Product, marketing and design
A spoken first round can’t test the writing itself, so it tests what sits behind it: how they research, how they take an edit, and whether they can explain why one draft beats another. Read their samples separately and use this round to hear the thinking.
Writing is not an on-camera job, and AI-led follow-ups draw out the reasoning behind a specific piece.
What to screen for
The questions
Ask them in order. Listen for specifics: what happened, what they did, how it ended.
Strong answer
Covers the brief and audience, how they researched, the outline, what changed between drafts and in editing, and why.
Weak answer
“I researched the topic and wrote it.”
Strong answer
Describes the feedback specifically, what they agreed with, what they pushed back on and why, and how the piece ended up.
Weak answer
Says the editor was wrong, or accepted every change without thinking about it.
Strong answer
Goes to primary sources, talks to subject experts, checks each claim, and says when a piece needs someone who knows more.
Weak answer
Rewrites whatever ranks first in search.
Strong answer
Gives a specific example and explains why it works: it’s concrete, it earns the next sentence, and the piece delivers what it promises.
Weak answer
“It should be catchy”, with no example.
Strong answer
Changes vocabulary, assumed knowledge, length and examples, and can say what stays the same.
Weak answer
“I’d just change the tone.”
Strong answer
Gives an honest diagnosis, such as the wrong audience, a weak headline or a mismatch with what readers searched for, and what they tried next.
Weak answer
Doesn’t know how any of their pieces performed.
Strong answer
Is specific about where they use them, like research or outlines, where they don’t, and how they check facts and keep the voice their own.
Weak answer
Evasive, or has tools write whole drafts and publishes them with light edits.
Strong answer
Names a writer or publication and a specific technique they’ve borrowed, like short paragraphs or leading with the example.
Weak answer
Can’t name anyone, or names someone without saying why.
Before the interview
Quick facts to read alongside the interview. They aren’t scored.
Listen for
Avoid
Use this in LessRounds
Paste the questions into a scripted interview, add the scorecard skills, and share one link. Every content writer candidate gets the same questions, and you get a score for each skill with the quote behind it.
Not on its own, and it shouldn’t pretend to. It tells you how they think about writing: process, feedback and judgment. Collect samples as an upload with the interview, read them separately, and say up front that a portfolio review and a small paid writing task come in a later round.
Yes, if it takes more than an hour or you might publish it. Keep it short, give a real brief, and only ask the candidates you’re seriously considering.
Start with 10 free interviews a month. No card, no sales call.