The candidate should talk about who they look up to as an inspiration on their writing and why this person has been so inspirational to their work. The candidate may talk about certain aspects of their writing or work ethic that inspire them to do the best job possible. This also shows how the candidate plans to strive to improve in the future.
"Robert Frost is my biggest influence because he is able to cram such a variety of meanings into just a few short lines for everyone to interpret in their own way. I hope to someday do this in my writing."
The candidate should discuss what they like most about the job and what they hope to gain from doing it. The candidate should talk about what makes them excited to take the job and what they hope to fulfill by doing this job.
"I am most excited about all the new styles of writing I will learn in this job. While I consider myself a very experienced professional writer, I still have much to learn about writing for various styles and I hope to increase the types of works I can do through this job."
The candidate should talk about what they like most about the job and why it makes them so happy. They may enjoy the actual act of writing, meeting various people to write about or write with, or the ability to work from home. The candidate should talk about what makes them the happiest in the job and how it motivates them to come into work each day.
"My favorite part of the job is the ability to transform stories. I gather information and tell a story based on my conclusions and how I want the story to be told. I love this creativity I am allotted."
The candidate should be open and honest about what they dislike doing most about the job. Perhaps it is the strange hours required to work or something else, the candidate should mention why this is not their favorite aspect of the job. However, they should remain ultimately positive about overcoming this dislike so it does not interfere with their job.
"The thing I like least about being a writer is having to sit at a desk all day. I like to move about when I work to jog my creativity. However, I have taken writing jobs before where I am sitting all day, and I have found ways to keep my writing fresh regardless of this issue."
The candidate should be honest about the places where they can improve in their work. This will give the interviewer an idea of where the candidate may fit within the job and if they are a good fit based on what they may struggle with. However, the candidate should talk about their ability to improve over time.
"The most difficult part of being a writer for me is the inconsistent stream of money to support my family. However, I look forward to switching out of the freelance industry into your company, and I think I will find I am happier with a more stable job."
The candidate should describe how they go about the writing process, from the beginning of the project to the end. They should describe the ways in which they stay organized throughout, and manage the job in a professional way. The candidate should show that they have an organized way of going about their job so they stay focused and on target.
"My writing process involves lots of lists and a heavy focus on a calendar so I know I am staying on track. I like to check in with my client at least once a week to make sure I am going in the right direction."
The candidate should think about some of their best qualities in their personality and their work ethic that make them a good fit for the job. The qualities should reveal something more into the person that may not be evident from the interview.
"I would describe myself as creative, restless, and determined. I am creative in my writing and in all other aspects of my life, I am restless because I am constantly needing to work and write to be happy, and I am determined to succeed in all that I do."
The candidate should discuss some of their long term career goals that may extend past the job. Perhaps this is a job that resides in the same company, or perhaps they plan to make a large jump to a larger scale career or an ultimate goal. The candidate should talk about why they believe this job will be attainable following what they learn and produce in this one.
"In 10 years from now, I see myself being one of the top writers in this company. I like to stick within one company for a while so I can really get the feel for the type of writing you like me to produce, and I feel that after a number of years here I can help others improve their writing."
Whether the candidate works extra hours or puts in extra effort to complete a project, they should talk about their willingness to go the extra mile. Sometimes to stand out in a job, one must go above and beyond, and the candidate should describe their experience doing this as a writer, and how they imagine they will be a good worker in the job by doing this.
"In the past I have taken on some jobs that I knew I could not finish in the time allotted to me because I wanted to make sure they were done to the best of my ability. I worked many hours overtime, and even on weekends, to complete the job so it would be a reflection of my best work."
The candidate should talk about their ability to separate their private life from their work and tasks at hand. They should describe some times where this was a challenge, but they overcame it, and how.
"Stress at home can put a weight on my work, since writing requires mental energy that can be depleted in stressful situations at home. However, I like to read some of my favorite authors before starting work each day to clear my mind."
