Speechwriting is the art and process of crafting persuasive, informative, and engaging speeches for others to deliver. In a professional context, it requires a blend of research, strategic messaging, and adaptability to capture the voice of the speaker while achieving specific communication objectives. When evaluating speechwriting candidates, interviewers should assess not just writing ability, but also strategic thinking, research skills, collaboration aptitude, and audience understanding.

Speechwriting demands a unique combination of technical writing competence and interpersonal savvy. Effective speechwriters must research thoroughly, structure content strategically, and write in a voice that's authentic to the speaker yet compelling to the audience. They serve as both communications strategists and ghost writers, often needing to translate complex ideas into accessible, memorable language.

When interviewing candidates for speechwriting roles, focus on their ability to adapt to different voices, respond to feedback constructively, and balance creativity with organizational messaging objectives. The most successful speechwriters demonstrate strong collaboration skills, as they must work closely with executives and subject matter experts while maintaining the confidence to advocate for effective communication strategies. According to research from the Professional Speechwriters Association, the role increasingly requires both traditional rhetorical skills and digital communication awareness.

To effectively evaluate speechwriting candidates, listen for specific examples of their process from conception to delivery, their approach to research, and how they measure a speech's success. The following behavioral questions will help you assess these competencies and identify candidates who can elevate your organization's communications.

Interview Questions

Tell me about a speech you wrote that required extensive research on an unfamiliar topic. How did you approach the research process, and how did you ensure accuracy while maintaining an engaging narrative?

Areas to Cover:

• Research methodology and sources consulted
• How they prioritized information for inclusion
• Strategies for translating complex information into accessible content
• Time management between research and writing phases
• How they verified accuracy of specialized content
• Techniques used to make technical content engaging and relevant
• Collaboration with subject matter experts

Follow-Up Questions:

• What challenges did you face when trying to understand this unfamiliar topic, and how did you overcome them?
• How did you determine which technical details to include versus simplify or omit?
• What feedback did you receive about the speech's clarity and accuracy?
• How would you approach this differently if you were to do it again?

Describe a situation where you had to write a speech for someone with a communication style very different from your own. How did you capture their voice authentically?

Areas to Cover:

• Process for understanding the speaker's unique voice and style
• Research methods used to study the speaker's previous communications
• Specific techniques used to adapt writing style
• Collaboration with the speaker during the drafting process
• How feedback was incorporated
• Balance between speaker authenticity and effective messaging
• Outcome of the speech delivery

Follow-Up Questions:

• What specific elements of their communication style were most challenging to capture?
• How did you prepare before your first draft? Did you listen to recordings, review previous speeches?
• What feedback did you receive from the speaker about how well you captured their voice?
• How has this experience influenced your approach to writing for different speakers?

Tell me about a time when you received significant criticism or requests for extensive revisions on a speech you wrote. How did you handle the feedback and what was the outcome?

Areas to Cover:

• Nature of the criticism received
• Initial reaction and emotional management
• Process for analyzing and prioritizing the feedback
• Approach to implementing revisions
• Communication with stakeholders during the revision process
• Lessons learned from the experience
• How the revised speech was received

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was your initial reaction to the criticism, and how did you work through it?
• Which pieces of feedback did you find most valuable, and why?
• Were there any suggested changes you pushed back on? How did you handle that conversation?
• How has this experience changed your approach to the drafting or revision process?

Describe the most challenging deadline you faced for delivering a speech. What was your process for ensuring quality under tight time constraints?

Areas to Cover:

• Context and time constraints of the situation
• Prioritization and planning strategies
• Any compromises or tradeoffs made due to time limitations
• Collaboration with others to meet the deadline
• Quality assurance methods under pressure
• Stress management techniques
• Final outcome and lessons learned

Follow-Up Questions:

• What was the first thing you did when you realized how tight the deadline was?
• Which parts of your normal process did you modify to accommodate the timeline?
• How did you ensure the speech still achieved its core objectives despite the rush?
• What would you do differently if faced with a similar situation in the future?

Tell me about a speech you wrote for a controversial or sensitive topic. How did you approach the messaging, and what considerations guided your writing process?

Areas to Cover:

• Research and preparation for addressing the sensitive topic
• Stakeholder consultations and input gathering
• Risk assessment and mitigation strategies
• Balancing different perspectives and interests
• Tone and language considerations
• Anticipation of audience reactions and questions
• Organizational implications and reputation management

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you determine the appropriate boundaries for what should and shouldn't be addressed?
• What stakeholders did you consult with, and how did their input shape your approach?
• How did you prepare the speaker for potential audience reactions or questions?
• What was the reception to the speech, and would you change anything in retrospect?

