RE: Interviewing Tech Writers

Subject: RE: Interviewing Tech Writers
From: "Lauren" <lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu>
To: "'Condo, Candis'" <ccondo -at- c-cor -dot- com>, <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com>
Date: Mon, 5 Feb 2007 10:27:22 -0800

> 1.Tell me about the best and worst manager you ever had.
>

Questions that I have been asked that cover this ground without opening up a
nasty discourse on unruly people, are "How have you dealt with difficult
people?" "What do you see as the ideal manager?"

> 2.Tell me about the type of co-worker you work with best and
> what type causes you grief.
>

What is your ideal co-worker? How have you dealt with difficult co-workers?
Give me an example. (Alright, you covered those in your next question, but
they cover the same ground as #2.

> 3. Give me an example of how you worked with and extremely
> difficult co-worker (SME, another writer) and how did you handle it.
>
> And yet, having asked these and several more Interpersonal
> Skills/Attitude questions, I can remember hiring:
>
> 1. One writer with anger management problems. I had to lay her off.
>

How do you handle difficult situations? Give me an example. How would you
handle a situation where you have devoted 100 hours on a project, working
overtime and under tight deadlines, and your manager told you that the
project had just been reassigned to someone else and your work on the
project is not needed?

> 2. Another writer whose ego was so large he informed the
> engineers how their product worked (he was SOOOO wrong) and
> managed to anger EVERY engineer on the project. Not good.

How do you handle criticism? What if you believed that you understood a
product more thouroughly than the SMEs and engineers and you were told that
your understanding was entirely inaccurate? What if you were additionally
told that you would be required to take notes in engineering meetings to
help you "get up to speed"?

Tact is key. I once scored a project because the Project Manager described
the dysfunctional organization of the department, the inability of the
previous technical writer to keep up, and the fact that the deliverable were
required, easy, and would probably never be read. I responded that "I
thrive in chaotic environments." He stopped interviewing more people and
was thrilled that I accepted the job. Everything worked out very well. We
finished the project early and he gave me odd jobs so that I could continue
billing for hours until the budget ran out. He also left so that there was
more of a budget for me.

Lauren


> -----Original Message-----
> From: techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> [mailto:techwr-l-bounces+lt34=csus -dot- edu -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com] On
> Behalf Of Condo, Candis
> Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 9:46 AM
> To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
> Subject: Interviewing Tech Writers
>
> OK. We have discussed how to get an interview. I am looking
> at the problem from the other side of the desk. I am NOT the
> pubs manager although I have been in a past life and I have
> hired my share of mistakes. Now we are looking to hire a
> couple of writers, interviewing them this week. I am not
> worried about Framemaker expertise. I am not even worried
> about writing ability. I can find all that. I worry about
> finding someone who fits into a senior group at a mad-house company.
>
> What questions do you ask? Some of my favorites are:
>
> 1.Tell me about the best and worst manager you ever had.
>
> 2.Tell me about the type of co-worker you work with best and
> what type causes you grief.
>
> 3. Give me an example of how you worked with and extremely
> difficult co-worker (SME, another writer) and how did you handle it.
>
> And yet, having asked these and several more Interpersonal
> Skills/Attitude questions, I can remember hiring:
>
> 1. One writer with anger management problems. I had to lay her off.
>
> 2. Another writer whose ego was so large he informed the
> engineers how their product worked (he was SOOOO wrong) and
> managed to anger EVERY engineer on the project. Not good.
>
> So, I am a little nervous about this.
>
> Thanks for your help,
>
> Candis L. Condo
> ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
>
> Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help
> file formats or printed documentation. Features include
> single source authoring, team authoring, Web-based
> technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList
>
> Now shipping: Help &amp; 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 &amp;
> Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com
>
> ---
> You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as lt34 -at- csus -dot- edu -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/lt34%40csus.edu
>
>
> 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/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Create HTML or Microsoft Word content and convert to Help file formats or
printed documentation. Features include single source authoring, team authoring,
Web-based technology, and PDF output. http://www.DocToHelp.com/TechwrlList

Now shipping: Help &amp; 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 &amp; Manual: http://www.helpandmanual.com

---
You are currently subscribed to TECHWR-L as archive -at- infoinfocus -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%40infoinfocus.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/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.


Previous by Author: RE: The 'user' in User Manual
Next by Author: RE: The 'user' in User Manual
Previous by Thread: Re: Interviewing Tech Writers
Next by Thread: RE: Interviewing Tech Writers


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


Sponsored Ads