Top 20 Content Writer Interview Questions to Ask Before Hiring
The demand for content writers is high, which explains why many carry the title “content writer.” However, being a content writer takes more than the ability to cough up a few witty words.
Content writing is an advanced form of writing that demands thorough, in-depth research and patience. The ability to differentiate between a content writer and a generic or general writer will help you hire the best.
According to the CEO of Sidepost, “While anyone can put together a few marketing words, only true content writers can deliver the impact and drive the traffic you want.” That said, you want to drill your content writing applicants before hiring them, digging deep to discover what they’re made of.
Top 20 Questions to Ask a Content Writer before Hiring Them
Before hiring a writer just because they can put together a few coherent words, wait a second. Content marketing has evolved and is still evolving; it is more fast-paced than what we had last two years ago. Content marketing trends are evolving as the taste and expectations of the audience also evolve.
So, as you build your team of content writings, below are the top questions to ask in an interview.
What Drives Your Desire to Write?
In other words, you’re asking the interviewee why they became a writer and the drive behind their passion – or if there’s a passion at all. This interview question helps you separate the bona fide writers from those who only write for money.
It isn’t that you’re looking for a writer with years of experience; you want someone who loves what they do. You’re looking for someone with a love for words, engagement, interaction, and building a community around learning.
Do You Read; How Often?
A reader doesn’t have to be a writer, but a writer must be an ardent reader. After all, it would help if you researched a subject before writing authoritatively and convincingly about it.
For instance, you sell cryptocurrency and need a writer to direct customers to buy Litecoin from you. So it would help if you had a writer who could deliver the message succinctly and – and, of course, professionally.
Moreover, reading a book requires patience and commitment, two excellent qualities you want in your content writing team. One of the best interview questions to ask a potential content writer is how often they read and review their last book.
Do You Read Blogs; Which Ones Do You Read Often?
A true content writer knows that one of the best ways to get good at their craft is to learn from superstars. Therefore, your ideal candidate for the content writing job should be able to give you one or two blogs they read regularly.
It doesn’t necessarily have to be a blog in the industry; it could be about blogs, sports, country music, or anything. Nevertheless, these content writer job interview questions are essential because they differentiate a human being from a content-generating robot.
What types of writing styles do you feel most comfortable with? What variations in tone have you encountered?
Enquiring about a candidate's preferred writing styles and encountered tones is invaluable for entrepreneurs seeking to hire a content writer. This question allows entrepreneurs to assess candidates' understanding of writing intricacies and their adaptability to various writing contexts.
Understanding a candidate's unique approach to crafting content aids entrepreneurs in evaluating their suitability for specific content needs. Moreover, insights gained from candidates' responses help entrepreneurs determine if they possess the versatility required to tailor content to different audiences and objectives.
What are the various content assets, and which ones are your forte?
Understanding candidates' strengths and preferences in content creation is essential for entrepreneurs who require writers proficient in creating diverse content assets to support their marketing efforts. By enquiring about candidates' familiarity with various content formats such as articles, videos, infographics, and webinars, entrepreneurs can align responsibilities with their skill sets effectively.
Candidates who showcase their versatility in content creation and express a clear preference for particular formats provide insights into their strengths and suitability for specific projects. You can assess candidates' alignment with the organization's content needs and objectives, facilitating effective resource allocation and project planning.
How Do You Proofread Your Work?
Proofreading is integral to content writing – or any other type of writing. A proper content writer knows that their first writing is like a draft; they need to read through it a few times to eliminate errors.
If your interviewee has a write-it-publish-it mentality, you don’t want to hire them; if you’re going to benefit from content marketing, proofreading is non-negotiable. One small typographical error may not soil your content’s credibility, but a few more can make your content appear sloppy.
What Do You Think About Keywords?
A decent content writer knows the importance of keywords and how the brilliance of an article is wasted if it isn’t findable. This question helps you find out how a potential candidate for the job optimizes their content for search on Google.
Such users should know which long-tail and general keywords increase the chances of their content being found by their specific target audience. A good writer seeking content writer jobs should know how to use keywords effectively to create findable content.
