RE: First time interviewer!

Subject: RE: First time interviewer!
From: "Jane Carnall" <jane -dot- carnall -at- digitalbridges -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Wed, 12 Jun 2002 13:29:01 +0100


Ask them to bring writing samples. If it's a junior post, they may not have
much of technical writing portfolio to show, but they should have
*something*. (Tell them it doesn't HAVE to be a technical writing sample -
if they don't have anything in that line they can show, they can bring an
article or an essay, but it MUST be of print-ready quality.)

You can then (1) check that they DO have some idea how to proofread their
own work (if they show up work with errors in it, they're either dumb or
don't know how...) (2) get some idea of their ability as a writer and (3)
have something to base your questions on at the interview. Ideally, they
should send you their samples ahead of time: pick out half a dozen things
YOU think are wrong with their sample and ask them to justify their decision
in leaving them in.

This is what I did the first and only time I interviewed for a peer writer.
I wasn't allowed to use a formal evaluation test. One of the candidates I
picked for interview on the basis of her samples, I had to work pretty hard
finding half a dozen things wrong with her sample (I had to pick on the font
choice in her CV for one of them!) and that was the one we hired. She did a
good job, so I thought I'll remember that for next time, if it ever happens.
<g>

Good luck. Enjoy.

Radwa Darwish asked:
I am about to go into the process of interviewing a peer writer that will
join our company, currently I am the sole writer and actually this is the
first time for me to interview someone. I would welcome your suggestions for
interview quests or if there any of you already have an evaluation test for
tech writers, that would be great.
The post is open for a junior writer, and will be working on ERP solutions
software. Accounting and financial background is beneficial.

Jane Carnall
Apologies for the long additional sig: it is added automatically and outwith
my control.


________________________________________________________________________

E-mail is an informal method of communication and may be subject to data corruption, interception and unauthorised amendment for which Digital Bridges Ltd will accept no liability. Therefore, it will normally be inappropriate to rely on information contained on e-mail without obtaining written confirmation.

This e-mail may contain confidential and/or privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient (or have received this e-mail in error) please notify the sender immediately and destroy this e-mail. Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden.

________________________________________________________________________



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Check out RoboDemo for tutorials! It makes creating full-motion software
demonstrations and other onscreen support materials easy and intuitive.
Need RoboHelp? Save $100 on RoboHelp Office in May with our mail-in rebate.
Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l

Your monthly sponsorship message here reaches more than
5000 technical writers, providing 2,500,000+ monthly impressions.
Contact Eric (ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com) for details and availability.

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


References:
First time interviewer!: From: Radwa Darwish

Previous by Author: Re: Thanks re Quark v. FrameMaker -- and one more question ...
Next by Author: RE: Why Lurk
Previous by Thread: First time interviewer!
Next by Thread: RE: First time interviewer!


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads