Interviewing Tech Writers

Subject: Interviewing Tech Writers
From: "Condo, Candis" <ccondo -at- c-cor -dot- com>
To: <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 09:45:52 -0800

OK. We have discussed how to get an interview. I am looking at the
problem from the other side of the desk. I am NOT the pubs manager
although I have been in a past life and I have hired my share of
mistakes. Now we are looking to hire a couple of writers, interviewing
them this week. I am not worried about Framemaker expertise. I am not
even worried about writing ability. I can find all that. I worry about
finding someone who fits into a senior group at a mad-house company.

What questions do you ask? Some of my favorites are:

1.Tell me about the best and worst manager you ever had.

2.Tell me about the type of co-worker you work with best and what type
causes you grief.

3. Give me an example of how you worked with and extremely difficult
co-worker (SME, another writer) and how did you handle it.

And yet, having asked these and several more Interpersonal
Skills/Attitude questions, I can remember hiring:

1. One writer with anger management problems. I had to lay her off.

2. Another writer whose ego was so large he informed the engineers how
their product worked (he was SOOOO wrong) and managed to anger EVERY
engineer on the project. Not good.

So, I am a little nervous about this.

Thanks for your help,

Candis L. Condo
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