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My greatest strength is also my greatest weakness, I do not give up which means that I am a perfectionist. To improve this I stop, take deep breath and accept the fact that nobody is perfect.

This question helps me get a full picture of the candidate's work history. What keeps the person motivated? Why, if the person has, did the person jump from job to job? And what is the key factor when he or she leaves?

The answer shows me the person's loyalty and reasoning process. Does the person believe someone always keeps him or her down (managers, bosses, etc.)? Does the person get bored easily?

There is nothing inherently wrong with moving from job to job--the reasons are what matters.

We tend to assume people who have held a role enjoy all aspects of that role, but I've found that is seldom the case.

Getting an honest answer to the question requires persistence, though. I usually have to ask it a few times in different ways, but the answers are always worth the effort. For instance, I interviewed a sales candidate who said she didn't enjoy meeting new people.

My favorite was the finance candidate who told me he hated dealing with mundane details and checking his work. Next

Good writers are also good readers. Great candidates might mention popular writing blogs, major magazines, or novels. The main thing is that they should demonstrate that they’re active and engaged readers.

This can be an intimidating question to answer on the spot, but that’s why I’m telling you about it now! Editors typically ask this in a very genuine way—an interview is an easy way for them to get feedback directly from a reader. Brushing up on a few back issues should spark a few ideas (and is good prep overall), but the key here is to use soft, constructive language. Instead of “I hate this,” it’s, “I’d love to see more of this.”

I love asking this question really early in the interview--it shows me whether the candidate can think quickly on his or her feet, and also reveals the person's level of preparation and strategic thinking.

I often find you can learn more about people from the questions they ask versus the answers they give.

This is a question about judgment. Does the professional understand the difference between drawing on legitimate, thoroughly vetted sources like The New York Times or peer-reviewed journals, compared with unverified sources such as personal blogs?

I almost dealt with similar situations on a weekly and sometimes daily basis during my time as editor at Urban-Econ. I would have got a 40 page report from a Russian manager with a very technical writing style, and needed to edit the entire document in less than an hour. With time, I learned what to look for, and speed read forward and backwards for spelling mistakes, and sentence structuring; however their was no time to waste.

I list in order from the most important to least important.

Since you’re interviewing for a job in publishing, editors want to know that you like to pick up a good book once in a while. Be ready to list off anything interesting you’ve read recently—books, blog posts, magazine articles. But don’t just talk about the magazine where you’re interviewing—editors have special brown-nose detecting powers.

I was once asked if I would be OK with writing the Table of Contents even though it had been years since the page was part of my job description. But I said yes, and got the job, and actually didn’t mind doing it until it was eventually taken off my plate a year or so later. Bottom line: Just say yes. Job descriptions are what you make of them once you get your foot in the door—until then, just prove that you’re someone who is willing to roll up your sleeves and get the job done.

I try my best, nobody is perfect but I like to be on time for anything.

It’s important to make sure you’re getting the right tool for the job. If you’re looking for someone to write video scripts, you may not want a writer who’s primarily interested in writing listicles.

A pretty straight-forward question, but now that you know editors like to ask it, think back through your list of clips and use the time to talk about something that sounds really impressive. Maybe it was an investigative piece you wrote for your school’s newspaper, or maybe you interviewed someone really inspiring for your blog. Talk it up! Here, editors really just want to see that you’re passionate about your work.

A company that specialises in travel writing, that delivers excellent quality writing work, seeks to create a collaboration between writer and company.

I enjoy reading my Toastmasters magazines for inspiration and newspapers so that I can know what is happening in the country.

Great candidates should at least be familiar with a major style guide like the AP Stylebook or Chicago Manual of Style. Consider it a flag if this question elicits no response or an “I play it by ear” response.

Editors always love hearing a good answer to this question, but they also use it to see if your goals align with the position for which you’re being considered. Answer honestly, but try to connect the dots as much as you can.

The magazine industry is a small industry. If you did work with X person, again, KIP (Keep It Positive). Even if you hated X person. Even if he/she made you cry into your Michael Kors tote bag every day. Even if the editor interviewing you says nasty things, just KIP. “Yes, we did work together! I learned a lot by working with her.” Next question!

Being an editor means you get to help people with their writing, and I like to read other people's work. I also just like helping people improve on what they already have.