Interview Guide for

Technical Writer

This comprehensive interview guide for a Technical Writer provides a structured framework to identify and assess the ideal candidate for your documentation needs. By following this methodically designed interview process, you'll be able to evaluate candidates on the essential competencies needed to translate complex technical information into clear, accessible content for various audiences while collaborating effectively across teams.

How to Use This Guide

This interview guide serves as a template to help you conduct thorough, consistent interviews for your Technical Writer position. To make the most of this resource:

Customize for your needs - Adapt the questions and competencies to align with your specific technical documentation requirements and company culture
Share with your interview team - Ensure all interviewers understand their role in the assessment process and the key competencies they should focus on
Maintain consistency - Use the same structure and core questions with all candidates to enable fair comparison
Utilize follow-up questions - Dive deeper into candidate responses to understand their full experience and capabilities
Score independently - Have each interviewer complete their evaluation before discussing the candidate as a group

For more guidance on conducting effective interviews, check out our resources on how to conduct a job interview and the science of sales hiring.

Job Description

Technical Writer

About [Company]

[Company] is a leading provider of [Industry] solutions, committed to innovation and excellence. We create products and services that help our customers solve complex problems and achieve their goals.

The Role

We're seeking a skilled Technical Writer to join our team and create clear, concise documentation for our products and services. In this role, you'll collaborate with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders to develop user-friendly content that enhances our customers' experience. Your work will be instrumental in helping users understand and maximize the value of our solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and maintain a wide range of technical documentation, including user manuals, API documentation, tutorials, release notes, online help, and other supporting materials
Collaborate with engineers, product managers, and other subject matter experts to gather information and understand product functionality
Write, edit, and proofread technical documents, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and adherence to style guidelines
Optimize documentation for search engines (SEO) and ensure content is easily accessible and searchable
Manage and maintain documentation libraries using documentation tools and platforms
Identify opportunities to improve documentation processes and workflows
Work effectively with cross-functional teams to gather requirements, review content, and provide feedback
Adapt documentation for different audiences, including end-users, developers, and internal teams
Stay up-to-date with industry trends and technical advancements
Review and test documentation to ensure accuracy, clarity, and usability

What We're Looking For

3+ years of experience as a Technical Writer or in a related role
Bachelor's degree in English, Technical Communication, Computer Science, or equivalent experience
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong understanding of technical concepts and the ability to translate them into clear and concise language
Proficiency in documentation tools and platforms
Experience with relevant technologies (HTML, CSS, XML, Markdown, etc.)
Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
Ability to work independently and as part of a team
Ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously
A portfolio of writing samples demonstrating your experience and skills

Why Join [Company]

At [Company], we value innovation, collaboration, and excellence. We're committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive and contribute to our mission.

Competitive salary: $[Pay Range]
Comprehensive benefits package including health, dental, and vision insurance
Flexible work arrangements with remote options available
Professional development opportunities
Collaborative and innovative work culture

Hiring Process

We've designed our hiring process to be comprehensive yet efficient, allowing us to make quick decisions while ensuring we find the right fit for our team.

Initial Screening: A 30-minute conversation with our recruiter to discuss your background and experience.
Writing Portfolio Review & Exercise: We'll review your writing samples and have you complete a brief technical writing exercise.
Career Experience Interview: A deeper dive into your professional background and accomplishments with the hiring manager.
Technical Competency Interview: An assessment of your technical writing skills and collaboration abilities with team members you'd be working with.
Final Interview (if needed): A conversation with a senior leader or additional stakeholders.

Ideal Candidate Profile (Internal)

Role Overview

The Technical Writer plays a crucial role in translating complex technical information into clear, accessible content for various audiences. They bridge the gap between technical teams and end-users, ensuring documentation is accurate, consistent, and user-friendly. The ideal candidate will combine strong writing skills with technical aptitude, attention to detail, and effective collaboration abilities.

Essential Behavioral Competencies

Technical Communication - Ability to understand complex technical concepts and translate them into clear, concise language accessible to the target audience. Demonstrates strong writing, editing, and information organization skills.

Collaboration - Works effectively with cross-functional teams including engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders to gather information, validate content accuracy, and incorporate feedback.

Attention to Detail - Maintains high standards of accuracy and consistency in documentation, catching errors and inconsistencies before publication. Ensures all technical content adheres to style guidelines and formatting standards.

Adaptability - Adjusts writing style and approach for different audiences, platforms, and documentation types. Quickly learns new technologies, tools, and subject matter as needed.

Process Improvement - Identifies opportunities to enhance documentation workflows, implement best practices, and increase efficiency in content creation and maintenance.

Desired Outcomes

Create comprehensive, user-friendly documentation that reduces support tickets and improves customer satisfaction
Establish and maintain a consistent documentation style and structure across all content types
Improve documentation processes and workflows to increase efficiency and quality
Successfully collaborate with technical teams to ensure accuracy and completeness of documentation
Keep documentation current with product updates and new releases

Ideal Candidate Traits

Strong technical aptitude with the ability to quickly understand complex products and features
Excellent writing, editing, and information organization skills
Curious mindset with a drive to understand how things work
Self-directed with the ability to manage multiple projects and priorities
Strong interpersonal skills for effective collaboration with technical and non-technical stakeholders
Experience with relevant documentation tools and technologies
Background in [Industry] or similar technical field (helpful but not required)
Process-oriented with a focus on continuous improvement
Commitment to quality and user experience

Screening Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This initial screening interview aims to assess whether the candidate has the basic qualifications and potential to succeed as a Technical Writer. Focus on their writing experience, technical aptitude, and collaboration skills. This interview is critical for efficiently identifying promising candidates to advance to the next stages.

