If you are in the process of hiring a writing staff for your company, what do you do? Interviewing potential writers is a critical stage in the hiring process. You need to make sure that you are hiring a writer who will be a good fit for the team, company, and culture. There are numerous questions you need to ask to get the best possible answers to guide your decision.
This article will give you an idea of what to ask a writing job interviewer. We’ll cover topics like experience, writing samples, portfolio, education, and more. Keep reading for more information.
How Many Years Of Experience Do You Have In This Field?
This is an easy question to ask. For writers, experience means different things – mostly years of training and education in some form or fashion. When you are interviewing a potential writer for your team, how many years of experience do they have in the field? It’s important to note that not all experience is created equal. You want to make sure you are getting a good picture of what the writer is capable of doing. You don’t want to just look at their resume because if they don’t have much relevant experience, but they have a lot of education, you’ll likely be in for a rude awakening once you start working with them.
Asking about years of experience is important because it gives you an idea of what to expect. Not every writer is going to be able to hit the ground running and produce amazing work right away. That takes time and you need to be willing to give them the opportunity to prove themselves. The number of years of experience they have should correlate to the amount of experience they will bring to the table. If they don’t have much relevant experience, but they have a lot of education, you’ll likely be in for a rude awakening once you start working with them.
What Is Your Writing Style?
Your writing style is very much a part of your brand. It is something you can develop and grow over time. However, it is important to understand at the outset what your writing style is and whether or not it is suitable for your needs. You are looking for a writer who has the skillset you need and who can bring something new to the table. If you don’t have a clear idea of what your writing style is, ask them to explain it to you. Take some time to read some of their previous work and get a feel for their style. Then, you can determine whether or not it is suitable for your needs.
This question is more about skill than it is about style. When you are developing your writing team, make sure you ask them about their strengths and weaknesses. Be sure to also review some of their previous work. By getting to know them as people first and foremost, and not just as a writer, you will be able to ascertain their strengths and weaknesses more effectively. Interviewing a potential writer can be very frustrating if you don’t take the time to get to know them as people first rather than just as a writer or an employer.
What Is Your Process For Turning Ideas Into Stories?
You are not just hiring a writer, you are hiring someone to help you turn ideas into stories. It’s important to get into the writing process and know how they will go about doing that. It’s easy to just tell them what you need and walk away with your head held high, but that is what you should do until you see some tangible results. You need to be in it for the long haul and not expect instant results. This is a process that can take time.
Ideally, you would like to have a clear idea of how the writer will go about doing their job. While it is great to get an idea of their general skills, it is even better to get an idea of how they will go about utilizing those skills. Does the writer have a process for coming up with ideas? Is there anyone else in the house who can come up with more ideas? Does the writer enjoy coming up with ideas or does it feel like a chore? There are a lot of questions you can ask about their process for coming up with stories.
Knowing how they will approach the job is important because it will affect the way you want to go about implementing the tasks you give them. If you need someone to help come up with blog post ideas, but you don’t want to be bothered with the writing itself, you should look for someone who can utilize their creativity and have a fresh approach to the task. They need to understand what you are looking for and adapt their approach accordingly.
What Is Your Opinion On Different Stereotypes?
There are numerous stereotypes about writers. Some people believe that all writers are introverted, while others believe that they are more extroverted than other people. You are looking for a writer who is not going to fit into either of those categories. One of the best things you can do for your team is give them the opportunity to dispel some of those stereotypes. You can start by asking them about different writing processes and how they feel about different genres or story structures. You can also ask them whether or not they have any preferences regarding the genders of the main characters in the pieces they write. There are a lot of stereotypes that writers have to put up with, so make sure you interview as many as you can to find the best possible fit for your company.
It is one thing to simply ask a question about whether or not they have any biases regarding different genders or story structures, but it is another thing to get to know them as people. You are building a team, not just a writing staff, so make sure you get to know each member of it as an individual.
Do You Have Any Specific Examples Of Work That I Should See?
If you are looking for a writer who has a lot of experience, it would be wise to see samples of their work. You don’t want to just go on their resume or a few articles that they have published. You need to look at their whole portfolio, and not just pieces that they have done for other companies or publications. Seeing their work should give you an idea of what to expect. Even if their experience is in a different field, you should be able to find some overlap in the work they do for your company. It’s not always going to be easy, but you should be able to pull some inspiration from their work. You need to be able to find a way to make it work for you.
If you have never worked with a writer before, seeing samples of their work can be quite the eye opener. You will likely see a lot of material that is very professional and polished, but you should not let that fool you into thinking that they are just putting on a show for their resumé. When you are writing, you are always going to be compared to the standard; however, you are not always going to be the standard. To know what your work will look like compared to other pieces of writing, you need to see it. Especially if this is your first time working with a writer, you will have plenty to learn. Seeing their work will give you the opportunity to do that and for them to help you make your writing shine above the rest.
What Kind Of Training Do You Get In Order To Be Able To Do This Job?
This is a very general question, but one that is very important for you to know the answer to. Training is important because it gives you a common language with which to communicate your ideas and instructions. Without that, it is very difficult to have a productive working relationship. If you don’t know what kind of training they had in order to be able to do the job, ask them. Even if it is something as simple as writing school, you should know what that is. High school is also referred to as writing school, so make sure you ask them if they went to school during the day or if they went to school at night. Knowing what kind of training they had will give you an idea of whether or not that training was sufficient to do the job you hired them for.
Writing is not just about being able to write. It is also about having the ability to communicate effectively. If they do not have enough training in communication, it may be difficult for them to effectively do the job. They may also have been trained in a way that is very specific to their previous employer, so if that is the case, you will need to find a way to translate that knowledge to the position you have for them.