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Editor interview questions, and what they're really checking

Editor interviews test your judgment more than your grammar. Expect to talk about pieces you've shaped, writers you've managed and calls you've had to defend, and expect an edit test that decides more than any conversation does. Here's how the process usually runs and how to answer the questions that come up.

12 questions7 minute read

Part 1

1.Walk me through how you edit a draft from the moment it lands.

Why they ask

They want to know whether you have a real process or just start fixing sentences on the first line.

How to answer

  • Read it all the way through once without touching anything
  • Check the structure first: is the point clear, is the best material near the top, what's missing
  • Send big-picture notes to the writer before doing line edits
  • Then line edit for clarity, pace and voice, and write queries rather than silent rewrites
  • Finish with headline, deck, links and a final fact check

2.Tell me about a piece you made much better. What was wrong with it, and what did you change?

Why they ask

This is the clearest window into your taste. They want specifics, not a claim that you improve things.

How to answer

  • Name the piece and the original problem in plain terms, like a buried lede or a missing counterpoint
  • Explain the change you pushed for and why
  • Say how the writer reacted and how you handled it
  • Mention how it did once published, in words rather than invented numbers

3.A writer pushes back hard on your edits. What do you do?

Why they ask

Every editor hits this. They're checking whether you'll either cave on everything or bulldoze people.

How to answer

  • Separate the edits that matter from the ones that are taste
  • Give up the taste edits quickly so you keep credibility for the important ones
  • Explain the reader problem each important edit solves, not your preference
  • Know where the line is: accuracy, fairness and legal risk aren't up for debate
  • Give a real example where you both ended up with a better piece
4.What would you change about our publication?

Why they ask

They want to see that you've read them closely and can be honest without being rude.

How to answer

  • Start with something they do well and name the specific piece or section
  • Point to one gap: a missing story type, a weak headline habit, an audience they're ignoring
  • Suggest a concrete fix you'd try in your first stretch in the role
  • Keep it tied to their readers, not your personal tastes
5.Pitch me some stories you'd assign in your first month.

Why they ask

Editors are expected to bring ideas, not just process other people's. This tests whether you understand their audience.

How to answer

  • Bring a handful of ideas written down, each with a working headline
  • Say who each piece is for and why it matters to them
  • Name the kind of writer or source you'd assign it to
  • Include at least one idea that's cheap and fast, not just ambitious features

Part 2

6.How do you handle a piece that could expose us to a libel or fairness complaint?

Why they ask

An editor is the last line of defence. They need to know you'll slow down when it counts.

How to answer

  • Flag it early, not the night before it runs
  • Check that every claim about a named person is sourced and documented
  • Make sure the subject had a real chance to respond
  • Bring in legal review or a senior editor when the policy calls for it
  • Be willing to hold the piece rather than rush it
7.How do you write a headline for this piece?

Why they ask

Often asked with a real article in front of you. Headlines are where editing meets audience, and many editors are weak at them.

How to answer

  • Find the single most interesting true thing in the piece
  • Write several versions quickly rather than polishing one
  • Think about where it'll appear: homepage, search, social, a newsletter subject line
  • Keep it accurate even when it's punchy, and avoid promising what the piece doesn't deliver
8.How do you manage freelancers and keep a schedule on track?

Why they ask

A lot of the job is logistics. Missed deadlines leave holes in the calendar.

How to answer

  • Describe the tool you use, like a shared editorial calendar in Airtable, Trello or a spreadsheet
  • Explain how you write assignments so expectations are clear from the start
  • Build in check-ins before the deadline, not after it's missed
  • Say what you do when a piece falls through, like keeping backup stories ready
9.How do you balance SEO or traffic goals with editorial quality?

Why they ask

Most outlets and content teams watch analytics. They want someone who respects the numbers without letting them run everything.

How to answer

  • Say you treat search and analytics as information about what readers want
  • Give an example of shaping a headline or structure for search without dumbing it down
  • Name a time you pushed back on chasing traffic at the cost of accuracy or trust
  • Mention the tools you've used, like Google Analytics or Search Console
10.Tell me about a mistake that got published on your watch.

Why they ask

Every editor has one. They're checking honesty and how you fixed the process afterwards.

How to answer

  • Pick a real error and say plainly what it was
  • Explain how you corrected it and told readers, following the correction policy
  • Describe what you changed so it wouldn't happen again
  • Keep the blame on the process, not a junior colleague

Part 3

11.What's a piece of writing you've read lately that you admired, and why?

Why they ask

It's a quick test of whether you read widely and can explain craft in specific terms.

How to answer

  • Choose something real that you can talk about in detail
  • Point to a specific choice the writer or editor made, like the structure or an opening scene
  • Connect it to how you'd approach work at this publication
12.Why do you want to edit rather than write?

Why they ask

They want to know you'll be happy making other people's work shine without your name on it.

How to answer

  • Say what you get out of shaping someone else's piece
  • Give an example of a writer you helped grow
  • Be honest if you still write on the side, and say how you keep it separate

Questions to ask them

Ask at least two. It shows you're picking them too.

  • What does the edit process look like here, and how many people touch a piece before it runs?
  • How much of this role is assigning and shaping versus writing and producing myself?
  • What's a recent piece the team is proud of, and what made it work?
  • How do you decide which stories get resources, and who has the final call?
  • What's the hardest part of this job that the last person in it would warn me about?

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