Key areas to evaluate include:

Writing experience and skills
Technical background and understanding
Collaboration with technical teams
Documentation tools and processes familiarity
Communication skills
Problem-solving approach

Remember to allow 5-10 minutes at the end for the candidate to ask questions. Pay attention to both the content of their responses and how effectively they communicate, as this is indicative of their ability to create clear technical documentation.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"Today, we'll discuss your background as a technical writer, your experience with documentation tools and processes, and your approach to collaborating with technical teams. I'll ask several questions about your experience and skills, and I'll leave time at the end for any questions you might have about the role or our company."

Interview Questions

Tell me about your background as a technical writer and the types of documentation you've created.

Areas to Cover

Types of technical documentation created (user guides, API docs, release notes, etc.)
Industries and technical domains they've worked in
Tools and platforms used
Process for creating documentation from start to finish
Scope and complexity of documentation projects

Possible Follow-up Questions

What was the most complex technical concept you had to document, and how did you approach it?
How do you measure the effectiveness of your documentation?
How do you adapt your writing for different audiences?
What is your process for gathering information from subject matter experts?

Describe your experience working with engineers, product managers, and other technical stakeholders to create documentation.

Areas to Cover

Methods for extracting information from technical experts
Handling disagreements or conflicting information
Managing the review and approval process
Building relationships with technical teams
Balancing competing priorities or deadlines

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you approach a subject matter expert who is too busy to help you?
How do you handle technical information that you don't fully understand?
How do you ensure the accuracy of technical content?
Can you share an example of resolving conflicting feedback from different stakeholders?

Walk me through your process for approaching a new documentation project.

Areas to Cover

Initial research and information gathering methods
Planning and organization approach
Content structure development
Tools and templates used
Quality assurance and testing procedures
Timeline and milestone planning

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you handle scope changes during a project?
How do you prioritize when working on multiple documentation projects?
What do you do when you encounter technical information gaps?
How do you handle tight deadlines?

Tell me about your experience with documentation tools and platforms.

Areas to Cover

Specific tools and platforms used (e.g., Confluence, DITA, MadCap Flare)
Level of proficiency with each tool
Experience with markup languages (HTML, XML, Markdown)
Content management systems experience
Version control systems (Git, etc.)

Possible Follow-up Questions

How quickly do you typically learn new documentation tools?
What documentation tool do you find most effective and why?
How have you improved documentation workflows using these tools?
What experience do you have with API documentation tools?

How do you ensure your documentation is accurate, consistent, and user-friendly?

Areas to Cover

Quality assurance process
Style guide development and usage
User testing methods
Feedback collection and implementation
Revision and update processes

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you measure documentation quality?
What's your approach to maintaining consistency across large documentation sets?
How do you identify areas of documentation that need improvement?
How do you incorporate user feedback into documentation?

Share an example of how you improved a documentation process or workflow.

Areas to Cover

Problem identification
Solution development approach
Implementation process
Results and impact
Lessons learned
Stakeholder involvement

Possible Follow-up Questions

What resistance did you encounter and how did you overcome it?
How did you measure the success of this improvement?
What would you do differently if implementing this change again?
What other process improvements have you identified but not yet implemented?

Interview Scorecard

Technical Communication Skills

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited ability to explain technical concepts clearly; writing samples lack clarity or structure
2: Adequate communication skills but inconsistent in translating complex information
3: Effectively translates technical information into clear, accessible content
4: Exceptional ability to communicate complex information with clarity and precision for various audiences

Collaboration Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience collaborating with technical teams or difficulty navigating stakeholder relationships
2: Some experience working with technical teams but may struggle with challenging stakeholders
3: Successfully collaborates with cross-functional teams to gather information and incorporate feedback
4: Demonstrates exceptional stakeholder management skills and collaborative approaches

Documentation Tool Proficiency

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with documentation tools or platforms
2: Familiar with basic documentation tools but limited experience with advanced features
3: Proficient with relevant documentation tools and platforms
4: Expert with multiple documentation systems; quick to learn and optimize new tools

Process Improvement Orientation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows little interest in improving processes; focuses only on assigned tasks
2: Recognizes process improvement opportunities but limited experience implementing changes
3: Successfully implemented process improvements that enhanced efficiency or quality
4: Consistently drives significant process improvements with measurable results

Create comprehensive, user-friendly documentation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to produce documentation that meets user needs consistently
2: Likely to produce adequate documentation but may miss opportunities to optimize for users
3: Likely to create effective documentation that meets user needs
4: Likely to excel at creating exceptional documentation that exceeds user expectations

Establish and maintain consistent documentation style

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain consistency across documentation
2: Likely to achieve basic consistency but may struggle with complex documentation sets
3: Likely to establish and maintain consistent documentation effectively
4: Likely to excel at creating and enforcing documentation standards

Improve documentation processes and workflows

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to identify or implement process improvements
2: Likely to suggest basic improvements but may struggle with implementation
3: Likely to successfully implement meaningful process improvements
4: Likely to drive significant innovation in documentation processes

Successfully collaborate with technical teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to build effective relationships with technical teams
2: Likely to work adequately with technical teams but may struggle with challenging situations
3: Likely to collaborate effectively with all technical stakeholders
4: Likely to excel at building strong partnerships across technical teams

Keep documentation current with updates

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain documentation currency effectively
2: Likely to update documentation but may not be proactive
3: Likely to maintain current documentation through systematic approaches
4: Likely to implement innovative systems to ensure documentation remains current

Hiring Recommendation

1: Strong No Hire
2: No Hire
3: Hire
4: Strong Hire

Writing Portfolio Review & Exercise

Directions for the Interviewer

This work sample assessment has two components: reviewing the candidate's existing writing portfolio and having them complete a technical writing exercise. This evaluation will provide direct insight into the candidate's writing abilities, technical understanding, and approach to documentation tasks.

