How do you research a topic you know nothing about?
What the interviewer wants to hear
- Start with the brief and the reader's questions
- Read primary and authoritative sources first
- Check what already ranks and what is missing
- Talk to subject experts or customers
- Track sources so every claim can be verified
Model answer
I start by writing down what the reader needs to know, using the brief, customer questions and the search results for the main keyword. That shows me what already exists and what is missing. Then I read authoritative sources first: official documentation, research papers, government data and well-known industry publications, rather than other blogs. I keep a source document with links and notes next to each fact, so verification later is quick. If the topic is technical, I book a short call with an internal expert or a customer and ask them to explain it in their own words, which also gives me quotes and examples. By the end I can explain the topic simply to a friend. If I cannot, I am not ready to write yet.
Can you answer it under time pressure?
Take a timed easy round and get scored on every answer.
More easy Content Writer questions
- Walk me through your writing process from brief to published piece.
- How is writing for the web different from writing for print?
- How do you handle critical feedback from an editor on your draft?
- What is search intent and why does it matter to a content writer?
- Tell me about a piece of content you are proud of and why.
- How do you proofread your own writing when you know the text too well to see mistakes?
- What makes a good headline for a blog post?
- How do you manage several writing projects with overlapping deadlines?
- How do you make sure a piece speaks to a specific audience?