Technical writers are responsible for the documentation of a given project.
They are involved in every part of the project, beginning with collecting information on the product’s features. They then can compose user guides, help docs, maintenance manuals and installation manuals. They also design the formats for the documents produced.
This article provides questions that are often asked during a technical writing interview.
The day of a technical writer consists of writing, editing documents or discussing technical information with his/her teammates. The technical information is then translated into easy-to-use manuals.
Therefore, this profession requires technical skills combined with clear writing abilities and team-working abilities encompassing good interpersonal communication skills.
Technical Writing
Job Interview Questions for a Technical Writer
- What is your background/experience as a technical writer?
- Tell us about your education? Languages?
- Do you have any technical experience in the fields that you write?
- Are there any limitations on the type of documentation you can write?
- Tell us about the differences between user-guide/user-manual, installation manual and product description.
- How do you research before writing a technical document?
- What types of the document tools do you use? Such as: MS Word, Mac, Framemaker?
- How do you prioritize your daily tasks?
- Do you work well in a team? Do you prefer team work or individual work?
- Why should we hire you? Why do you want to work here?
Answer:
Prepare for the interview by reviewing your experience and history.
Consult with colleagues and select the best work examples to speak about, such as how you worked with a team to investigate and write a particular manual. Once you determine how you plan to answer these questions, rehearse your responses, without memorizing them. Speak clearly and briefly. Bring along any interesting and relevant documentation; they may wish to review it.
Good Luck!
Job Interviews for Technological Fields