For the portfolio review, carefully examine the samples provided, looking for clarity, organization, technical accuracy, and appropriateness for the intended audience. Pay attention to both content and style.

For the writing exercise, provide the candidate with a technical concept or feature to document. The exercise should be completed within a reasonable timeframe (typically 60-90 minutes) and should be relevant to the type of documentation they would create in this role.

Key areas to evaluate include:

Writing clarity and precision
Technical accuracy and understanding
Content organization and structure
Adaptation to different audiences
Attention to detail
Problem-solving approach

Directions to Share with Candidate

"This assessment has two parts. First, we'll review the writing samples you've provided to understand your documentation experience and style. Then, you'll complete a technical writing exercise to demonstrate your current skills. For the exercise, we're looking to see how you organize information, explain technical concepts clearly, and adapt your writing to the specified audience. You'll have 60 minutes to complete the exercise, and we encourage you to ask any clarifying questions before you begin."

Technical Writing Exercise

Exercise Brief: Create a User Guide for a Feature

You've been asked to create a user guide for a new feature in our product. The feature is [describe a feature relevant to your product, such as a data export tool, configuration wizard, or search functionality]. Your task is to:

Create a user guide section (approximately 1-2 pages) explaining how to use this feature
Include an introduction explaining what the feature does and its benefits
Provide step-by-step instructions for using the feature
Add any relevant notes, cautions, or tips
Consider both novice and advanced users in your explanation

Technical details to incorporate:

[Include 3-4 key technical aspects of the feature]
[Include any limitations or requirements]
[Include any related features or settings]

Alternative Exercise: API Documentation

Write documentation for the following API endpoint:[Provide details of a simple API endpoint with parameters, response format, error codes, etc.]

Your documentation should include:

A brief overview of what the endpoint does
Request parameters and their descriptions
Response format with examples
Error codes and troubleshooting guidance
Usage examples

Areas to Cover

Understanding of technical concepts
Ability to organize information logically
Clarity of explanation and instructions
Appropriateness for the target audience
Attention to detail
Completeness of documentation

Review Questions for Portfolio and Exercise

What was your process for creating this documentation?
How did you determine what information to include or exclude?
How would you adapt this for a different audience (e.g., from technical to non-technical)?
What additional information would you include if you had more time?

Interview Scorecard

Writing Clarity and Precision

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Writing is unclear, verbose, or imprecise; difficult to understand
2: Writing is generally clear but contains some ambiguities or unnecessary complexity
3: Writing is clear, concise, and precise; effectively communicates technical information
4: Exceptional clarity and precision; makes complex concepts easily understandable

Content Organization and Structure

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor organization; difficult to follow logical flow; important information buried
2: Basic organization but some structural issues; inconsistent hierarchy or flow
3: Well-organized content with logical flow and appropriate hierarchical structure
4: Exceptionally well-structured content that enhances understanding and accessibility

Technical Accuracy

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Significant technical errors or misunderstandings
2: Generally accurate but with some technical misunderstandings or omissions
3: Technically accurate with appropriate level of detail
4: Exceptional technical accuracy with nuanced understanding of complexities

Audience Adaptation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Fails to consider audience needs; too technical or too simplistic
2: Some adaptation to audience but inconsistent or incomplete
3: Effectively adapts content to meet the needs of the specified audience
4: Exceptional ability to tailor content for different audiences while maintaining accuracy

Visual Elements and Formatting

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Poor use of formatting, lacks visual elements where needed
2: Basic formatting and visual elements but not optimally implemented
3: Effective use of formatting and visual elements to enhance understanding
4: Exceptional use of formatting and visual elements that significantly improve content usability

Create comprehensive, user-friendly documentation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to produce documentation that meets user needs consistently
2: Likely to produce adequate documentation but may miss opportunities to optimize for users
3: Likely to create effective documentation that meets user needs
4: Likely to excel at creating exceptional documentation that exceeds user expectations

Establish and maintain consistent documentation style

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain consistency across documentation
2: Likely to achieve basic consistency but may struggle with complex documentation sets
3: Likely to establish and maintain consistent documentation effectively
4: Likely to excel at creating and enforcing documentation standards

Improve documentation processes and workflows

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to identify or implement process improvements
2: Likely to suggest basic improvements but may struggle with implementation
3: Likely to successfully implement meaningful process improvements
4: Likely to drive significant innovation in documentation processes

Successfully collaborate with technical teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to build effective relationships with technical teams
2: Likely to work adequately with technical teams but may struggle with challenging situations
3: Likely to collaborate effectively with all technical stakeholders
4: Likely to excel at building strong partnerships across technical teams

Keep documentation current with updates

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain documentation currency effectively
2: Likely to update documentation but may not be proactive
3: Likely to maintain current documentation through systematic approaches
4: Likely to implement innovative systems to ensure documentation remains current

Career Experience Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This chronological interview focuses on understanding the candidate's career progression and performance as a technical writer. The goal is to uncover patterns of achievement, growth, and problem-solving across their career. This interview helps assess their ability to adapt to different technical domains, collaborate effectively, and deliver high-quality documentation consistently.

