Publishing Assistant practice interview
Manuscript tracking, proofreading, author communication and accurate support across the publishing schedule. Practise the 5 questions interviewers ask for this role with follow-ups. Paid plans add scored feedback on every answer.
Free with an Intaviu account: 320 credits a month, at 10 credits a minute of practice. Private: interview creators never see them.
- Junior
- 15 minutes
- 5 questions
- Scored feedback on paid plans
About the role
A publishing assistant supports editors as manuscripts move from submission through editing, proofs and publication. The panel is looking for accurate proofreading, dependable organisation, tactful communication and a practical understanding of readers and publishing schedules.
How to prepare
- Review proofreading marks and practise applying a short house style consistently.
- Prepare an example of tracking detailed work across several deadlines.
- Read a range of recent publications in the area and note their likely readers.
- Practise writing a concise author query that explains the issue without rewriting the author's voice.
- Think through how you would check a proof before approving it for the next production stage.
Common mistakes
- Treating proofreading as spellcheck instead of checking consistency, sense and style.
- Changing an author's meaning without raising a query.
- Giving vague updates when a delay may affect the publishing schedule.
What to expect
A real first-round interview
5 questions the way interviewers ask for this role, with follow-ups when an answer needs more.
Spoken, like the real thing
Speak your answers in your browser or the free desktop app, with live captions. You can ask the interviewer to repeat anything.
Scored on 4 areas
The things this interview weighs most. With a paid plan, your report shows how you did on each one.
A private report
On Plus, Pro and Premium: every answer scored, your strongest lines quoted and what to say differently next time. Interview creators never see it.
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