MockQuestions

Technical Writer Mock Interview

30 Questions Created By

To help you prepare for your Technical Writer interview, here are 30 interview questions and answer examples.

First Question

30 Technical Writer Interview Questions

15 Interview Questions With Sample Answers

1.   Can you describe the job of a technical writer?

How to Answer

An interviewer will ask this question to begin the conversation, learn more about you, and collect information they can use throughout the interview. You should always be prepared for this question during an interview for a technical writer's position. A good way to respond to this question is to review the job posting and use elements of it in your answer. You can also lean on your experience in this role to describe some of the tasks you complete each day.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"The job of a technical writer is much more than just creating documents about technical topics. It involves a great deal of research, planning, collaborating with other organization members to understand their needs, and speaking with subject matter experts on the topic you will be writing about. While the majority of time is spent composing the document, it also requires editing, revisions, and reviewing the document with the project stakeholders to get their approval."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

2.   Can you walk me through a typical day in the job of a technical writer?

How to Answer

This is one way an interviewer can discover your perception of this job and your duties as a technical writer. The fact that you're sitting in the interview indicates that they believe you're qualified for this role. When asking this question, they want to see if your work is similar to the jobs their current technical writing team performs. This helps them answer the question of whether you'll be a good fit for the organization. You can respond to the question by listing some of the typical tasks you perform each day, focusing on the more strategic ones.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"While no two days as a technical writer are the same, there are some commonalities that run throughout the work I perform. I normally start the day by reviewing my current projects to understand the tasks I need to complete. I then create content for documents, research topics, meet with project stakeholders to understand their needs or review a project and collaborate with other technical writers and my management team on a specific project. I try to carve out some time during the day to learn more about developments in the field of technical writing and any best practices I can incorporate into my work."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

3.   Do you have any practical experience creating technical documents and whitepapers for cloud technologies?

How to Answer

Even though you provided the interviewer with a copy of your resume detailing your experience, they still may ask you specific questions about the work you've done. They do this to confirm the information in your resume and make sure you're qualified for the type of projects they want you to work on. By asking this question, they hope you will provide examples of projects you've already completed similar to the ones they will assign you. Your research about the job and the organization should help you create stories about your previous work before the interview.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"As you may know from my resume, I've done quite a bit of work writing about the topic of cloud technologies. Some of the projects in my portfolio include a guide describing methodologies for migrating data centers to the cloud, a white paper about cloud best practices, and an article comparing some of the leading cloud providers and the services they offer. While I don't have a technical background, I've done a lot of research in this area and feel very comfortable writing about it."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

4.   In your opinion, what are the most important roles and responsibilities a technical writer fulfills?

How to Answer

Asking about a technical writer's key roles and responsibilities helps the interviewer understand your approach to this job and some of the activities you emphasize. This will enable them to determine if you are a good fit for the job and their organization. If you spent time researching the company and reviewing the job posting before the interview, you should have no problem answering this question. Your answer should contain elements of the job posting, address any challenges the organization may be facing, and be based on your experience in this role and the skills you bring to the position.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"There are several important roles and responsibilities of being a technical writer. First and foremost is producing quality technical documents which meet the organization's requirements and help them achieve their business objectives. Another is guiding the project stakeholders on how to best communicate their messages to the targeted audiences in the documents you create. Another key responsibility is providing suggestions for other documents that would benefit both the organization and its customers. Finally, I consider it important to ensure that my work helps the company meet its compliance obligations and any regulatory requirements they may be subject to."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

5.   What are some of the reasons you chose technical writing as a career?

How to Answer

In virtually every interview, you'll be asked why you chose to work in this field regardless of your profession. Interviewers want to know your motivations and whether you have a passion for the job or just doing it for the money. You can use this question to demonstrate your passion for technical writing and some of the influences in your life that led you down this career path.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"I have always been interested in technology. I got my first computer when I was just six years old and taught myself keyboarding and writing. I spent a great deal of time exploring technical topics on the internet. When I was just 12, I created a blog about my favorite technologies for my classmates. One of my teachers became interested in this and worked with me to improve my writing skills. I fell in love with writing and decided to pursue a career in literature. However, it became apparent that I could make money as a technical writer, which would combine my passion for writing with my interest in technology. I fell in love with this career in my first job and have never looked back."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