It is often tricky dealing with a manager who constantly disagrees with the way one works or gets the job done. However, a good writer is able to communicate well with their boss to figure out a way to compromise. The candidate should give an example of when they were able to successfully communicate with their boss and come to an agreement.
"My supervisor disagreed on the direction I should take the narrative, but I sat down with him and showed him my ultimate plan. We compromised on a few things, and in the end, we were both happy."
The candidate should discuss their ability to communicate well with clients and managers. This makes for an effective worker. The candidate should discuss their abilities and how they are working to improve on the areas where they falter.
"I consider myself a very good communicator, and I have done that through making it a point to understand each of my clients so I know what they want. If I am at all confused, I will clarify immediately so we do not have any communication issues."
While a hiring manager is looking for someone who fits the job description, they also want someone who strives to do their best each day and is constantly trying to improve. A candidate who has someone or something to look up to often is someone interested in growing and learning. The candidate should describe someone or something that inspires them to do their work and why they are a better worker for it.
"My biggest inspiration are my children. I want them to be able to read what I have written someday and look up to me."
The candidate should discuss what skills they have that make them a good writer in a professional setting. Whether they are writing for a company, an individual, or are freelancing, they should talk about why they are so passionate about this career field and why they are a good fit for the job based on their passions.
"I want to be a writer because I have been a creative person my entire life. Writing makes me happy, no matter what I am writing about, and I will bring this energy to my work each day."
A sign of a good candidate is someone who is able to balance their workload, yet speak up when the amount of work they have to complete is too much and is affecting the quality of the work. The candidate should discuss when they know their workload is too much to handle and how they address the issue when it occurs.
"I have been overworked and overloaded in the past, and I found myself constantly exhausted. I am very good at balancing my workload, but I do not like when the workload affects the quality of my work."
The candidate should talk about their organizational skills and how they keep track of the projects they are working on. They should talk about their time management skills and their ability to know when they are taking on too much or too little, and how to plan out their work.
"I consider myself a very organized person who is always on track of my schedule. I have a notebook where I manage my progress on projects each day, and it is easy to see if I am on schedule so I am never falling behind."
The candidate should discuss prior experience with a change of plans and how they continue to work toward the goal to make deadline even when there are changes in their timeline. The candidate should discuss communication with the client or organization when something goes wrong and how they plan to move forward. Their ability to fix situations that come up will make them a good worker.
"I have experience with computers crashing and deleting all of my work, and I know how much time can be lost when this happens. If some unforeseen issue pops up, I will be sure to communicate with my manager and try to work hard to make up lost time."
The hiring manager is looking for someone who sets his or herself apart from the rest. The candidate should discuss what special skills they have or prior experience that makes them a valuable member of the organization. The candidate should discuss what having this skill on board will add to the overall success of the company.
"I would add a lot to the company because of my years of experience in this field. I have been working as a writer for a long time and am particularly good at working fast. Your company would benefit from having me because I can pump out tons of good work quickly."
The candidate should talk about other career interests they have and why they interest them. However, the candidate should ultimately talk about why being a writer is the perfect career for them.
"If I did not become a writer, I would be a teacher. I love learning and working with children, which also makes me a good writer because I am constantly learning about the subjects I am writing about."
The candidate should discuss why they have chosen to become a writer based on previous experience and interests in their life. This insight into their life and passions will give the hiring manager a look into the candidate's personality and character to see if they are a good fit for the position.
"I chose to be a writer because I wanted to find a way to release my creativity. My family always told me to look into careers that were more stable, but I need an outlet for my voice to be heard, and this is how I want to do that."
Writers are often subject to working a variety of hours and days based on the job at hand. The candidate should discuss their availability to work late nights, early mornings, weekends, and holidays. While not all writing jobs require this kind of flexibility, the candidate should discuss whether or not they would be able to do this. The candidate should show that they are passionate about doing the job, regardless of the hours they work.