Focus on understanding the context of each role, the challenges they faced, their approach to overcoming obstacles, and their specific contributions and accomplishments. Pay particular attention to how they've developed their skills over time and handled increasingly complex documentation projects.

Allow 45-60 minutes for this interview, with time for candidate questions at the end. The questions should be repeated for each relevant previous role, with deeper focus on the most recent and relevant positions.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"In this interview, we'll walk through your career as a technical writer, focusing on your experience, key accomplishments, and lessons learned. We'll discuss each of your relevant roles chronologically, exploring the types of documentation you created, challenges you faced, and how you contributed to each organization. This helps us understand your growth as a technical writer and your approach to documentation."

Interview Questions

Looking at your overall career as a technical writer, which role has been most influential in shaping your approach to documentation, and why?

Areas to Cover

Key learnings and skills developed
How the experience changed their approach to documentation
Specific mentors or influences
Documentation philosophies or principles developed
How these lessons apply to current work

Possible Follow-up Questions

What specific techniques or approaches did you adopt from this experience?
How has your documentation style evolved since then?
What would you do differently if you could go back to that role now?
How did this experience prepare you for subsequent roles?

For your role at [company name], tell me about the documentation environment when you started and your responsibilities.

Areas to Cover

Types of documentation created or maintained
Size and complexity of documentation set
Technologies and tools used
Team structure and collaboration process
Reporting relationships
Company's industry and products

Possible Follow-up Questions

What was the state of documentation when you arrived?
How was documentation integrated into the product development process?
What was the company culture around documentation quality?
How did stakeholders typically engage with technical writers?

What were the most significant documentation challenges you faced at [company], and how did you address them?

Areas to Cover

Nature of the challenge (technical complexity, process issues, resources)
Approach to understanding and analyzing the problem
Solutions developed and implemented
Stakeholders involved in the solution
Results and impact of the solution
Lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

What resources or support did you need to solve this problem?
What resistance did you encounter and how did you overcome it?
What would you do differently if faced with a similar challenge now?
How did this challenge affect your approach to future documentation projects?

Tell me about your most significant documentation accomplishment at [company].

Areas to Cover

Nature of the documentation project
Your specific role and contributions
Technical complexity involved
Collaborative aspects
Innovations or improvements introduced
Metrics or feedback on the impact
Recognition received

Possible Follow-up Questions

What made this accomplishment particularly challenging?
How did you measure the success of this documentation?
What specific skills enabled you to succeed in this project?
How did this project affect the user experience or internal processes?

How did you collaborate with engineers, product managers, and other stakeholders at [company]?

Areas to Cover

Regular processes for collaboration
Information gathering methods
Review and approval workflows
Relationship building approaches
Handling conflicting priorities or feedback
Tools used for collaboration

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you handle situations when technical information was incomplete or inaccurate?
What was your approach when working with difficult stakeholders?
How did you ensure you had access to the information you needed?
What did you do when you received conflicting feedback?

What documentation process improvements did you implement at [company]?

Areas to Cover

Process issues identified
Analysis and solution development
Implementation approach
Stakeholder buy-in strategy
Results and impact
Sustainability of the improvements

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you identify the need for these improvements?
What resistance did you encounter and how did you address it?
How did you measure the success of these improvements?
What additional improvements would you have made with more time or resources?

What were your reasons for leaving [company] and what attracted you to your next role?

Areas to Cover

Professional growth considerations
Skills or experiences sought
Cultural factors
Role expansion or specialization interests
Industry or domain interests

Possible Follow-up Questions

What skills were you looking to develop in your next role?
How did your next role build on your previous experience?
What did you learn in transitioning between these roles?
How did your documentation approach evolve in your next role?

Interview Scorecard

Career Progression

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited growth or progression in technical writing roles
2: Some progression but may lack depth in relevant experience
3: Clear progression with increasing responsibility and skill development
4: Exceptional career development with significant achievements and advanced skills

Technical Documentation Experience

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience with technical documentation or irrelevant experience
2: Adequate experience but narrow in scope or complexity
3: Strong experience with various documentation types and technical domains
4: Exceptional breadth and depth of technical documentation experience

Problem-Solving Approach

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reactive problem-solving; limited analytical approach
2: Basic problem-solving skills but may lack strategic thinking
3: Effective problem-solver with thoughtful analytical approach
4: Exceptional problem-solver who addresses root causes and implements sustainable solutions

Collaboration History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of effective collaboration with technical teams
2: Some collaborative success but may struggle with challenging stakeholders
3: Consistent record of effective collaboration across different teams and roles
4: Exceptional collaboration skills with proven ability to influence and build partnerships

Process Improvement History

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Little evidence of process improvement initiatives
2: Some examples of process improvements but limited in scope or impact
3: Clear history of identifying and implementing effective process improvements
4: Exceptional track record of significant, innovative process improvements

Create comprehensive, user-friendly documentation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to produce documentation that meets user needs consistently
2: Likely to produce adequate documentation but may miss opportunities to optimize for users
3: Likely to create effective documentation that meets user needs
4: Likely to excel at creating exceptional documentation that exceeds user expectations

