Questions to Ask about a Company.
These questions can help a junior or entry-level technical communicator determine whether a potential employer is a good match for their skills and interests. We recommend you also review our articles on related topics.
Your Job's Content.
- Who are your major customers? How many are there?
- What kinds of people typically use your product(s)?
- May I see one of your recent manuals, and one from two or three years ago?
- What do you expect my duties will be?
- What kinds of technologies will I learn, and will I be formally trained?
- Please characterize your management style.
The Process of Producing and Managing Publications.
- What publishing software do you use? How does (and doesn't) it suit your needs?
- Could you describe the production cycle after a manual is written?
- Do you have a style guide? If so:
- Who created it?
- When was it last updated?
- Tell me about your documentation review process.
- Characterize the relationship between Technical Publications and Engineering/QA/Tech Support/senior management.
Information-Sharing in the Company.
- How do you keep in touch with your technical communications team's progress?
- What meetings do you attend, and why? [Ask this of both writers and managers.]
- Development?
- Technical Publications?
- General Staff?
- How does Technical Publications fit into the company?
- Where do you see potential conflicts between Technical Publications and other departments in the company?
Politics and Corporate Culture.
- What was your position before you were a [manager/Technical Writer/Developer]?
- How many people report directly to you?
- Has this number changed over the past two years?
- What do you like about working here? What are some things you dislike?
Career Development.
- How do you train new writers?
- Does the company support (i.e., pay for) job-related training? Give me an example.
- Does the company support employees' participation in STC or similar professional organizations?
Corporate Outlook.
- Who are your major competitors? What do you consider their strengths and weaknesses?
- Are you profitable? If not yet, when do you anticipate profitability, and what do your investors intend to do until then?
- In your opinion, is the company more likely to remain independent or to be acquired? If acquired, by whom?
- To what degree has this company globalized its workforce? What changes are likely in the next 18 months?
If you have suggestions for additions, please send them to us.