What Are Some Grammar Pet Peeves You Have?
This is a fun question to ask when interviewing for content writing jobs; you can throw it in to loosen the tension. Every true writer has several grammar pet peeves and one that stands above the rest.
For example, it could be the interchangeable use of “Am” and “I’m” or “there” and “their,” or comma splices, among others. If the interviewee doesn’t have a pet peeve, that’s a problem; no true content writer can stand these grammar mistakes.
How Do You Approach a New Writing Project?
A decent content writer knows how much work, time, and effort goes into writing good content to deliver the required impact. They know how to write the introduction and how it should contain a hook that’ll keep the reader interested.
If you’re looking to hire content writers for your business, this is one of the most important qualities you want in your content writing team. They understand that finding that hook depends on their ability to put themselves in their readers’ shoes. They also know who the speaker behind the content is, the style it entails, what it’ll convey, and the resources for writing it.
What Is the Difference Between Copy and Content?
There is a significant difference between copy and content, and a good content writer should know it. You want a writer who doesn’t only see the difference but can also write both efficiently.
A good content writer knows that content aims to communicate deeply with your audience without strings attached, a.k.a. selling. Where content informs, educates, inspires, and entertains, copy focuses on sales; if there’s any selling in content, it is very minute.
What do you believe are the fundamental components of quality content?
You will need content that attracts attention and drives engagement and conversions. Understanding a candidate's perception of quality content allows entrepreneurs to ensure alignment with their content marketing goals.
By asking candidates to elaborate on their understanding of key elements like engagement, utility, credibility, and originality, entrepreneurs can assess their depth of knowledge and ability to apply these concepts in practice.
How do you incorporate SEO into your content?
You should ask about integrating SEO into content to assess candidates' understanding of on-page SEO tactics and Google algorithms. This knowledge is crucial for ensuring that content aligns with SEO best practices and maximizes online visibility.
Key on-page SEO strategies include optimizing meta tags, maintaining appropriate keyword density, structuring URLs effectively, and utilizing proper body tags. By evaluating candidates' familiarity with these strategies, entrepreneurs can ensure that their content writers are equipped to optimize content effectively for search engines, driving organic traffic and enhancing online visibility for their business.
How do you ensure the credibility of your information?
You must understand the importance of establishing trust and credibility with your audience through accurate and reliable content. Ensuring content writers adhere to rigorous research and fact-checking standards is crucial for maintaining brand integrity.
Candidates should provide insights into their research processes, including how they verify information from credible sources and assess data reliability. Their attention to detail and commitment to accuracy directly impact the trustworthiness of the content they produce.
What methods determine the appropriate tone for specific content?
You will need content that reflects the brand's identity and connects with the intended audience on a personal level. Understanding a candidate's approach to determining tone ensures content effectively communicates the brand's message.
Candidates should be able to articulate how they assess factors such as brand personality, audience demographics, and content medium to determine the appropriate tone for each piece of content. This demonstrates their adaptability and strategic thinking in tailoring content to achieve desired outcomes.
Explain the fundamental disparity between an article and a blog.
You must utilize both articles and blog posts as part of their content strategy to cater to different audience needs and communication objectives. Understanding the distinctions between these formats ensures content writers can adapt their writing style accordingly.
Candidates should elucidate the structural, tonal, and stylistic differences between articles and blogs, highlighting how each serves a unique purpose in engaging and informing the audience. Their ability to articulate these disparities showcases their versatility and understanding of diverse content formats.
What aspects of content writing do you find most enjoyable?
This question aims to gauge the candidate's enthusiasm for the content writing role. It's essential for you to hire writers who genuinely enjoy their work. By asking about the aspects of content writing that candidates find enjoyable, entrepreneurs can assess their passion for the craft.
Candidates with limited experience should focus on highlighting their innate talents and how they align with content creation. Whether it's a flair for creative writing or a passion for a specific hobby, candidates should demonstrate how these interests inspire their writing.