Establish and maintain consistent documentation style

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain consistency across documentation
2: Likely to achieve basic consistency but may struggle with complex documentation sets
3: Likely to establish and maintain consistent documentation effectively
4: Likely to excel at creating and enforcing documentation standards

Improve documentation processes and workflows

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to identify or implement process improvements
2: Likely to suggest basic improvements but may struggle with implementation
3: Likely to successfully implement meaningful process improvements
4: Likely to drive significant innovation in documentation processes

Successfully collaborate with technical teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to build effective relationships with technical teams
2: Likely to work adequately with technical teams but may struggle with challenging situations
3: Likely to collaborate effectively with all technical stakeholders
4: Likely to excel at building strong partnerships across technical teams

Keep documentation current with updates

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain documentation currency effectively
2: Likely to update documentation but may not be proactive
3: Likely to maintain current documentation through systematic approaches
4: Likely to implement innovative systems to ensure documentation remains current

Technical Competency Interview

Directions for the Interviewer

This interview assesses the candidate's core technical writing competencies, including their ability to translate complex information, collaborate with technical teams, adapt content for different audiences, and drive process improvements. The goal is to evaluate how they approach technical writing challenges and work with others to create effective documentation.

This interview should be conducted by someone who works closely with technical writers, such as a documentation manager, senior technical writer, or engineering manager. The questions are designed to elicit detailed examples that demonstrate the candidate's capabilities in key competency areas.

Focus on understanding not just what the candidate did, but how they approached the situation, what specific techniques they used, and what results they achieved. Pay attention to their thought process, problem-solving approach, and communication style throughout the interview.

Allow 45-60 minutes for this interview, with time for candidate questions at the end.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"In this interview, we'll focus on your technical writing skills and experiences. I'll ask you about specific situations where you've had to translate complex information, collaborate with technical teams, adapt content for different audiences, and improve documentation processes. For each question, I'd like you to share concrete examples from your experience that illustrate your approach and capabilities."

Interview Questions

Tell me about a time when you had to document a particularly complex technical concept or feature. How did you approach making it understandable to your target audience? (Technical Communication)

Areas to Cover

Complexity of the technical concept
Process for learning and understanding the concept
Techniques used to simplify without losing accuracy
Audience analysis and adaptation
Information organization strategies
Visual aids or examples used
Feedback received and iterations made

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you validate that your explanation was accurate?
What feedback did you receive from technical experts?
How did you know your documentation was successful with the audience?
What would you do differently if documenting this concept again?

Describe a situation where you had to work closely with engineers or developers who were resistant to providing the information you needed. How did you handle it? (Collaboration)

Areas to Cover

Nature of the resistance encountered
Understanding of the engineers' perspective
Approach to building relationships
Strategies used to obtain needed information
Compromises or solutions developed
Outcome of the situation
Long-term relationship impact

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you ensure you got technically accurate information?
What did you learn about working with technical stakeholders?
How did this experience affect your approach to similar situations?
What techniques were most effective in gaining cooperation?

Give me an example of when you had to adapt technical content for different audiences. What was your approach? (Adaptability)

Areas to Cover

Types of audiences involved
Analysis process for audience needs
Content adaptation strategies
Maintaining accuracy while changing complexity level
Testing or validation methods
Feedback received from different audiences
Effectiveness of the adapted content

Possible Follow-up Questions

What specific techniques did you use to adapt the content?
How did you determine the appropriate level of detail for each audience?
What challenges did you face in balancing technical accuracy with accessibility?
How did you measure the success of your adaptation?

Tell me about a time when you identified and implemented an improvement to a documentation process or system. What was the impact? (Process Improvement)

Areas to Cover

Issue or inefficiency identified
Analysis and solution development
Implementation approach
Stakeholder involvement and buy-in
Technical or organizational challenges
Metrics or measurements used
Results and broader impact
Lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you identify this opportunity for improvement?
What resistance did you encounter and how did you overcome it?
How did you ensure the improvement was adopted by the team?
What additional improvements would you make with more time or resources?

Describe a situation where you received conflicting feedback or requirements for documentation. How did you resolve it? (Collaboration, Adaptability)

Areas to Cover

Nature of the conflicting feedback
Stakeholders involved
Process for understanding different perspectives
Analytical approach to resolving conflicts
Negotiation or consensus-building techniques
Final resolution and rationale
Communication with stakeholders
Lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you prioritize different stakeholder needs?
What techniques were most effective in finding common ground?
How did you maintain relationships with stakeholders whose preferences weren't fully incorporated?
What would you do differently in a similar situation in the future?

Tell me about your experience managing documentation for a product through significant changes or updates. How did you approach keeping the documentation current? (Technical Communication, Adaptability)

Areas to Cover

Scale and complexity of the documentation set
Nature of the product changes
Planning and strategy for updates
Collaboration with product and engineering teams
Prioritization approach
Quality assurance methods
Timeline and resource management
Results and user feedback

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you stay informed about upcoming changes?
What systems or processes did you put in place to manage updates efficiently?
How did you handle documentation for deprecated features?
What challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?

