How to Answer: Which style guides are you most familiar with?
Advice and answer examples written specifically for a Writer job interview.
17. Which style guides are you most familiar with?
How to Answer
When it comes to professional writing, there are two primary style guides:
- AP Stylebook, based on standard English grammar, is followed and created by American journalists working for or connected to the Associated Press.
- Chicago Manual of Style is widely used as well and offers opinions on comma use, different rules when it comes to italics, apostrophes, and much more.
These style guides cover hundreds of points and often comes down to writer preference. Discuss with the interviewer which of these guides you are most familiar. Typically, AP style seems to win over Chicago style. Some argue that AP style has fewer rules than the Chicago stylebook. If you are not sure which method is preferred by the interviewing company, you can certainly ask.
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 20th, 2018
1st Answer Example
"I tend to write more often in AP style; however, I am familiar with Chicago style as well. If you have a preference, I can easily adapt. I find that my choice depends on the client, the audience I am writing to, and the type of publication at hand."
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 20th, 2018
2nd Answer Example
"I have received training in the Chicago stylebook but fully understand how AP differs. Do you have a preference between these two popular stylebooks? I can move between the two, depending on the topic and goals of the project."
Written by Rachelle Enns on December 20th, 2018