Acing Interviews for Technical Writing Role: Tips for Fresh Grads

Shobhana Suresh, Technical Writing Associate at Salesforce, encourages aspiring professionals to be "streetwise."

“While knowledge can be developed, skills like communication, listening, delegation, and networking are always a work in progress. The more you work on these, the easier it becomes to seize opportunities.”

Shobhana's journey from graduation to landing a 'Technical Writing Associate' role at Salesforce is nothing short of remarkable, and her experiences during the hiring process offer valuable insights for anyone preparing for the role.

Her journey from fresh graduate to snagging a coveted spot at Salesforce is more than just a tale—it's a roadmap offering valuable insights for anyone eyeing a technical writing role.

In this blog post, she’s dishing out some practical tips crafted just for you, the fresh grads eager to crack interviews for technical writing roles. So, whether you're a seasoned pro or a total newbie to the interview game, let's dive in and get you ready to ace those technical writing interviews with confidence!

The Technical Writing Role

Ever wondered what a technical writer does? At Salesforce, it's all about crafting documentation that effortlessly transfers knowledge between parties. As technical writers, we document Salesforce products in a way that makes our products easy to adopt and utilise. The technical writer role at Salesforce is quite versatile; you could go from being a scrum writer that documents the “How-To” guides to a Trailhead writer that makes learning products fun. The opportunities to learn and grow at Content Experience (CX) team at Salesforce are endless.

The Thorough Hiring Process

Shobhana kicked off her career journey with Salesforce, facing a challenging four-round interview process. The initial two rounds tested her creativity, communication, and reasoning. The written test, with its thought-provoking questions, gauged her ability to articulate ideas. The group discussion round, as Shobhana discovered, was extremely stimulating.

“Most people, including myself, would assume that this round tests for reasoning skills, and it does in a way. But what I felt was more important for my GD round was for myself to keep calm and be accepting of people's opinions. Listening skills, articulating my thoughts concisely at the right time, and exercising a little bit of intervention to ensure that the GD remains respectful of everyone, and that everyone gets a chance to speak, all played a big role for me in clearing the GD round.”

The technical round, contrary to expectations, focused more on delivering content tailored to specific audiences than on technical prowess. The final managerial round was a 1:1 conversation that highlighted the importance of finding common ground with the interviewer and maintaining authenticity.

Strategic Preparation

Shobhana's success was not accidental; it was a result of meticulous preparation. She dedicated time to researching Salesforce, delving into its customers, products, and recent trends. She then dove into technical writing, utilizing YouTube videos and sample documentation to build her knowledge. Mapping her skills to the job description helped her identify areas for improvement.

“I went through Salesforce Help and Trailhead documentation to get a feel of the voice and tone used in these documents. As HTML was a “good-to-have” for my role, I took a brief YouTube course that covered the basics. And finally, I prepared for standard interview questions.”

Leveraging Online Resources

In today's digital age, there are tons of online resources which came in handy when preparing for her interview. “YouTube is my personal favourite learning platform. LinkedIn, TED talks, and some influencers on Instagram can be of great help in preparing for an interview.”

These resources not only provided insights into industry trends but also equipped her with the confidence to navigate the interviews successfully.

The Confidence Factor

Confidence, according to Shobhana, played a pivotal role in her journey.

“As long as you stick to your strengths, and express your abilities clearly, people will believe you. But again, confidence comes with hard work. I believe that interviews are like presentations, just that in interviews, the audience is judging you, instead of your work. Being someone that lacks presentation skills, I had to go the extra mile and put in a lot of practice to work on my speech. The more I practiced my interview questions, the more confident I felt during the interview.”

In a nutshell, Shobhana's journey exemplifies the power of preparation, resourcefulness, and confidence. It's not just about what you know but how well you can express and apply that knowledge.

So, are you ready to dive into the dynamic world of technical writing? If you're eager to turn your passion for communication and clarity into a career, we have open roles waiting for your unique skills. Apply now and shape the future of technical writing with the #1 AI CRM.