Interview Scorecard

Technical Communication

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Struggles to explain technical concepts clearly; limited techniques for simplifying complexity
2: Basic ability to translate technical information but may miss nuances or struggle with very complex concepts
3: Effectively translates complex technical information into clear, accessible content
4: Exceptional ability to make even the most complex concepts understandable without sacrificing accuracy

Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited collaboration skills; struggles to work effectively with technical stakeholders
2: Generally works well with others but may struggle with challenging collaboration scenarios
3: Effectively collaborates with diverse stakeholders and navigates challenging situations
4: Exceptional collaboration skills; builds strong partnerships and influences technical teams effectively

Attention to Detail

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Frequently misses errors or inconsistencies; limited quality assurance approach
2: Catches most errors but may overlook subtleties or systemic issues
3: Consistently maintains high standards of accuracy and consistency
4: Exceptional attention to detail with systematic approaches to ensuring quality

Adaptability

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Rigid in approach; struggles to adapt to different audiences or changing requirements
2: Can adapt to different situations but may take time or need guidance
3: Effectively adapts writing style and approach to different audiences and situations
4: Exceptional adaptability; quickly pivots to meet diverse needs while maintaining quality

Process Improvement

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Shows little initiative for improvement; satisfied with status quo
2: Identifies improvement opportunities but limited in implementation
3: Successfully implements meaningful process improvements
4: Drives significant innovation in documentation processes with measurable results

Create comprehensive, user-friendly documentation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to produce documentation that meets user needs consistently
2: Likely to produce adequate documentation but may miss opportunities to optimize for users
3: Likely to create effective documentation that meets user needs
4: Likely to excel at creating exceptional documentation that exceeds user expectations

Establish and maintain consistent documentation style

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain consistency across documentation
2: Likely to achieve basic consistency but may struggle with complex documentation sets
3: Likely to establish and maintain consistent documentation effectively
4: Likely to excel at creating and enforcing documentation standards

Improve documentation processes and workflows

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to identify or implement process improvements
2: Likely to suggest basic improvements but may struggle with implementation
3: Likely to successfully implement meaningful process improvements
4: Likely to drive significant innovation in documentation processes

Successfully collaborate with technical teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to build effective relationships with technical teams
2: Likely to work adequately with technical teams but may struggle with challenging situations
3: Likely to collaborate effectively with all technical stakeholders
4: Likely to excel at building strong partnerships across technical teams

Keep documentation current with updates

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain documentation currency effectively
2: Likely to update documentation but may not be proactive
3: Likely to maintain current documentation through systematic approaches
4: Likely to implement innovative systems to ensure documentation remains current

Executive Stakeholder Interview (Optional)

Directions for the Interviewer

This optional interview allows a senior leader to assess the candidate's strategic thinking, cultural fit, and broader impact potential. As an executive stakeholder, your perspective on how the candidate will contribute to broader organizational goals and work within the company culture is valuable. This interview should focus on higher-level aspects of the role rather than technical writing specifics.

Key areas to evaluate include the candidate's understanding of how documentation contributes to business goals, their approach to working across functions, their vision for documentation, and their ability to influence and adapt in a complex organization. This interview provides an opportunity to share more about the company's vision and assess how the candidate might contribute to and thrive in that environment.

Allow 30-45 minutes for this interview, with time for candidate questions at the end.

Directions to Share with Candidate

"In this conversation, I'd like to understand your perspective on how technical documentation contributes to business success, your experience working across different functions, and your approach to documentation strategy. I'll also share more about our organization and answer any questions you have about our company culture and vision."

Interview Questions

From your perspective, how does high-quality technical documentation contribute to business success?

Areas to Cover

Understanding of business impact beyond documentation
Customer experience considerations
Support efficiency implications
Product adoption and retention effects
Brand perception and trust factors
Revenue or cost implications

Possible Follow-up Questions

How have you measured the business impact of documentation improvements?
How would you prioritize documentation efforts when resources are limited?
How have you aligned documentation strategy with business goals?
What examples have you seen where documentation significantly affected business outcomes?

Tell me about a time when you influenced decisions about documentation strategy or investment in an organization.

Areas to Cover

Nature of the influence opportunity
Stakeholders involved
Analysis and business case development
Communication and persuasion approach
Organizational challenges navigated
Results and impact
Lessons learned

Possible Follow-up Questions

How did you build support among different stakeholders?
What data or evidence did you use to make your case?
What resistance did you encounter and how did you address it?
How did you measure the success of this initiative?

How do you approach building partnerships across different functions (product, engineering, marketing, support) to create more effective documentation?

Areas to Cover

Cross-functional relationship building strategy
Understanding different departmental priorities
Communication approaches with different functions
Value proposition for collaboration
Handling competing priorities
Specific partnership examples
Results of collaborative efforts

Possible Follow-up Questions

How do you ensure documentation needs are considered early in product development?
How have you resolved conflicts between documentation needs and other priorities?
What techniques have you found most effective for gaining support from different functions?
How have you demonstrated the value of documentation to skeptical stakeholders?

What trends or innovations in technical documentation do you find most promising, and how might they shape the future of user support?

Areas to Cover

Awareness of industry trends and innovations
Critical thinking about benefits and limitations
Practical application considerations
Strategic vision for documentation evolution
User experience perspective
Technical feasibility understanding
Implementation challenges awareness

Possible Follow-up Questions

How would you evaluate whether a new documentation approach is worth investing in?
How have you incorporated new approaches or technologies in your previous work?
How do you balance innovation with maintaining documentation quality and consistency?
What documentation innovations have you personally implemented or advocated for?