Describe a time when you had to rapidly shift the content or tone of a speech due to changing circumstances or breaking news. How did you adapt?

Areas to Cover:

• Initial assessment of the situation and necessary changes
• Decision-making process for content adjustments
• Collaboration with stakeholders during the shift
• Time management under pressure
• Balance between maintaining core messages and addressing new circumstances
• Communication with the speaker about changes
• Outcome and effectiveness of the adapted speech

Follow-Up Questions:

• How quickly did you need to make these changes, and what was your process?
• How did you determine which original content to keep versus replace?
• What was the most challenging aspect of this rapid adaptation?
• How did the speaker respond to the last-minute changes?

Tell me about a speech you wrote that needed to resonate with a very specific or unique audience. How did you tailor your approach to connect with them effectively?

Areas to Cover:

• Research methods to understand the audience
• Insights gathered about audience needs, interests, and communication preferences
• Strategic messaging decisions based on audience analysis
• Language and reference choices specific to the audience
• Incorporation of cultural or contextual elements
• Testing or validation of assumptions about the audience
• Measuring audience engagement and response

Follow-Up Questions:

• What surprised you most about this audience during your research?
• How did you verify your assumptions about what would resonate with them?
• What specific techniques did you use to build connection with this audience?
• How did you measure whether the speech successfully connected with them?

Describe your process for developing a speech from initial conception to final delivery. Walk me through each step and how you approach it.

Areas to Cover:

• Initial briefing and information gathering methods
• Research approach and organization
• Message and structure development
• Drafting and revision cycles
• Collaboration with stakeholders and speakers
• Preparation of speaking notes or delivery materials
• Rehearsal involvement and speech refinement
• Post-delivery assessment and learning

Follow-Up Questions:

• At what point do you typically involve the speaker in your process?
• How do you organize research materials and track sources?
• What's your approach to structuring a speech for maximum impact?
• How do you handle differences of opinion during the review process?

Tell me about a time when you had to write a speech that needed to inspire action or behavioral change. What strategies did you use, and what was the outcome?

Areas to Cover:

• Understanding of behavior change principles
• Audience analysis specific to motivation and action
• Persuasive techniques employed
• Use of stories, examples, or evidence to drive action
• Call to action development and placement
• Balance of emotional and rational appeals
• Measurement of resulting actions or changes

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify what would motivate this particular audience to act?
• What specific persuasive techniques did you employ and why?
• How did you make the requested action clear and compelling?
• What evidence do you have that the speech actually influenced behavior?

Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with subject matter experts who weren't skilled communicators. How did you extract and translate their expertise into compelling speech content?

Areas to Cover:

• Approach to interviewing or gathering information from experts
• Techniques for building rapport and trust
• Methods for simplifying complex information
• Process for validating accuracy while improving accessibility
• Handling disagreements about how to present technical information
• Balancing expert credibility with audience engagement
• Feedback from both experts and audience on the final product

Follow-Up Questions:

• What techniques did you use to help experts articulate their knowledge in accessible ways?
• How did you ensure you correctly understood complex technical information?
• What challenges did you face in translating expertise into engaging content?
• How did you handle situations where experts wanted to include technical details that might not serve the speech?

Tell me about a speech you wrote that fell short of expectations or didn't achieve its intended impact. What happened, and what did you learn from the experience?

Areas to Cover:

• Honest assessment of what didn't work
• Factors that contributed to the shortfall
• Feedback gathering methods
• Analysis of the gap between intended and actual outcomes
• Personal reflection and learning process
• Changes made to approach based on the experience
• How subsequent speeches were improved

Follow-Up Questions:

• When did you first realize the speech wasn't achieving its objectives?
• What feedback did you receive, and from whom?
• What do you think were the primary factors that limited the speech's effectiveness?
• How specifically have you changed your approach based on this experience?

Describe how you've helped a nervous or inexperienced speaker deliver a speech effectively. What was your role beyond writing the content?

Areas to Cover:

• Assessment of the speaker's strengths and areas of concern
• Adaptation of writing style to speaker comfort
• Support provided during preparation and rehearsal
• Techniques for building speaker confidence
• Speech structure and format considerations for ease of delivery
• Visual aid or speaking note development
• Feedback methods during practice sessions
• Results and speaker growth

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you adapt your writing style for this speaker's comfort and abilities?
• What specific techniques did you use to build their confidence?
• How did you provide feedback during rehearsals without undermining confidence?
• What did you learn about writing for inexperienced speakers from this experience?

