Tell us about a time when you had to adapt your writing style to meet the client's expectations. How did you successfully capture their preferred voice and tone?

Sample answer to the question

I had a client who was a CEO of a tech startup, and he wanted a blog post that reflected his professional yet approachable voice. To capture his preferred voice and tone, I researched his previous articles, studied his speaking style in public presentations, and conducted a phone interview to get to know him better. Through these steps, I was able to understand his unique voice and the type of language he used. I also asked for specific examples of tone and style preferences. By combining all this research, I successfully adapted my writing style to match his expectations and created a blog post that sounded like it was written by the CEO himself.

A more solid answer

I had a client who was an artist and wanted an artist statement that represented her unique style and perspective. To capture her preferred voice and tone, I began by researching her previous works and reading interviews in which she discussed her artistic philosophy. I also had a face-to-face meeting with the client to better understand her personality and creative process. During the meeting, I asked specific questions about her preferred language, tone, and the message she wanted to convey. By combining the insights gained from research and the personal meeting, I was able to successfully adapt my writing style to match her expectations and created an artist statement that truly reflected her artistic voice. The client was thrilled with the result and felt that I had captured her vision accurately.

Why this is a more solid answer:

The solid answer expanded upon the basic answer by providing more comprehensive details about how the candidate adapted their writing style to meet the client's expectations. It mentioned specific steps like researching previous works, reading interviews, and having a face-to-face meeting with the client to gather information about their preferred voice, tone, and message. The answer also highlighted the client's satisfaction with the result, indicating the candidate's success in capturing the client's vision. However, the answer could still be improved by addressing the aspects of meeting deadlines and maintaining client confidentiality, which are important to the job.

An exceptional answer

One memorable experience of adapting my writing style to meet the client's expectations was when I was approached by a healthcare organization to write an educational pamphlet. The client wanted the content to be informative, but also friendly and accessible to a wide range of readers. To capture their preferred voice and tone, I started by conducting extensive research on their target audience, including their reading preferences and comprehension levels. Additionally, I collaborated closely with the client's team, attending meetings and brainstorming sessions to understand their brand personality and style guidelines. The iterative feedback process allowed me to fine-tune the writing and ensure it aligned with their expectations. I also made use of visual aids and storytelling techniques to engage the readers further. The client was extremely pleased with the final product, as it struck the perfect balance between being educational and approachable.

Why this is an exceptional answer:

The exceptional answer demonstrated a high level of adaptability by showcasing how the candidate tailored their writing style to meet the specific needs of a healthcare organization's educational pamphlet. The answer provided comprehensive details about the research conducted on the target audience, the collaboration with the client's team, and the iterative feedback process. It also mentioned the candidate's creative approach of using visual aids and storytelling techniques to enhance the content's accessibility. The client's satisfaction with the final product highlighted the candidate's ability to successfully capture the client's preferred voice and tone. However, the answer could still be improved by addressing the aspects of meeting deadlines and maintaining client confidentiality, which are important to the job.

How to prepare for this question

Research different writing styles and tone to familiarize yourself with various voice preferences.
Practice adapting your writing style by revising and rewriting existing pieces in different voices and tones.
Develop good interviewing skills to effectively gather information about the client's preferred voice and tone.
Familiarize yourself with the organization's brand personality and style guidelines beforehand.
Learn techniques for incorporating visual aids and storytelling elements to enhance the content's appeal.

What interviewers are evaluating

Adaptability
Communication
Research and Fact-checking
Writing Proficiency