Re: ASSISTANCE Please - Interview Questions

[Mona Albano <mab -at- USER -dot- ROSE -dot- COM>]

        What are some good Interview Questions I can ask a Tech Writer
candidate?


I have a few questions but would gladly welcome any new ones.
Unfortunately, the interview is late Wednesday afternoon, so I must
receive all responses before this time.

-------------------
How about

        How would you do <this or that>?

        How are you at meeting deadlines?

        What software are you familiar with?

        Tell me about your last company (or project).

        How did you get interested in technical writing?
OR
        What are you interested in? (Most good writers have
        a lot of intellectual curiosity?)

OR      What do you like (disklike) about tech writing?

        Do you know anything about structured documentation?
        (or whatever your favourite technique is)

        How do you go about getting the developers to talk to you?

        What is the greatest achievement of your recent career
        (look for beating a deadline, finding the impossible info,
        motivating a team, etc.)

        Tell me about a time you solved a problem.

        Find out what how they ensure that a document can be
        navigated, how they analyze information for presentation,
        and so on.

My favourite method for evaluating tw candidates is to
ask them to take half an hour and sketch out a mini-document:
How to operate a coffee maker or banking machine of their choice.

It helps you to see if they can organize material, if
they think of diagrams, and if they write well.

Mona Albano                      mab -at- user -dot- rose -dot- com
Technical Writer & Editor       Voice 416 469-1384
STC senior member, Toronto        Fax 416 469-1720
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