Tell me about a speech you wrote that needed to address multiple audiences with different priorities or perspectives. How did you balance competing needs?

Areas to Cover:

• Analysis of different audience segments and their priorities
• Strategic decisions about message hierarchy and structure
• Techniques for addressing diverse concerns without diluting the message
• Language choices that bridge different perspectives
• Testing or validating approach with representatives of different groups
• Management of stakeholder expectations
• Outcome and feedback from different audience segments

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify the different audience segments and their concerns?
• What specific techniques did you use to address multiple perspectives?
• How did you ensure the speech didn't feel disjointed while addressing diverse needs?
• What feedback did you receive from the different audience segments?

Describe a situation where you had to transform dry or technical content into a compelling narrative. What approach did you take?

Areas to Cover:

• Initial assessment of the technical content
• Strategy for finding the human interest angle
• Narrative structure development
• Use of metaphor, analogy, or storytelling
• Balance between technical accuracy and engagement
• Collaboration with subject matter experts during transformation
• Audience response to the final product

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you identify the aspects of the technical content that could be made engaging?
• What specific storytelling techniques did you employ?
• How did you maintain technical accuracy while enhancing engagement?
• What feedback did you receive about the narrative approach?

Tell me about a time when you had to write a speech for multiple speakers as part of a larger event. How did you ensure cohesion while showcasing each speaker's unique perspective?

Areas to Cover:

• Strategic planning for the overall narrative arc
• Process for differentiating speaker roles and messages
• Techniques for maintaining thematic consistency
• Coordination between speakers and content areas
• Managing transitions between speakers
• Balancing individual speaker distinctiveness with event cohesion
• Logistical considerations and collaboration
• Outcome and audience experience

Follow-Up Questions:

• How did you develop the overarching narrative while allowing for individual speaker contributions?
• What techniques did you use to maintain each speaker's authentic voice while ensuring cohesion?
• How did you handle transitions or connections between speeches?
• What was the most challenging aspect of writing for multiple speakers, and how did you overcome it?

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do behavioral questions work better than hypothetical questions when interviewing speechwriters?

Behavioral questions reveal how candidates actually approach speechwriting challenges based on real experiences, not theoretical knowledge. Past performance is the best predictor of future success. When a candidate describes a real speech they wrote for a difficult speaker, you get insights into their actual process, problem-solving abilities, and interpersonal skills that hypothetical scenarios simply can't provide. You also get to assess the authenticity of their answers based on specific details they include.

How many questions should I ask in a typical speechwriter interview?

Focus on 4-5 well-selected behavioral questions with thorough follow-up rather than rushing through many questions. This approach allows candidates to provide detailed examples and gives you time to probe deeper with follow-up questions. Quality over quantity is especially important for speechwriting roles, where the ability to develop ideas with depth and nuance is a critical skill. A thoughtful, in-depth interview also models the type of deep thinking you want from your speechwriter.

Should I ask speechwriting candidates to complete a writing test?

Yes, a writing test is valuable but should be thoughtfully designed. Consider a brief assignment (500-750 words) that resembles actual work they would do, such as drafting remarks for a specific speaker and audience. Provide clear parameters and reasonable time constraints. The test should evaluate not just writing ability but strategic thinking and adaptation to audience needs. Paid assignments show respect for the candidate's time and expertise, especially for experienced speechwriters.

How do I evaluate a candidate's ability to capture another person's voice?

Look for examples where they've written for multiple speakers with different styles. Strong candidates can describe specific techniques they use to analyze and replicate someone's communication patterns, such as studying recordings, analyzing word choice and sentence structure, and conducting voice interviews. Ask how they balance maintaining the speaker's authentic voice while still crafting effective messaging. Their writing sample can also demonstrate this skill if designed to mimic a specific voice.

What's the difference between hiring a speechwriter and a general content writer?

Speechwriters require specialized skills beyond general writing talent. They must understand the distinct differences between written and spoken language, including rhythm, cadence, and memory retention patterns. They need strong interpersonal skills to collaborate with high-level executives and the diplomatic ability to provide feedback to speakers. They also need strategic communication expertise to align speeches with organizational objectives and deep audience analysis skills. While content writers focus primarily on information delivery, speechwriters must also consider the performance aspect of their work.

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