Questions to ask your Potential Colleagues during the Interview

It's important to ask questions of your interviewers, especially those with whom you will work if you are offered (and accept) the job. Your questions demonstrate interest and self-respect, but they're also vital to finding out whether you'll thrive in your role.

All companies have conflicts. How those around you work with internal and external conflict says a great deal. Use these questions to get a feel for the types of management, company culture, and conflict-management styles you may encounter on the job.

We recommend you also review our articles on related topics.

Questions to ask Technical Communications Managers

1. Please describe your background. When did you last write or edit a manual? Have you written or edited here?
2. How do you see your role as a manager? What are your responsibilities to your group?
3. How do you find out what your customers want and need in documentation?
4. Describe your typical documentation cycle. What tools do you use?
5. Has your group had onsite training? In what?
6. Is working at home an option?
7. How many editors are there per writer?
8. Have there been disputes between writers and editors? If so, how have you managed them? If not, how would you manage them?
9. Do writers and editors have input into designing the UI?
10. How often does this company have point releases?
11. Do you participate in scheduling software development projects? Do your build schedules include UI freeze dates? What do you do when you feel your group isn't given enough time to produce the desired deliverables?
12. How many hours a week do you expect people in your group to work?
13. What do you consider the department's greatest accomplishments? What are its greatest challenges?
14. May I see the software, documentation, and style guide that I would be working with?
15. What is the career path for technical communicators at this company? Beyond which level is management the only option?

Questions to ask Technical Writers

1. What audience do you typically write for? How do you find out what they need?
2. Do your SMEs and managers value your technical skills more than your communications skills?
3. Have you had problems working with editors or developers here? How did you resolve them? Do you feel that the editors you've worked with here have consistently improved your work?
4. Do you feel that you're given enough time to complete projects? Have you been able to meet deadlines consistently?
5. Do you feel that you're valued here? How have the company/your manager/coworkers shown appreciation?

Questions to ask Editors

1. Which reference books do you use/like the most? Why?
2. How useful do you find the style guide here? Does it answer most of your questions? How are style decisions made?
3. Have you had problems working with writers here? How did you resolve them? Do you feel that the writers you've worked with here have consistently been receptive to your suggestions?
4. Do you feel that you're given enough time to complete projects? Have you been able to meet deadlines consistently?
5. Do you feel that you're valued here? How have the company/your manager/coworkers shown appreciation?

Questions to ask Engineers/Developers

1. What do you think of the Technical Writers you work with? What would the ideal Tech Writer do that the writers here don't or can't?
2. Does your management support your efforts to make sure Tech Writers understand the product and get useful and timely review comments on their drafts?
3. Do you feel that your customers are well-served by the existing documentation? If not, what would you like to see added or improved?
4. Do you think Tech Writers here understand the needs of their audience? If not, how could they improve that understanding?
5. Which companies' documentation do you respect and trust? What is it about that documentation that works for you?

Synergistech welcomes any questions you'd like to see added to this list.

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