6.   What are some technical writing certifications you hold?

How to Answer

Even though your technical writing certifications may be listed in your resume, the interviewer will still ask you about this. In addition to confirming that you possess these, they may be interested in why you pursued the certifications and how they have benefited you. Rather than just list the certifications you have, include your reason for obtaining them and the benefits they provide in your answer. You should include all of your certifications, not only those related to your job as a technical writer but also those related to the topics you write about.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"I hold several different certifications related to my technical writing. These include a Certified Professional Technical Communicator (CPTC) certification from the Society for Technical Communication, Coursera's Technical Writer Certification, and Udemy's Technical Writer Certification. I have also taken several courses from the Tech-Writer Certification program offered by Penn State. These certifications have provided me with the training I needed to improve my technical writing skills and have also connected me with resources I can use for continuing education and keep my skills up to date."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

7.   Can you talk about a recent challenge that you overcame?

How to Answer

Interviewers will be interested in some of the recent challenges you overcame to confirm that you will be able to address some of the issues their organization is encountering. This behavioral question presents you with the situation and asks you to describe how you addressed it. Behavioral questions are best responded to using the STAR framework for your answer. You begin by describing the Situation, then talk about the Tasks you needed to complete, followed by a summary of the Actions you took, and ending with a discussion of the Results you attained. You should have several stories like these prepared for the interview.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"In my most recent job, I was constantly being asked to create documents with unclear objectives and little background information. This required me to spend a lot of time with the project stakeholders, so I understood their goals and had the information I needed to begin the work. This delayed the project and frustrated both the project stakeholders and me. To reduce the amount of time spent doing this, I created a questionnaire that the project stakeholders completed for each project. This provided me with all the details I needed to begin working on a project. If I needed to speak with the project stakeholders, my questions were specific about the missing information. Within six months of implementing this process, the time to begin a project was reduced by 50%, and the project stakeholders were happy."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

8.   What are some of the key skills a technical writer should possess?

How to Answer

Asking you about the key skills a technical writer should possess provides the interviewer with both a summary of the position from your perspective as well as a list of skills you possess. When preparing for the interview, you should all carefully review the job posting, which lists the requirements for this job and the tasks you will be engaged in. This will provide you with the basis for many of your answers throughout the interview. Reviewing your resume, so you are familiar with the skills and experience the interviewer has used to qualify you for this role will also be helpful.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"There are many skills that a competent technical writer should possess. Some of these are obvious: excellent writing and communication skills, an organized methodology for conducting research, editing skills, and planning and execution. Some other skills include strong knowledge of SEO and other online promotional techniques, the ability to collaborate with other individuals from the organization who are stakeholders in the projects you work on, and being able to work with other writers while cooperating on a project."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

9.   How would you describe your writing style?

How to Answer

You can anticipate being asked this question in any interview you attend for a technical writer's job. The interviewer will ask a general question early in the interview to better understand your qualifications for this position. They also want to ensure that your style matches their requirements. Being honest about your writing style and describing it in a manner that makes it clear to the interviewer will either help you to be selected for the role or disqualify you for a job that you probably would not have been successful at due to conflicts between your style and the employer's requirements.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"I would describe my writing style as being highly professional, easy-to-understand, and comprehensive. I strive to communicate using straightforward, simple language with as little technical jargon, acronyms, or industry-specific terminology that the reader may not be familiar with. When possible, I include examples, illustrations, and other formatting techniques to ensure the reader clearly understands the subject matter and to guide them to the conclusion I am promoting in the document."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

10.   If asked, what advice would you give to a new technical writer who is just starting in this profession?

How to Answer

This is an interesting question that asks you to be introspective and communicate the lessons you have learned in this profession. The interviewer uses this question as another way to learn what you feel is important in this job. They hope to understand the general guidelines you use when approaching a project and any shortcuts or tips which allow you to complete the work more efficiently and effectively. Your answer should be positive and focus on ways a new writer can accelerate their learning curve and advance within this profession.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"If I were advising a new technical writer, the first thing I would tell them is to focus on the details. Spending time learning as much as they can about the subject matter, composing comprehensive text that will provide the reader with all the details they need, and thoroughly reviewing and correcting their work will help them advance in this profession. I would also let them know that technical writing is a team effort requiring collaboration with all the project stakeholders. In my opinion, these are the two most important elements of being an effective technical writer."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

