Journalism ➔ Columnist Job Interview Questions and Answers

Columnist job interview preparation guide for freshers, professionals and experienced candidates. Explore list of Columnist frequently asked questions(FAQs) extracted from many real job interviews

❀ Tell us what do you like most about being an editor?
❀ Tell me how do you make sure work gets done on schedule?
❀ Tell us how do you decide what tone to use with a particular piece of writing?
❀ Please tell me what’s your dream job?
❀ Tell me what books/magazines/newspapers do you enjoy reading?
❀ Tell me oh! Did you work with X person?
❀ Explain me what style guides are you familiar with?
❀ Tell us what is your ideal company culture?
❀ Explain me which story in your portfolio are you most proud of?
❀ Tell me what formats are you comfortable writing in?
❀ Please tell us what do you read?
❀ Explain me would you be open to doing X as part of your job?
❀ Tell us what would your previous supervisor say about your time management skills?
❀ Tell us how do you prioritize when you have multiple deadlines to meet?
❀ Tell us how would you handle a freelance writer who handed in subpar work?
❀ Explain me how do you tell a credible source from a not-so-credible source?
❀ Tell me what questions do you have for us?
❀ Tell me what’s one thing you’d change about the magazine?
❀ Tell me what are you reading right now?
❀ Tell me what is your greatest weakness as an editor? What are you doing to improve it?
❀ Tell me what things do you not like to do?
❀ Explain me why have you had x amount of jobs in y years?
❀ Top 20 Columnist Job Interview Questions:
❀ Role-specific Columnist Job Interview Questions:
❀ Top Basic Columnist Job Interview Questions:
❀ Please explain how Do You Stay Informed on the News and Current Events?
❀ Please explain about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career?
❀ Explain me a specific accomplishment of yours in a previous position that indicates you will thrive in this position?
❀ Explain me what did you do at X internship?
❀ Explain me what Qualities Do Journalists Need?
❀ Tell me how would you capture our company’s voice?
❀ Tell me how would you handle sensitive writers who question every edit you make?
❀ Take a few minutes to bring your resume to life for me, focusing on your work as an editor and writer?
❀ Tell me what are your 3 greatest strengths as an editor?
❀ Tell me suppose if we're sitting here a year from now celebrating what a great year it's been for you in this role, what did we achieve together?
❀ As you know we're constantly making things better, faster, smarter, or less expensive. We leverage technology or improve processes. In other words, we strive to do more--with less. Tell us about a recent project or solution to a problem that you made better, faster, smarter, more efficient, or less expensive?
❀ Do you know what makes good content? How do you know if a piece of content is doing well?
❀ Suppose if you have a 300-page document that's a rush job and you must edit it by the end of the day, how would you approach the task to ensure timely delivery?
❀ Tell us do you read any blogs on writing and editing? Which ones? What do you like about these?
❀ Tell me if you got hired, loved everything about this job, and were paid the salary you asked for, what kind of offer from another company would you consider?
❀ Explain me about a time when things didn't go the way you wanted--like a promotion you wanted and didn't get, or a project that didn't turn out how you had hoped?
❀ Tell me of the Major News Stories from the Last Year, Which Would You Have Like to Cover? Why?
❀ Tell me how do you talk about a dry or technical subject without relying on buzzwords?
❀ Tell me what content management systems have you used?
❀ Explain me an example of a time when you had to edit or write a piece under a strict deadline. How did you ensure that you met the deadline?
❀ What are your career goals as Columnist?
❀ Tell me one thing that you feel you can do better than other Editors you have worked with previously?
❀ Tell me what do you do to make your writing more SEO-friendly?
❀ Do you know what qualities do Columnist look for?
❀ Tell me why do you want to work at X magazine?
❀ Tell us what's your superpower, or what's your spirit animal?
❀ Explain me when have you been most satisfied in your life?
❀ Tell me why did you choose to apply with our company?
❀ Please tell us what do you know about us and our work?
❀ Explain me about your post-secondary education. What was your favorite course? Which was your most challenging?
❀ Tell us how do you proofread a piece of work?
❀ Tell me how do you incorporate feedback and edits into your work?
❀ Explain me what do you need to know about a project before you start writing?
❀ Tell us how are you with social media?
❀ So tell me what do you do for fun?
❀ So, [insert candidate name], what's your story?
❀ Tell us who is your role model, and why?

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