Copy Editor Interview Questions

The goal for a successful interview for a Copy Editor is for the candidate to demonstrate their strong attention to detail and ability to catch errors in written content, showcase their proficiency in grammar and language usage, and illustrate their experience working with various writing styles and formats.

Situational interview questions

• You discover that a published article contains a significant factual error. How would you go about investigating the source of the error, and what steps would you take to correct it?
• Your supervisor asks you to handle a last-minute rush project, but you are already working on a different urgent task. How would you prioritize these two competing projects, and what strategies would you use to ensure that you meet both deadlines?
• You receive a manuscript that is poorly written with numerous errors in grammar and spelling. How would you approach editing the manuscript to improve its readability while preserving the author’s intended meaning?
• One of your coworkers consistently turns in work that is subpar and contains numerous errors. How would you handle this situation, and what steps would you take to help this coworker improve their performance?
• A client submits an article that they insist must retain a specific tone and voice, but it contains several factual errors. How would you balance the need to maintain the client’s desired tone with the need to ensure the accuracy of the content?

Soft skills interview questions

• How do you handle constructive feedback from colleagues or superiors?
• Can you share an example of a time when you had to collaborate with a team member to complete a project? How did you ensure effective communication and successful results?
• How do you manage your time and workload to ensure all tasks are completed within the given deadline?
• Can you provide an example of a situation where you had to think creatively to come up with a solution to a problem? What was the problem and how did you arrive at the solution?
• Describe a time when you had to maintain strong attention to detail to ensure accuracy and precision in your work. How did you ensure the project met the required standards?

Role-specific interview questions

• What is your experience with copy-editing software like Grammarly, Hemingway or ProWritingAid?
• Can you explain your approach to fact-checking in a given article or manuscript, and how do you verify sources?
• How do you typically handle requests from writers for significant rewrites or revisions?
• In your experience, what are some of the most common grammatical or syntactical errors that you encounter, and how do you address them?
• How do you work with writers to maintain the overall tone and voice of a piece while still ensuring that it adheres to established style and grammar guidelines?

STAR interview questions

1. Situation: Can you describe a time when you faced a difficult editing challenge?

Task: What was your role in addressing the challenge?

Action: What steps did you take to overcome the challenge?

Result: What was the outcome of your actions?

2. Situation: Have you ever had to manage multiple editing projects at once?

Task: What was your responsibility in each project?

Action: How did you prioritize your tasks and manage your time effectively?

Result: What was the result of your time management?

3. Situation: Describe a time when you identified a mistake in an article after it had been published.

Task: What was your responsibility in correcting the mistake?

Action: What steps did you take to ensure the mistake was properly addressed?

Result: What was the impact of your actions on the article and its readers?

4. Situation: Have you ever worked with a team to collaborate on editing a piece of content?

Task: What were your responsibilities among the team?

Action: How did you communicate with the team to ensure a successful edit?

Result: What was the result of the team’s collaboration and how did it improve the content?

5. Situation: Can you describe a piece of content that required heavy editing to get it ready for publication?

Task: What were your responsibilities in editing the content?

Action: What steps did you take to address the issues in the content?

Result: What was the final version of the content after your editing process?