Interview Scorecard

Strategic Thinking

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited understanding of how documentation connects to broader business goals
2: Basic understanding of documentation's strategic value but may lack nuanced perspective
3: Clear understanding of documentation's strategic impact and alignment with business objectives
4: Exceptional strategic vision for documentation's role in achieving organizational success

Leadership Potential

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited evidence of influence or leadership in documentation context
2: Shows some leadership capabilities but may not have led significant initiatives
3: Demonstrates effective leadership and influence in documentation context
4: Exceptional leadership capability with proven ability to drive change and improvement

Cross-functional Collaboration

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited experience collaborating across functions or difficulty articulating approach
2: Basic collaborative approach but may not have experience with complex organizational dynamics
3: Effective cross-functional collaborator with thoughtful approach to building partnerships
4: Exceptional ability to build strategic partnerships across different functions

Innovation Mindset

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Limited awareness of or interest in documentation innovations
2: Aware of trends but may lack critical analysis or implementation experience
3: Thoughtful perspective on documentation innovations with practical implementation ideas
4: Exceptional vision for documentation evolution with proven innovation experience

Create comprehensive, user-friendly documentation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to produce documentation that meets user needs consistently
2: Likely to produce adequate documentation but may miss opportunities to optimize for users
3: Likely to create effective documentation that meets user needs
4: Likely to excel at creating exceptional documentation that exceeds user expectations

Establish and maintain consistent documentation style

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain consistency across documentation
2: Likely to achieve basic consistency but may struggle with complex documentation sets
3: Likely to establish and maintain consistent documentation effectively
4: Likely to excel at creating and enforcing documentation standards

Improve documentation processes and workflows

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to identify or implement process improvements
2: Likely to suggest basic improvements but may struggle with implementation
3: Likely to successfully implement meaningful process improvements
4: Likely to drive significant innovation in documentation processes

Successfully collaborate with technical teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to build effective relationships with technical teams
2: Likely to work adequately with technical teams but may struggle with challenging situations
3: Likely to collaborate effectively with all technical stakeholders
4: Likely to excel at building strong partnerships across technical teams

Keep documentation current with updates

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Unlikely to maintain documentation currency effectively
2: Likely to update documentation but may not be proactive
3: Likely to maintain current documentation through systematic approaches
4: Likely to implement innovative systems to ensure documentation remains current

Debrief Meeting

Directions for Conducting the Debrief Meeting

The Debrief Meeting is an open discussion for the hiring team members to share the information learned during the candidate interviews. Use the questions below to guide the discussion.

Start the meeting by reviewing the requirements for the role and the key competencies and goals to succeed.

The meeting leader should strive to create an environment where it is okay to express opinions about the candidate that differ from the consensus or from leadership's opinions.

Scores and interview notes are important data points but should not be the sole factor in making the final decision.

Any hiring team member should feel free to change their recommendation as they learn new information and reflect on what they've learned.

Questions to Guide the Debrief Meeting

Question: Does anyone have any questions for the other interviewers about the candidate?

Guidance: The meeting facilitator should initially present themselves as neutral and try not to sway the conversation before others have a chance to speak up.

Question: Are there any additional comments about the Candidate?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for all the interviewers to share anything they learned that is important for the other interviewers to know.

Question: Is there anything further we need to investigate before making a decision?

Guidance: Based on this discussion, you may decide to probe further on certain issues with the candidate or explore specific issues in the reference calls.

Question: Has anyone changed their hire/no-hire recommendation?

Guidance: This is an opportunity for the interviewers to change their recommendation from the new information they learned in this meeting.

Question: If the consensus is no hire, should the candidate be considered for other roles? If so, what roles?

Guidance: Discuss whether engaging with the candidate about a different role would be worthwhile.

Question: What are the next steps?

Guidance: If there is no consensus, follow the process for that situation (e.g., it is the hiring manager's decision). Further investigation may be needed before making the decision. If there is a consensus on hiring, reference checks could be the next step.

Reference Checks

Directions for Conducting Reference Checks

Reference checks provide crucial external validation of the candidate's skills, work style, and achievements. When conducted effectively, they can offer valuable insights beyond what you learn in interviews. For a technical writer candidate, references can verify their writing quality, collaboration skills, technical aptitude, and overall work effectiveness.

Aim to speak with at least two professional references, preferably direct managers who have supervised the candidate's technical writing work. Before the call, review the candidate's interview feedback to identify any areas that warrant further investigation.

Keep the conversation conversational while ensuring you cover all key areas. Listen for specific examples and details rather than generalities. Pay attention to both what is said and what might be noticeably absent or downplayed.

Document the reference feedback thoroughly and bring these insights to the final hiring decision discussion.

Questions for Reference Checks

Can you confirm your relationship with [Candidate] and the context in which you worked together?

Guidance: Establish the reference's credibility and perspective. Determine whether they directly supervised the candidate's technical writing work, collaborated as a peer, or had another relationship. Understand the duration and recency of their working relationship.

How would you describe the quality of [Candidate]'s technical documentation, and can you provide specific examples of their work?

Guidance: Listen for concrete examples rather than general praise. Ask about specific documentation projects or deliverables. Note how the reference describes the candidate's writing style, accuracy, and ability to explain complex concepts.

How effectively did [Candidate] collaborate with technical teams such as engineers and product managers to gather information and create documentation?

Guidance: Technical writers must work closely with subject matter experts who may not always prioritize documentation. Look for evidence of the candidate's ability to build relationships, ask effective questions, and navigate potentially challenging interpersonal dynamics.

Can you tell me about [Candidate]'s approach to learning new technical concepts or technologies?

Guidance: Technical writers often need to quickly understand complex technical information. Look for examples of the candidate's learning agility, curiosity, and ability to grasp technical concepts without necessarily having a technical background.