Experienced candidates should emphasize the skills they've developed over time and how content writing has shaped their career trajectory. Highlighting challenges overcome and milestones achieved showcases a purposeful career progression.
Content writing can occasionally become tedious. How do you combat monotony in content creation?
You must recognize the importance of hiring content writers who remain motivated and creative, even when faced with repetitive tasks. Identifying candidates with strategies for overcoming monotony ensures consistent content quality and innovation.
Candidates should share proactive approaches they employ to stay inspired and engaged in their writing, such as experimenting with different topics, formats, or writing styles. Their ability to demonstrate resilience and creativity in combating monotony reflects their passion for content creation.
Do you demonstrate a strong work ethic?
Assessing candidates' work ethic is crucial for entrepreneurs who prioritize reliability and professionalism in their content writers to maintain consistent quality and timely delivery.
By evaluating candidates' dedication to maintaining a disciplined work schedule and discussing their organizational skills and reliability, you can ensure hiring individuals who can uphold productivity and accountability in content creation tasks.
How do you manage feedback effectively?
Feedback is essential for professional growth, and being open to critique is crucial for improvement. You should inquire about how candidates handle feedback to understand their approach to managing criticism and negative comments.
Candidates should demonstrate conviction in their role while remaining receptive to feedback, showing a willingness to learn and implement changes as needed. Highlighting the ability to learn from mistakes and provide examples of overcoming criticism in previous roles can strengthen responses.
How do you evaluate the effectiveness of your content?
By inquiring about their methods for evaluating content performance, you can gauge candidates' analytical skills. Candidates who demonstrate a thorough understanding of key performance indicators (KPIs) and analytical tools showcase their ability to assess data effectively.
Understanding how candidates evaluate content performance allows entrepreneurs to ensure alignment with business objectives. Candidates who prioritize metrics that directly impact business goals, such as lead generation or brand awareness, demonstrate their ability to create content that drives tangible results.
Important Things to Pay Attention to Before Hiring a Content Writer
If you are on the hunt for a content writer for hire, it helps to know what traits to pay attention to. We are in an age where SEO and content are essential ingredients for generating traffic and leads and improving productivity and sales.
Thus, the content writer you hire can help you scale your business or run it to the ground. Below are traits you should watch out for when interviewing a potential content writer for your brand.
Creativity
Every writer knows how to churn out words, but only a content writer can do it creatively. Watch the interviewee’s ability to express an idea without using clichés and their use of original metaphors, examples, or analogies. Also, note how they use unconventional words; is it natural, or do they sound forced?
Researching Prowess
A bona fide content writer can research, read, and research more; words are better communicated from a mind with depth. To write impactful content, a content writer needs to research different sources, compare them, and ask the right questions.
Eye for Detail
A good content writer should have a keen eye for detail and an X-ray vision. This trait is important because it helps them to avoid careless spelling mistakes and typos.
It also helps to know when and where to emphasize words with italics and bold and how to spot repeated words. A decent content writer has a consistent style and can detect abrupt jumps between different arguments.
Sense of Humor
Introducing humor in content writing is one of the best ways to connect with your readers emotionally. A content writer with a rich sense of humor is priceless; if they meet most other requirements, hire them already.
Assertiveness
Watch out for an assertive content writer; this skill is vital in collating data, requesting comments, and doing what’s needed to produce valuable content. You want a content writer that’s assertive enough to handle doubts, questions, criticisms, revisions, follow-ups, and comments. Moreover, content writers must be able to articulate what they need, or they’ll miss objectives and deadlines.
Hiring a content writer can seem easy – it’s all about how well they write. However, you must remember that content writing is a vital part of your brand; it is your brand’s voice, and that is why you must know the right questions to ask at the end of an interview. It may not be easy to ascertain if an interviewee has the skills you are looking for in a content writer. You must compile and ask deep-seated questions to reach the applicant’s core, bringing out their inner self.
The interview questions and traits listed in this article are an excellent way to start your content writing interviews. You can choose the best content writer by diligently listening to each interviewee with your instincts and keenly noting their traits.