Interview questions for web writers

Interview questions

Web versus print

  1. What experience have you had writing for the web? How is this different from writing for print?
  2. What do you know about how people read online?
  3. Have you ever heard of the terms "front-loading" or "top-loading" content? What do they mean?
  4. What design or layout techniques can writers use to improve web content when they are must use existing web page layout templates?

Issues in web writing

  1. What advice would you give on writing good web page titles?
  2. What is wrong with using 'click here' as a text link?
  3. What is web accessibility and why does it matter for a web writer?
  4. What are "alt tags" and what are they for?

Writing style

  1. What are some of the key features of plain language?
  2. What style of writing is best for business content published online? Why?

Initiative and strategy

(Suitable for content managers or editors, rather than writers)

  1. If you had no budget for it, how could you start collecting information about the audience for your content and their information needs?
  2. What would you do to help staff within this organisation improve their web writing skills?

Maintaining knowledge

  1. How do you keep your web writing knowledge up to date?
  2. Do you read any blogs on writing for the web? Which ones? What do you like about these?
  3. Do you participate in any mailing lists or online forums for web writers? Which ones? What do you like about these?
  4. What web-related conferences have you been to recently?

Exercises

Feel free to add your own examples, but be careful that you keep to the general ideas represented in each exercise.

1. Quick word fixes

Give the candidate a page with 2 columns (3 columns for an editor/content manager). Put the original content in the first column give them these instructions: "Improve the content shown below (and briefly explain why you think your version is better)."

Original content Improved version Why is your version better?
retain keep Best to use common, everyday words
administer manage, give, run Best to use common, everyday words
concur agree Best to use common, everyday words
beneficial helpful, useful Best to use common, everyday words
permissible allowed (or 'you can') Best to use common, everyday words
in order to to Unnecessarily wordy
pink in colour pink Category of 'colour' is implied by 'pink'
my personal opinion my opinion 'Personal' is a redundant modifier; not possible to be anyone else's when 'my' is used
first and foremost first Redundant pair - second word synonymous and not needed

2. Quick sentence fixes

Give the candidate a page with 2 columns (3 columns for an editor/content manager). Put the original content in the first column and give them these instructions: "Make these sentences shorter without changing the meaning of the original (and briefly explain the problem you fixed)."

Original sentence Shorter sentence Explanation
This policy has a tendency to isolate some migrant communities. This policy tends to isolate some migrant communities. Avoid nominalising verbs. Using the verb 'tend' instead of the noun 'tendency' uses fewer words and makes the sentence more active.
His contract is shorter in length this time. His contract is shorter this time. No need to mention the category 'in length' as it is implied by 'shorter'.
He was late to the meeting due to the fact that he had to drop his children at school. He was late to the meeting because he had to drop his children at school. 'Due to the fact that' is unnecessarily wordy. One word 'because' or 'as' will do the job.
The committee's decision was completely unanimous. The committee's decision was unanimous. 'Completely' is a redundant modifier. No decision can be partly unanimous.

3. Rewriting exercises

Give the candidate the following examples and ask them to "Try to cut the text in half without removing information".

If you use other examples, make sure that it is possible to achieve the outcome you've asked for. Try not to use text that requires detailed subject-matter knowledge as eiditing this kind of content is more difficult, and you may give an advantage to internal applicants.

Original Rewritten
We host a number of email lists to serve as discussion forums for producers, scientists and advisers to talk about industry issues. Although the lists have an Australian focus, individuals and organisations from anywhere around the world are welcome. There is no charge for this service. (46 words) We host free email lists for producers, scientists and advisers to discuss industry issues. They have an Australian focus, but anyone can join. (23 words)
The stringency of admission requirements depends on the academic standard of the particular institution as well as on the course or program in question. (24 words) Institutions or courses with higher academic standards can have higher entry requirements. (12 words)

4. Other exercises

I would also include some exercises asking candidates to show how they would improve:

  • Poor page titles
  • Poor link text
  • Poor content design/layout.

You would need a selection of pages to use, and ask them to improve on the existing title, link, layout.

Related (external) links