Re: QUERY: tech writer interview

[Stuart Burnfield <slb -at- westnet -dot- com -dot- au>]

Ask them to bring in work samples similar to the deliverables that your 
team produces. (For example, if you're looking for someone to help 
produce user guides, reference manuals, complex diagrams and online 
tutorials, ask them to bring in a sample of each.)

During the interview, pick a sample and establish what was the 
candidate's contribution to it--sole author? part of a team? did the 
updates for the last two releases? everything except chapters 4, 7 & 8?

Find something that interests you (because it looks well done/unusual/"I 
wonder why they did it THAT way") and ask the candidate to talk about 
it--why did they decide to implement it that way? what were the main 
steps in the process they followed to produce that particular update?


These questions don't really have right/wrong answers. What you're 
trying to establish is just a general level of confidence in the 
candidate's honesty and their understanding of TW principles, not just 
in theory but as demonstrated in their previous work.

The sort of answers I'd like to hear are:

"My own preference is to do X, but this company's guidelines were based 
on the MS Manual of Style, which in this instance says to..."

"Most changes came from development line items, marketing requests, or 
bug fixes. This change arose from an MR to provide a similar feature 
offered by a competitive product..."

"I got some of this material from an old white paper. I updated it to 
include a feature that had been added since, added these two diagrams, 
and rewrote it a little to make it sound less marketing-oriented. Then I 
got the author and lead architect to review the topic to make sure it 
was technically correct."

Stuart


 > I've been invited to sit in on an interview for a new technical
 > writer being added to my team. What are the best questions you've
 > been asked? The questions you've asked yourselves, that have
 > gotten the most telling responses?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or 
printed documentation. Features include support for Windows Vista & 2007 
Microsoft Office, team authoring, plus more.
http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

Now shipping: Help & Manual 4 with RoboHelp(r) import! New editor,
full Unicode support. Create help files, web-based help and PDF in up
to 106 languages with Help & Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- web -dot- techwr-l -dot- com -dot- 

To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
techwr-l-unsubscribe -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
or visit http://lists.techwr-l.com/mailman/options/techwr-l/archive%40web.techwr-l.com


To subscribe, send a blank email to techwr-l-join -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com

Send administrative questions to admin -at- techwr-l -dot- com -dot-  Visit
http://www.techwr-l.com/ for more resources and info.