To get a job as an intern or entry-level technical writer, you go through processes which involve writing applications, attending interviews, completing assessments, etc. The interview process can be intense, even for the most experienced applicants. It is crucial to prepare for the interview by researching and noting down possible answers to questions the interviewer might ask you.

Entry-Level Interview Questions

These are common questions interviewers might ask in a job interview for entry-level technical writers. They are suitable for beginners with at least one year's experience or technical writing interns:

Q1: Can we know more about you or Tell me about yourself?

This is usually the first question in an interview, whether it is technical or non-technical. This question can be phrased in many ways, for example: Can you tell me more about yourself? Can you walk us through your resume? Tell us about your background, etc.

As an intern or entry-level technical writer, you may not have worked in any organisations as a technical writer. However, you can explain to the interviewer why you decided to pick a career in technical writing.

You can also talk about some personal projects you have worked on as a technical writer: writing personal blog posts on Hashnode or Medium or other platforms, attending bootcamps, writing guest posts for other blogs, contributing to open source, volunteering etc.

Q2: Why are you interested in working with us as a technical writer?

This is a common interview question, regardless of position or career. As with all of the preceding technical writer interview questions, there is no definitive answer. However, to impress recruiters and demonstrate that you've done your homework, conduct some research and learn about their company's accomplishments if you haven't already. Discuss what stood out to you in the job description or from your research. It could be the organisation’s diversity programs, the work-life balance, or the tech stack.

Q3: How do you distinguish yourself from other candidates?

The interviewer wants to know what makes you different from other candidates. In the job market, skills acquisition is essential, and interviewers care much about hard and soft skills. Your response should explain what makes you unique and how your skills will benefit the organisation. Tell stories from your previous jobs, school, and volunteer work that match the soft and hard skills in the job description.

Q4: What will your day-to-day functions be for this role?

Showing you understand the job and its requirements from the job description well enough to tailor your responses to the needs gives you a good head start. When interviewing for a job, you want to convince the interviewer that you are the best person for the job. But how can you do that if you don't even know what the job entails?

When answering this question, ensure that you don't read off the job description word for word but state in your own words what you understand the job entails and what is expected of you.

Q5: What is technical writing, and what interests you about it?

Applicants are asked why they became technical writers to understand their career aspirations and ensure that these match the requirements of their prospective employers. Here you need to define technical writing in simple terms and explain why you have chosen technical writing as a career path. Based on your answer, the interviewers can tell if technical writing is a fallback plan or something you are passionate about.

Q6: What are examples of technical documents?

Beyond knowing what technical writing is, the interviewer also wants to see if you know where it is applied.

When listing technical documents, point out some differences between them and when they are used. Put more emphasis on the documents you have experience in writing. Don’t be discouraged if you only have experience with one or two documents; briefly elaborate on your experience creating them.

Q7: What tools do you use for technical writing and why?

Leverage the job description when answering this question. You should emphasise if you are proficient in one or more of the tools mentioned in the job description. This gives you an advantage as it is the company's tool, but if you do not know how to use it, be honest and assure them that you will learn.

To answer this question, also mention other tools you know and how you use them, such as tools for writing, editing, publishing, drawing diagrams, etc. These tools include Microsoft Office packages, Google Suite packages, etc.

Q8: What process do you use in creating technical content?

The interviewer asks this question to learn more about how you work or perform the job of a technical writer. They want to know what you do when you want to begin writing an article.

Q9: What techniques are used to make your technical writing effective and user-friendly?

In this question, the interviewer wants to know the techniques and processes you follow in making your content readable. Answering this question displays your ability to write your content in a readable and understandable manner.

Q10: What technical writing style guides are you familiar with?

Technical writers need to be versatile in the use of various writing styles. The interviewer wants to ensure that your writing style matches their requirements. You should list the ones you are familiar with and the ones you prefer the most.

Q11: Do you have any questions for us?

Never answer "no" to this question. Always have at least 2 questions for the interviewer. This shows that you are interested in the job and that you have done your research. You can use this opportunity to learn more about the company and the job you have applied for. Avoid obvious questions like "What does the organisation do?", "Mission and vision," and so on.

Here are some areas where you can ask questions:

• The job description: The job description gives you an overview of the function, related tasks, tools, procedures, company vision, and benefits. Ask questions about these areas that the job description does not cover. Suppose the job description says that the organisation has a technical writing team you will be part of. You can ask about the team, how it works with other areas of the organisation and how the technical writers within the team work together.
• The interviewer: Once you know who will be interviewing you, it's a good idea to research your interviewer before the interview. LinkedIn is an excellent place to start. You can ask questions about their experience in the organisation, what interests them about their role, etc. This way, you can connect with the interviewer, and interviewers are more likely to hire a candidate they can connect with.
• Company website/Glassdoor: The company website provides information about the organisation. Leverage this information and ask questions about the organisation.
• Anything else: If you have any other relevant questions about the job beyond the information available online, feel free to ask them. You can ask about your personal development, career progression opportunities, job expectations in the first month or year, etc. Be careful not to go beyond the scope or ask questions that have already been answered in the job description or on the website.

What comes next after the interview?

While waiting for an interview response, you might feel anxious, but you don't have to. Some organisations take days or weeks to decide on the right candidate.
If you feel that a company is taking its time to get back to you, you can politely ask for the interview result in a follow-up email.
Hopefully, the feedback will be in your favour, but if not, you will have more opportunities.

Conclusion

As a beginner in technical writing, you should prepare for an interview by studying the most common questions and ways to answer them in this article.

If you missed my article on making a career out of technical writing, you could find it here. Also, follow me to get notified of my next article on some examples you can use in answering technical writing interview questions for entry levels.

Feel free to ask me questions about technical writing on Twitter or in the comments section.