# Content writer interview questions and how to answer them

Content writer and copywriter interviews ask how you go from a brief to a finished piece, how you handle edits you disagree with, how you write for search without sounding like a robot and why you made the choices in your samples. Answer with a real piece: the brief, the reader, the decisions you made and the result, in plain spoken words.

By the Speaking Coach team at Sodhera Intelligence. Updated 2026-10-22. Source: https://www.orecci.com/speaking-coach/interview-questions-by-role/content-writer/

## Writers are judged on how they talk, too

It seems odd, but writing interviews are spoken. Hiring managers have already read your samples. Now they want to hear your thinking: why this angle, why this headline, why you cut the third section. Writers who can explain their choices clearly are easier to brief, edit and trust.

Some companies also set a short writing test. The interview is where you show the thinking behind it.

## Your process

Describe it as steps, with one detail that's yours. Avoid "research, write, edit," which everyone says.

1. **Brief:** confirm the reader, the goal and what the reader should do next.
2. **Research:** sources, interviews with subject experts, what already ranks or exists.
3. **Outline:** the main point in one sentence, then the sections.
4. **Draft:** fast, without editing as you go.
5. **Edit:** cut, check facts and read it aloud.
6. **After publishing:** check how it performed and note what to change.

Example answer (made-up details):

> "Before I write anything, I write one sentence: 'After reading this, a new manager will know how to run their first one-to-one.' If I can't write that sentence, the brief isn't clear yet, and I go back to the editor. Then I talk to one person who actually does the thing, even for 15 minutes. That's where the examples come from that other articles don't have."

## An edit you disagreed with

This is about collaboration and ego. Show that you argued with reasons, accepted the decision and learned something.

> "An editor cut a customer story from the middle of a guide because the piece was long. I thought it was the most convincing part. I suggested cutting a generic section instead and showed her the story was the only first-hand example in the piece. She agreed to keep a shorter version. Another time, an editor rewrote my intro completely, and her version was better. I've used her structure since."

Having one story where you were right and one where you learned is a strong combination. The [criticism question](/speaking-coach/interview-questions/how-do-you-handle-criticism/) has more on this.

## SEO

Show that you understand search intent and still write for people.

| Weak answer | Strong answer |
| --- | --- |
| "I add keywords throughout." | "I check what the searcher actually wants, then answer it early and clearly." |
| "I hit a word count." | "I write as long as the question needs and cut the rest." |
| "I write meta descriptions." | "I write the title and description so the searcher knows the page answers their question." |

> "For a page targeting 'how to write a cover letter,' I looked at what already ranked. Most were long lists. I led with a short template and one example, then the explanation. The piece moved up over the next few months, and time on page was higher than our average."

## Talking through a writing sample

Interviewers often pick a sample and ask you to walk through it. Prepare two or three in advance with this shape:

- **The brief:** who it was for and what it had to do.
- **The constraint:** a deadline, a word limit, a tricky subject expert.
- **Two choices you made:** the headline, the structure, an example you chose, something you cut.
- **The result:** traffic, sign-ups, feedback or what the client did next.

Keep it to about two minutes, roughly 260–300 spoken words (the [speech length calculator](/speaking-coach/tools/speech-length-calculator/) converts it for you), then let them ask. If you can't share results, say what you'd measure.

## Mistakes to avoid

- **Describing your writing with adjectives.** "Engaging, compelling content" says nothing. Show a choice.
- **Bringing samples you can't explain.** Pick pieces where you made the big decisions.
- **Being defensive about edits.** Writers who can't be edited are hard to work with.
- **Ignoring results.** Even rough numbers show you care whether it worked.

Explaining a sample out loud is harder than it sounds, especially under follow-ups. With Speaking Coach you can practice with an AI interviewer who asks about the choices you just described, and see your pace and filler words after.

## Questions people ask

### How many writing samples should I bring?

Three to five, matched to the job: the formats and topics they publish. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity.

### What if I'm asked to do a writing test?

Ask about the reader and the goal if they aren't clear, keep to the time limit and include a short note on the choices you made.

### How do I answer questions about AI writing tools?

Be honest about how you use them, if you do, and stress what you do yourself: the angle, the examples, the facts and the final edit.

### What should I ask at the end?

Ask who edits your work, how content performance is measured, how briefs are written and how much subject expert access writers get.

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