Here is a short piece of a manuscript. You have fifteen minutes to edit it. Do your best.
Practical tests (of various extend and difficulty) belong to nearly every interview for a job of an editor. To do well in the test, you should get some grasp of their editing style, the language they use, the syntax, the overall feel of the articles. Reading some of their publications should help you greatly to understand these things.
Once you are assigned the task, take your time, and work on it systematically. Do not let the presence of another person to distract you. They may make some mistakes in the text, on purpose, and include some tricky combinations of words. Do not let them to derail you. Just focus on your task, in a calm and cheerful manner.
* May also interest you: Journalist interview questions.
What education or experience is necessary to be a production editor?
An interviewer might ask “What education or experience is necessary to be a production editor?” to a/an Production Editor in order to get a better understanding of what the role entails. It is important to know what education or experience is necessary to be a production editor because it can help the interviewer determine if the candidate is qualified for the position.
Example: “ A production editor is responsible for overseeing the production of a publication. This includes ensuring that the publication is produced on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. A production editor typically has a background in print production or project management. ”
What role does communication play in your work as a production editor?
An interviewer might ask “What role does communication play in your work as a production editor?” to a production editor in order to gauge the production editors understanding of the importance of communication in their role. It is important for production editors to have strong communication skills in order to effectively coordinate with authors, editors, and other production staff to ensure that books are produced according to schedule and within budget.
Example: “ In my role as a production editor, communication is key. I need to be able to communicate effectively with authors, editors, and other production staff in order to ensure that our books are being produced on schedule and to the highest possible quality. I also need to be able to communicate any changes or problems that arise during the production process so that we can find solutions quickly. ”
How do you handle deadlines and pressure in your work as a production editor?
The interviewer is trying to gauge how the Production Editor handles pressure and deadlines in their work. This is important because the Production Editor needs to be able to work well under pressure and meet deadlines in order to be successful in their role.
Example: “ I am very organized and efficient in my work as a production editor, and I am able to handle deadlines and pressure very well. I always make sure that all of the deadlines for each project are met, and I communicate with the team regularly to ensure that everyone is on track. I am also very proactive in problem-solving, so if any issues arise, I am quickly able to find a solution. ”
Why do you want to work for our agency/publishing house/newspaper?
Praise them. Love them. Make them believe that they are superior to the rest of the field. Most people in publishing business have unrealistic idea about their work. If you went to ten publishing houses/agencies in a big city, and asked the leaders which publisher is the best one, nine out of ten would give the award to their own company.
Have a look at their best works. The books that won awards, authors that sold millions of copies (or thousands of them), the papers that are somewhere on the bestseller list (even in the second half). Tell them that you love their style and coverage, that they have an excellent choice of writers to work with, and that you believe to fit in their team of editors. The more you praise them, the better your chances to succeed in this interview will be.