Need Technical Writer job interview advice

[specs]

I got a job interview for an entry-level technical writer on Tuesday afternoon. This is HUGE as while I'm a competent writer, I don't have the formal post-secondary certification to be considered by most employers.

At the same time, I'm nervous as all hell. If you've been in an interview for a tech writer position, would you give this kind soul some advice? What can I expect? Is it common to test my ability during the interview? Any tricky questions?

Please and thanks in advance.

[Wellman]

Bump.

Because I am in a similar situation.

[NKI]

Though I have no advice for this particular position, I would like to say that qualifications are over-rated and confidence is under-rated. If they have to choose between a kinda-qualified Mr. Confidence or a very-qualified Sweaty McPitstains who is jittery as hell and can't answer questions straight, they'll pick Mr. Confidence.

In fact, at my current job (which is great), I didn't really have all the skills they were looking for, but I owned that interview, and that sealed the deal.

[specs]

Thanks for the advice, NKI. Confidence is something that in any given area I have either an abundance of or a lack of.

Fortunately, for job interviews, it's the former. :tup: BUT I've still never been in a technical writer interview before. It's tomorrow. I'm studying up on the company and trying to guess what I'll be asked.

[specs]

Anyone? (If this sinks I shan't bump it again.)

[FallingEdge]

Do some searches on google on interview etiquete. Be confident and take the initiative. Be the first to offer to shake their hand saying something like "My name is ______. Nice to meet you Mr._______"

During the actual interview sit up straight and maintain eye contact. Just be honest and be relaxed. Take your time to answer questions and show them that you are the right man for the job. Also, be sure to ask them some questions. Something along the lines of, "What do you expect out of a new employee" and "What is the managerial style of this division" and "What type of employee fits best with the management here". This shows that you are interested in the job and would like to know more about it.

I am actually interested in seeing what will happen so keep me updated.

[specs]

Had the interview. Gave some samples of my writing; that seemed to impress the guy. I think I did well. Here's hoping I get it.

Thanks for the replies, y'all.

[FallingEdge]

Good ish man. Well more power to ya.

Good luck with that :tup:

[Hunter D]

Goodluck specs

[specs]

Alrighty, an update for the two of you who wanted to know about this and for those who may perhaps be in the same situation.

I passed the first stage of the interview process. The second was to provide writing samples, which I did. I learned yesterday that I made the short list of people that reached the final phase, and that final interview was today.

I was even more nervous for this one than the first, but this time they just wanted to know a little more about me. They also spoke highly of my samples and what my references had to say; without ego, I believe I impressed these folks.

I am cautiously optimistic that I have this in the bag. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I find out... on Friday.

EDIT - a big thanks for all the good wishes. It is much appreciated. :china:

[Roxie]

What exactly do technical writers do?

[thurst]

technically, they write.

*rimshot*



...yeah that was bad

[Roxie]

.........................

Anyway, what're the details behind the job? Cause I'm a pretty good writer and I just wonder.

[BobSmack]

Policy and procedure manuals, letter creation (form, bad news, etc), corporate statements and reports, etc.

[Mikee_Showbiz]

Good job. What exactly is a technical writer, anyway specs? I'm a writer for a videogames magazine and I've heard of all sorts of funky job titles across various mags we publish but not a technical writer.

Anyway, I'm a bit late but good luck with the second interview. I've seen a lot of people come and go for jobs here and like NKI says, qualifications are over-rated - if you can write, that's what matters. There's a dearth of good writers about, so employers are more likely to jump all over the ones who can write rather than someone who is qualified but can't string a sentence together.

[FallingEdge]

Alrighty, an update for the two of you who wanted to know about this and for those who may perhaps be in the same situation.

I passed the first stage of the interview process. The second was to provide writing samples, which I did. I learned yesterday that I made the short list of people that reached the final phase, and that final interview was today.

I was even more nervous for this one than the first, but this time they just wanted to know a little more about me. They also spoke highly of my samples and what my references had to say; without ego, I believe I impressed these folks.

I am cautiously optimistic that I have this in the bag. I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I find out... on Friday.

EDIT - a big thanks for all the good wishes. It is much appreciated. :china:

Sweetness. RTSD! :rock:

[specs]

What exactly do technical writers do?

Good job. What exactly is a technical writer, anyway specs? I'm a writer for a videogames magazine and I've heard of all sorts of funky job titles across various mags we publish but not a technical writer.

Anyway, I'm a bit late but good luck with the second interview. I've seen a lot of people come and go for jobs here and like NKI says, qualifications are over-rated - if you can write, that's what matters. There's a dearth of good writers about, so employers are more likely to jump all over the ones who can write rather than someone who is qualified but can't string a sentence together.

Write documentation and manuals for... well, anything that needs documentation. :rofl:

In the job I'm applying for, I would be writing documentation for software that healthcare companies use to manage their customers. So I would have to write documentation tailored for each group involved in the process to properly use that software. I would have to work closely with the software devs and probably, as a side effect of documentation, have to test alot of the software myself.