How did [Candidate] handle feedback on their documentation, and can you provide an example of how they responded to criticism?

Guidance: Technical documentation often goes through multiple review cycles. Look for evidence of the candidate's openness to feedback, ability to incorporate changes without becoming defensive, and commitment to continuous improvement.

Did [Candidate] ever identify and implement improvements to documentation processes or systems? If so, can you describe their impact?

Guidance: Process improvement is a key competency for technical writers. Listen for examples of the candidate's initiative, strategic thinking, and ability to implement positive changes beyond just creating assigned documentation.

On a scale of 1-10, how likely would you be to hire [Candidate] again if you had an appropriate role available, and why?

Guidance: This direct question often elicits the most honest assessment. Listen carefully to both the rating and the explanation. Note any hesitation or qualification in the response.

Reference Check Scorecard

Technical Writing Quality

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates significant concerns about writing quality or accuracy
2: Reference suggests adequate but not exceptional writing quality
3: Reference confirms high-quality technical writing with specific examples
4: Reference enthusiastically praises exceptional writing quality with outstanding examples

Collaboration Effectiveness

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates difficulties working with technical teams or stakeholders
2: Reference suggests generally adequate collaboration but potential challenges in difficult situations
3: Reference confirms effective collaboration across various teams and situations
4: Reference enthusiastically praises exceptional collaboration abilities and relationship building

Technical Aptitude

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates struggles with understanding technical concepts
2: Reference suggests adequate but limited technical understanding
3: Reference confirms strong ability to grasp and explain technical concepts
4: Reference enthusiastically praises exceptional technical comprehension and explanation abilities

Problem-Solving and Initiative

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates little evidence of problem-solving or initiative
2: Reference suggests some problem-solving ability but limited proactive improvement
3: Reference confirms effective problem-solving and process improvement initiatives
4: Reference enthusiastically praises exceptional problem-solving and transformative improvements

Create comprehensive, user-friendly documentation

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates the candidate struggled to create effective documentation
2: Reference suggests the candidate created adequate but not exceptional documentation
3: Reference confirms the candidate consistently created effective user-friendly documentation
4: Reference enthusiastically praises the candidate's exceptional documentation quality

Establish and maintain consistent documentation style

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates inconsistency in documentation style and standards
2: Reference suggests basic consistency but limited style leadership
3: Reference confirms the candidate effectively maintained and improved documentation standards
4: Reference enthusiastically praises the candidate's leadership in documentation standards

Improve documentation processes and workflows

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates little evidence of process improvement initiatives
2: Reference suggests some minor improvements but limited impact
3: Reference confirms meaningful process improvements implemented successfully
4: Reference enthusiastically praises transformative process improvements with significant impact

Successfully collaborate with technical teams

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates difficulties working with technical stakeholders
2: Reference suggests adequate collaboration but potential challenges with difficult stakeholders
3: Reference confirms effective collaboration across various technical teams
4: Reference enthusiastically praises exceptional technical collaboration abilities

Keep documentation current with updates

0: Not Enough Information Gathered to Evaluate
1: Reference indicates documentation was often outdated or inconsistently updated
2: Reference suggests documentation was updated but reactive rather than proactive
3: Reference confirms systematic approaches to keeping documentation current
4: Reference enthusiastically praises exceptional documentation maintenance systems and approaches

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I adapt this interview process for remote candidates?

The process works well for remote candidates with minor adjustments. Ensure your video conferencing technology is reliable and have a backup plan in case of technical issues. For the writing exercise, use a shared document or provide extra time for email submission. Consider breaking longer interviews into shorter sessions to prevent screen fatigue.

What if a candidate doesn't have formal technical writing experience but has done documentation as part of another role?

Focus on transferable skills and assess the quality of their writing samples regardless of formal title. Look for evidence of their ability to explain complex concepts clearly, organize information logically, and tailor content to different audiences. The writing portfolio review and exercise becomes particularly important in this scenario.

How important is industry-specific knowledge for a technical writer?

While industry knowledge can be helpful, strong technical writers can often learn new domains quickly. Prioritize their ability to understand complex information, write clearly, and collaborate effectively with subject matter experts. Look for evidence of learning agility and curiosity in their interviews, as discussed in our guide on hiring for potential.

Should we give candidates access to our existing documentation during the interview process?

Providing access to public documentation can help candidates understand your style and approach, but avoid sharing proprietary information. You can create a sanitized sample if needed for the writing exercise. This gives candidates context while maintaining confidentiality.

How should we evaluate candidates who have more experience with certain documentation tools than the ones we use?

Focus on the candidate's adaptability and underlying documentation skills rather than specific tool proficiency. Most technical writers can learn new tools quickly if they understand documentation principles. Ask about their experience learning new tools in the past and how they approach unfamiliar technologies.

What's the best way to assess a candidate's ability to handle technical complexity if our interviewers aren't technical subject matter experts?

The writing exercise can include a moderately complex technical concept to document. You can also ask behavioral questions about how they've approached complex topics in the past. Look for their process of breaking down complexity and verifying their understanding, rather than testing specific technical knowledge.

How do we balance evaluating writing skills versus collaboration abilities?

Both are essential for success. The portfolio review and writing exercise assess writing skills directly, while behavioral interviews evaluate collaboration. Reference checks can provide additional validation of both areas. Balance your evaluation based on your specific team needs, but neither should be sacrificed.