25+ Technical Writer Interview Questions to Ask

Writing about technology or providing technical information to a broader audience is a specialized skill, making technical writers some of the most in-demand writers in the industry. They simplify complex information and make it understandable. This means they have in-depth knowledge of their subject matter and strong writing skills.

Whether you need someone to simplify technical information for user manuals, product manuals, how-to guides, or anything else, you’ll need to conduct and effective interview first. We’ve put together a comprehensive list of technical writer interview questions to help you find the best person for the job!

Technical Writer Skills Overview

Technical writing must be accurate, clear, concise, well-structured, and have a professional style that reflects the brand. As you go through your technical writer interview questions, you are looking to determine their proficiency in the following:

Writing
Interest in and knowledge of science and technology
Research
Proofreading
Taking a systematic approach
Teamwork and collaboration
Critical thinking

General Technical Writer Interview Questions

It’s usually a good idea to start the interview with some general questions to get to know your candidate better and understand their journey leading up to this point. Here are some suggested questions to ask:

Why are you looking for a new job?
What attracted you to technical writing?
What defines good technical writing and a skilled technical writer?
Why do you want to work for our company?
What do you know about our target audience?
What interests you about our industry?
How do you stay updated on industry news?

Technical Writer Interview Questions on Background and Experience

These questions are formatted to help you gain insight into the candidate’s experiences and qualifications:

How many words can you write in a workday?
When you start a new project, what guidelines or materials are you typically given?
Are you comfortable conducting field visits to learn more about a product? Have you done this in the past?
What is topic-based authoring?
Are you comfortable working with a team?
Tell me about a time you worked on a technical writing project with a cross-functional team.
What are some challenges you experience while researching and gathering information?
What is your preferred citation style?
Do you do your best work independently or in a team setting?
Walk me through your experience working with subject matter experts. What were the advantages and challenges of working with them?

Technical Writer Interview Questions on Work Style and Skills

These questions help you dive deeper into the candidate’s work style, skills, and how they might fit into the company:

How do you stay focused on your work?
What strategies do you use to meet tight deadlines?
What tools do you use to stay on top of deadlines and prioritize your work?
Tell me about the steps you take to determine the target audience for a project.
Do you consider yourself a person who quickly learns new things?
How do you handle negative feedback from your editor? Walk me through a time you got some negative feedback and what happened.
Describe a time you received constructive criticism from your editor. Why was it helpful, and how did you incorporate it moving forward?
Tell me about one of your more successful pieces. How do you know when a piece is a success?
What are the most important things for you to have while interviewing a subject matter expert?
What publication tool have you used the most, and do you recommend it? If not, what would you recommend instead, and why?
Walk me through one of the most challenging projects you worked on. What were the challenges, and how did you resolve them?
As a technical writer, what strengths do you see yourself bringing to our team?

Hire an Outstanding Technical Writer

Whether you are looking for an entry-level technical writer with a passion for your products and industry or a highly skilled and experienced technical writer who can upgrade and refine your documentation, we can help.

At Insight Global, we have a vast database of qualified and vetted candidates for in-person and remote work. Our recruiters know how to ask the right questions to match the technical and soft skills you require.