"I am able to work any and all hours required to get the job done. My one passion is working and writing, so if it requires working on strange days, I am willing to do it."
The candidate should discuss their favorite accomplishment or writing job in the past and why they are so proud of it. This will give the interviewer an idea of what the candidate does best in writing and what kind of work they plan to do in the new job.
"I am most proud of the completion of my book. I love writing novels and this particular one took me just over two years to complete. I am so passionate about telling stories and I hope to bring this excitement to your company."
The candidate should show that they are choosing this organization or company for a good reason, and not just that they need a job and there is a position open. They should discuss what they know about the organization and why they believe their own skills, passions, and interests match up with them.
"I believe I am a good fit for your organization because I know how passionate you are about climate matters. I am also a devout environmentalist and I believe if you choose me to be your writer, I will emanate those passions through my writing."
The candidate should give a brief summary of all of their prior experience that makes them qualified to be a writer for the particular job they are applying for. The candidate should discuss what they learned from each of their achievements and how it makes them a good candidate for this job.
"In the past, I have worked as a copywriter and ghost writer. These two jobs have made me good at writing quickly about topics that others assign to me. I am able to work under pressure and I have learned how to adapt to a certain style of writing."
The candidate should talk about their favorite project and why it has been such a success. Perhaps they enjoyed doing it, or it was very difficult but they were proud in the end of how it came out. The candidate should discuss why this was such a great accomplishment and what they learned from it.
"My greatest accomplishment to date was writing a series of textbooks with a team. I am so proud of it because it took years to complete and we spent much time researching and making it the best we could. I learned a lot from working with a team."
The candidate should talk about a particular time their work was difficult and why it was so hard for them. They should then discuss how they ultimately came out successful based on the skills they have. This will give the interviewer insight into how the candidate works and overcomes obstacles, no matter how hard.
"My most challenging project to date was writing a biography for a famous politician. It was hard to overcome bias and prior knowledge people have about this person. However, I found that the more time I spent with the person, the more I was able to write in the way that he deserved to be portrayed."
Writers are often subject to immense pressure doing the job, whether they are required to write under a tight deadline, or are working under strict rules that are tough to follow. The candidate should discuss how they work under pressure and how stress may affect their work.
"I feel I do some of my best work under stress because I work fast and get the job completed quickly but with the same accuracy."
The candidate should not shy away from answering honestly about what they still struggle with in the career. This gives the interviewer an idea of exactly where they fit within the job and whether or not they are capable of doing the job right. The candidate should ultimately be positive about being able to improve over time to make it work.
"My biggest weakness as a writer is that it takes me quite a while to get a project started. I am someone who needs to sit and think about what I am going to write for a while before beginning. However, I feel that with more practice, I will be able to get started faster on projects."
The candidate should discuss what they believe is their best strength in the writing field. This gives the interviewer an idea at what the writer likes most about the job and where they can excel in the job.
"My greatest strength is my ability to be flexible with the speed at which I complete work. I can write fast with the same amount of accuracy as I would if I was given double the time to complete it."
Writers have many career choices. The majority of active writers are self employed. Aside from freelancing, a writer can work for a media outlet, newspaper or magazine publisher, website, blog, and more. The possibilities are many. Writers may create articles on current events, entertainment pieces, gossip blogs, television scripts, equipment manuals (technical writing), novels, copy-writing, advertorials, and more.
As a writer, one should have a creative and persuasive mind. Writers must be convincing communicators as their work will often be for the purpose of teaching the reader about a particular subject or swaying the reader to view a topic in a new way.
A writer must be able to meet important deadlines. Staying focused and on task is very important. As most writers are self-employed, they can set their own schedule. This can make it difficult to stay on task so a writer must exercise self-discipline.
A writer should have some form of post-secondary education although that is not always a requirement. Most writers will have a Bachelor's degree in Communications, English, or Journalism.