Again, thanks y'all for the good wishes and whatnot. I find out the answer tomorrow. I am rather anxious... but even if I don't get the position, I know full well that I can impress a potential employer without fancy college degrees.

EDIT -

Sweetness. RTSD! :rock:

RTSD? Not familiar with that one. But thanks nevertheless!

[ninjabastard]

RTSD? Not familiar with that one. But thanks nevertheless!
RUSH THAT SHIT DOWN

You've been on srk for how long and did not know that?

Anyway, good luck man. Hope you get the job.

[Khiempossible]

Definitely, I'm a developper here, and needless to say I have to work with those technical writers on occasion. Some technical writers are crap and just take the documentation from the programmers and reformat it for the manual. What ends up happening is that as the software gets updated with new versions, the manual becomes increasingly more erroneous.

We had a scenerio here with a few pages describing some functionality of our product, but it was 4 years outdated, the product no longer had that functionality and the manual never changed.

So as a developper, I recommend, that if you want to be a good technical writer. PLEASE talk to the developpers, make you sure you understand exactly how the software works, make sure it does work, and make sure that the information is right. Developpers are reknowned for their laziness (a product of having written the code and understanding perfectly it's behaviour and thus finding it redundant to repeat it in their documentation), so if you want to impress anyone as a writer, make that effort and do a good job with the documentation.

[specs]

RUSH THAT SHIT DOWN

You've been on srk for how long and did not know that?

Anyway, good luck man. Hope you get the job.

See, I know the term but just never heard it abbreviated. :looney: :wgrin: I couldn't wrap my head around it lol. Like if someone posted JPTS, I'd have no idea what it means... And thanks!

Definitely, I'm a developper here, and needless to say I have to work with those technical writers on occasion. Some technical writers are crap and just take the documentation from the programmers and reformat it for the manual. What ends up happening is that as the software gets updated with new versions, the manual becomes increasingly more erroneous.

We had a scenerio here with a few pages describing some functionality of our product, but it was 4 years outdated, the product no longer had that functionality and the manual never changed.

So as a developper, I recommend, that if you want to be a good technical writer. PLEASE talk to the developpers, make you sure you understand exactly how the software works, make sure it does work, and make sure that the information is right. Developpers are reknowned for their laziness (a product of having written the code and understanding perfectly it's behaviour and thus finding it redundant to repeat it in their documentation), so if you want to impress anyone as a writer, make that effort and do a good job with the documentation.

Much obliged for the sound advice. If I get the position, I will ensure that I will communicate with devs and work with them, not around/against them.

[specs]

... I got the job. :tup:

[FallingEdge]

... I got the job. :tup:

Sexy.

:wgrin:

[nasir]

... I got the job. :tup:

let me be the first one on SRK to congratulate you.

edit:
let me be the second one on SRK to congratulate you instead

[ninjabastard]

Congrats man.

[specs]

Much thanks y'all. I'm still letting it all sink in. :)
I start in September, so I still got time to study up on the job and migrate from my old one.
Again, thanks for the advice and for the confidence. :china: and whatnot.

[Roxie]

about how much will you be making? If you don't mind me asking? Just a roundabout number..

[specs]

about how much will you be making? If you don't mind me asking? Just a roundabout number..

I don't like to just post that kind of info up on a forum, but if you PM me I'll let you know, or any other questions you have.

[Khiempossible]

Congrats. I hope you enjoy it. Well written manuals are a treat. I read every manual I get my hands on. So don't feel bad if you're working on a manual and the thought occurs to you: "fuck, nobody's gonna read this shit anyway".

On the other hand, my high school english teacher was so fed up with technical writing she quit. Then she complained about engineering in all our classes and how they didn't even know how to write proper sentences. Needless to say, I became an engineer with better than average writing skills.

/reminiscing

[specs]

Congrats. I hope you enjoy it. Well written manuals are a treat. I read every manual I get my hands on. So don't feel bad if you're working on a manual and the thought occurs to you: "fuck, nobody's gonna read this shit anyway".

On the other hand, my high school english teacher was so fed up with technical writing she quit. Then she complained about engineering in all our classes and how they didn't even know how to write proper sentences. Needless to say, I became an engineer with better than average writing skills.

/reminiscing

Thanks chief.

Actually, most people up being good at either Math and Science, or Social and English, so the Math/Science types probably, in most cases, don't write very well. It doesn't surprise me that your teacher made that claim. I know two brothers, one of each type (an engineer and a former/soon-to-be-again journalist), and in the other areas they are lacking.

I was weird, though: my strengths were always Math and English. I couldn't wrap my head around Science or Social Studies. /shrug

[Roxie]

I liked science up until chemistry...of course it could've had something to do with my teacher admitting she didn't know what she was doing.

I got an A in math only once..and then that teacher moved and then I got a really, very crappy one :sad: