Best Microsoft Word Classes Online

Microsoft Word is a fairly basic application, but it is also an essential part of working in most office or professional settings. Not only are the basics of word processing relatively important for anyone looking to communicate with coworkers, but there are many business writing-related positions that rely on Word as a primary tool for their day-to-day workflow. If you are looking for a job in an office setting or you are looking to work on writing projects in a remote setting, learning Word is a valuable skill to pick up.

It should be noted that Microsoft Word is a very useful skill to have, but it isn’t a primary career skill in any major field, which is to say that no career path relies exclusively on your knowledge of Microsoft Word. This means that you are certain to need additional training or qualifications for any job that you are going to pursue.

Common Jobs That Require Microsoft Word Training

There are two major kinds of jobs that rely on Word training: writers and administrators. Writers will focus on creating content, using Word to share documents, handle basic editing tasks, and organize files and documentation. Administrators will use Word to keep track of important documents, share information with relevant stakeholders, and produce reports for those who need the information. Some of the most common job titles for Microsoft Word professionals include:

• Technical Writer: Technical writers are responsible for producing manuals, instructions, and other informational material designed to help non-experts work with complex applications or processes. This can range from an instruction manual on the use of a power tool to documentation on the best practices for using a piece of computer software. It can also encompass things like instructions for assembling furniture or guidebooks for making the most out of a given product. 
• Content Writer: Content writers produce information and advertising content for a variety of different mediums and contexts, including blog posts, listicles, paid affiliate content, and relevant website information. They use Word to produce this content and to share it with other invested parties, including editors and content managers (who will also use Word as a tool for organizing and tracking writer output and keeping records of the content that has been produced).
• Editor: Editors will use Microsoft Word to make and track changes to documents, communicate with writers, and provide comments to users. They may also use some of the newly integrated AI assistant features to streamline the editing process and replace other external editing applications like Grammarly. Like other writing professionals, Word will help editors organize and maintain records of their work, including features for restoring different versions of documents to look at side-by-side.
• Documentation Specialist: Documentation Specialists manage and ensure the completion of necessary documentation produced by companies, institutions, or customers, depending on the field and industry in which they are working. This can range from professionals who ensure that medical forms are filled out properly and filed in the correct place to bureaucrats who maintain document chains and ensure that all relevant paperwork is filed properly. Documentation specialists will use Word to organize forms, provide users with necessary paperwork to fill out, and sort documents.
• Department Administrator: Department administrators are managerial professionals who oversee the day-to-day operations of a department or segment of an institution (such as a marketing department at a company or an English department at a university). Their job responsibilities will vary from institution to institution, but they will regularly use Microsoft Word in interdepartmental communications, memos for their employees, and daily tasks like creating to-do lists or project goals.
• Administrative Assistant: Administrative Assistants work under department administrators to facilitate the day-to-day operations of their specific part of a company or institution. They will use Word to perform many of the same functions as department administrators, though they are more likely to handle the practical work that is delegated to them by the department administrator.

Industries Hiring Microsoft Word Professionals

If you are looking for work that focuses on Microsoft Word or on projects adjacent to it and gives you the chance to work remotely, there are a few fields that you may want to consider.

• Online Content Creation: Companies of all kinds are constantly working on creating engaging and informative online content that they can use to help build their brand identity and move customers towards their online presence. This content is often written by freelance writers who will be producing technical manuals on software applications one day and lists of the nine best Dustin Hoffman performances the next, meaning that it is a good way to find diverse and engaging work.
• Archive and Information Management: Many institutions (including businesses, hospitals, government agencies, etc.) produce an astonishing amount of documents every day, and they need professionals who can organize and manage their archives of data. These organizational experts will often use Microsoft Word to record and organize significant documents that they can then share with relevant parties. It is also used to create forms that can be filled out before being filed away.
• Creative Work: Microsoft Word is also a popular tool for writers, screenwriters, game designers, and even artists who need a place to write down their ideas or to produce and share finished copy for invested stakeholders or potential buyers. Learning how to use Word can help creatives streamline some of the more rote parts of the process, thus freeing them up for more opportunities to complete their magnum opus.