You don't have to meet all the requirements on the Job Description but emphasise your strengths in solving the company's problems during the interview - Ogochukwu Umeokafor (SCASummit ’22)

As you advance as a technical writer, the application process changes. During job interviews, experienced technical writers should show they are very good at technical writing and know the latest technological trends. This will tell the interviewer you have technical writing expertise and years of experience.

However, advancing as a technical writer requires consistency, time, and experience. If you've been asked to come in for an interview, you should read the job description carefully and prepare for it. Most interviews require you to submit writing samples and provide evaluations.

Also, you'll be in a better position if you know the questions often asked in technical writer job interviews, whether you're applying for a promotion or a higher position. This is the main focus of this article.
You can also read our previous article for entry-level applicants; you might find some relevant questions.

Senior-Level Interview Questions

Interviewers might ask these questions in an interview with a senior-level technical writer. Experienced professionals with at least three years of experience should be able to answer these questions:

Q1: How do you prioritise and organise your work?

Answering this question shows that you can plan and execute your work within the expected timeframe. You can answer this question by walking the interviewer through your day-to-day schedule or the processes involved in completing a task.

Q2: What is Topic-Based Authoring?

In technical writing, topic-based authoring involves structuring content around topics you can reuse in different contexts. Answer this question by defining topic-based authoring and stating why technical writers need it.

Q3: Explain the concept of DDLC and mention the phases in DDLC

A keen knowledge of DDLC is essential in technical writing. DDLC is an acronym that stands for Document Development Life Cycle. It is a systematic process of creating technical documents in a cyclic order. The phases in DDLC are; requirement analysis, design, content development, editing/proofreading, publishing, and maintenance.

Q4: Explain the challenges or obstacles a technical writer faces during information gathering.

The interviewer wants to know your process when finding credible information for your technical document. You can share personal experiences on the challenges you have faced while gathering information to build this answer and discuss how you solved them.

Q5: Do you have experience working with subject-matter Matter Experts? If yes, tell us about it and what tool(s) you use when interviewing SMEs.

When it comes to technical writing, working with SMEs is crucial due to their unique skills and in-depth understanding of the subject or product. Explain how you interact with SMEs to gather information from them. Mention the tools you use to record or take notes during your interaction with SMEs.

Q6: What is a white paper?

This question is asked to gain insight into the types of documents you have worked with and to know your knowledge of white papers. When answering this question, you can include your experience when writing it.

Q7: What publications and documentation tools have you worked with?

The interviewer will evaluate the level of your technical writing experience with these tools through this question. Use the job description as your guide when answering this question, and highlight your proficiency with any of the tools listed.

Q8: In writing, where would you use Unified Modelling Language?

You can visualise a system's design using the Unified Modelling Language (UML), which provides an integrated way to model a system in software engineering. To answer this, you should list projects you’ve worked on that involved UML and how it benefited your project.

Q9: Have you experienced any challenges in your technical writing career? If yes, How did you overcome it?

The interviewer wants to know about your experiences dealing with nerve-racking circumstances and how you got through them. Think of a time when you faced a challenge in your technical writing career. It could be during requirement gathering when you were a beginner in the field, your experience working with diverse teams, or personal or workplace stories. When answering this question, mention the problem, how it became a challenge, the solution you proffered, and how it helped shape your career. This shows the interviewer that you are proactive and can handle difficult situations.

Q10: What is your current salary or compensation?

Interviewers may inquire about your current salary for a new position. The question is often asked at the end of the interview process when you are negotiating your offer. However, some interviewers may ask it at an earlier stage. Some companies ask this to know what to offer you [which is a red flag for some persons]. They might increase your current salary by a certain percentage, while others offer a more competitive salary. You are not obligated to answer his question. You can reply by saying, “I would prefer not to share this information”.

Conclusion

Technical skills are essential, but soft skills are just as important. Some hiring managers look for motivated candidates who can work in a team, so try to showcase your motivation as a technical writer during interviews. Stay tuned for how to answer these questions in my next post. Add more questions you think would be asked here in the comment section, or share directly with me on Twitter.