11.   What are some of the contributions you would make to our company during your first 90 days in this role?

How to Answer

Employers prefer to hire candidates who can make an immediate impact on their organization. When preparing for an interview, you should strive to understand the company's business objectives and think about how you can help them achieve these. Having these stories prepared before the interview will help you answer this question and integrate these ideas into your answers to some of the interviewer's other questions. This strategy will make you stand out from the other candidates and could lead to a job offer.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"When preparing for this interview, my research indicated that you're struggling to improve your customer satisfaction rating. Some of the feedback you received is that your customers would like resources to help them better use the products you create. I'm confident I can create these online and in print resources during my first few months on the job. I'm familiar with your technology and have reviewed the current customer support resources. I believe that simplifying the language in these, reformatting them to make them easier to read, and including more graphics and illustrations will increase the customers' use and satisfaction and improve your ratings in this area."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

12.   What are some of the typical challenges you encounter while working on a technical writing project?

How to Answer

Interviewers will ask you about the challenges you encounter for several reasons. The first is to determine if the challenges you encounter are similar to the ones their technical writing team runs into. They are also interested in hearing how you overcome these challenges. The final reason is to ensure that the challenges you discuss are major rather than minor annoyances, which are typical but manageable in any technical writing project.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"Some of the typical challenges I encounter when working on a technical writing project include unclear requirements and expectations, the lack of information about the subject matter, and unrealistic deadlines for completion of the documents. Most of these can be easily overcome by taking time at the beginning of the project to meet with the project stakeholders and collect as much information as possible. I also use these early collaborations to clarify any misinformation and set reasonable expectations for the time it will take to complete the project. If done properly, these planning meetings resolve most of the typical challenges."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

13.   Walk me through how do you organize, plan, and prioritize your work as a technical writer?

How to Answer

Interviewers prefer to know as much about how you go about doing this job as possible before making a hiring decision. They want to ensure that you have proven methodologies to accomplish your daily tasks and that these align with the way their current staff organizes their work. Since you probably already do this, the key to responding to this question appropriately is to keep your answer simple and to the point, using easy-to-understand language. You should also be prepared for follow-up questions the interviewer will use to explore this topic in more detail.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"While I have tried several different online scheduling and organization tools, the one I prefer best is a sample checklist of short-term and long-term goals and the individual tasks related to these. I review this list at the beginning of each day and determine what I can do to advance toward achieving these goals in the most efficient manner. The two criteria I use include the importance and urgency of each task. I concentrate on the most important and most urgent tasks, followed by important but not urgent and then urgent but not important tasks. The last set of tasks which are not urgent or important usually get dropped off the list."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

14.   How do you engage with subject matter experts when you need information for a project you are working on?

How to Answer

Technical writers consistently use subject matter experts to obtain information about a topic related to the document they are creating. The subject matter experts, or SMEs, may be product developers, software developers, product managers, or other experts knowledgeable about the document's topic. These same people are typically project stakeholders and should be willing to cooperate with you. The interviewer wants to ensure that your engagement strategy respects the SMEs' time and is not confrontational or aggressive.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"When engaging with subject matter experts, I first confirm whether the individuals I will be contacting have the knowledge I need and are stakeholders in the project. If this is the case, my approach is pretty straightforward, asking for their time and describing why I need to meet with them. If the SMEs do not have a stake in the project, I need to be more diplomatic when requesting their time. I'm a little more flexible about when we can meet or have a call, and I emphasize the benefits of working together for both them and the organization. I try not to depend on any single SME too often by building a portfolio of experts both within and outside of the organization."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

15.   What steps do you take to ensure your company is compliant with all the regulations and requirements related to the work you do?

How to Answer

While maintaining compliance and keeping the company out of legal trouble is usually the responsibility of the corporate compliance officer, each employee needs to take ownership of this related to the work they do. Interviewers want to make sure that you agree with this philosophy and learn about the specific steps you take to achieve this. If this is not part of your current portfolio skills, you should research the topic and incorporate these practices into your work as a technical writer.

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

Answer Example

"I am very passionate about keeping my organization compliant with the applicable rules and regulations in my work as a technical writer. I take time to understand the regulations under which the company operates and how these may be violated. If there's any question about some content I've created and whether it violates compliance guidelines, I engage with the company compliance officer and get their input. To my knowledge, nothing I've ever created has violated my organization's compliance requirements."

Written by William Swansen on December 1st, 2021

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