How to get hired
Every writing job in India has the same gate: a writing test. Your degree gets you the test; the test gets you the job. So the preparation is mostly about samples and speed.
Build five samples that match the job
Don't send a college essay or a poem. Write the kind of thing the employer publishes:
- For a content writer role: two 1,000-word articles that answer a real search query better than the top Google result, with a clear structure and sources.
- For a copywriter role: a print ad, three social posts, a 30-second radio or video script and a product page, for one real brand. Show headlines and alternatives you rejected.
- For a technical writer role: a how-to guide for a free software tool (installing it, one task step by step, with screenshots) and a short API or product reference page.
Host them on a free blog, Google Docs with view access, or a simple portfolio site. Put the link on the first line of your CV.
What the test checks
Writing tests are usually timed (one to three hours) or a take-home due in a day or two. Expect an article on a topic in their field, a rewrite of a weak page, or editing a page full of errors. They check: is the first paragraph useful, are the facts right, would a reader finish it, are grammar and Indian versus US spelling consistent, and did you follow the brief's word count. Agencies add a "crack the brief" exercise: three headline options and a campaign line for a product.
Using AI tools honestly
Employers increasingly list ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini as tools you'll use, and many assume you'll draft with them. What they're paying you for is the part AI does badly: original examples, checking facts, cutting padding, a voice that sounds like the brand. Some tests are run live or ask you to submit drafts, partly to see your own writing. If you use AI on a test, be ready to say how.
The lanes, and what they ask
| Lane | Who hires | What helps |
|---|---|---|
| SEO and blog content | Agencies, SaaS, e-commerce, edtech | Search Console, keyword research, WordPress |
| B2B and SaaS content | Software firms, GCCs, consulting | Case studies, whitepapers, understanding the buyer |
| Copywriting | Ad agencies, D2C brands, in-house creative teams | Headlines, scripts, Hindi or regional copy |
| Technical writing | IT services, product firms, engineering and semiconductor companies | A tech or engineering degree helps; DITA/XML, MadCap Flare, Git, style guides |
| UX writing | Apps, fintech, product companies | Microcopy, working with designers in Figma |
Technical writing is the steadiest salaried lane, and engineers who write well move into it at good pay. The Microsoft and Google developer style guides are free and are what many teams follow.
The ladder
Content Writer or Junior Copywriter, then Senior Content Writer or Copywriter, Content Strategist or Content Manager, then Head of Content. In agencies: Copywriter, Senior Copywriter, Associate Creative Director, Creative Director. In documentation: Technical Writer, Senior, Lead or Principal Technical Writer, Documentation Manager.
What the work is like
Volume roles at content agencies can mean three or four articles a day, with targets. In-house roles write less and rewrite more: every piece goes through a product owner, a legal check (for finance and health, claims rules like the ASCI Code apply) and an SEO review. Agency copywriters work in pairs with an art director and to pitch deadlines, often late. Technical writers spend more time asking engineers questions than typing.