If they want to find a good home and make good money, frequently high tech is the area. They can almost write their own ticket because there aren't enough people to fill the need."

What salaries await those with the right skills and attitudes? Perrin says temporary assignments can pay from a low of $15 to upper $30s per hour, while salaries for temp-to- perm positions she's filled have ranged from $25,000 to $80,000 per year, depending on the position's requirements. Sachs, Smith, and Swanston say annual salaries in their agencies start in the mid-$20s for new college grads. A person with three to five years experience can expect between $35,000 and $45,000, while someone with five to 10 years experience might garner a salary in the $50s and up. For executive-level positions, six- figure salaries aren't uncommon.