How to Give an Interview
Research the person you are interviewing, as well as the interview topics extensively., Record the interview with a voice memo on a cell phone or with a tape recorder., Introduce yourself and explain who you are.Have a little bit of polite chatter...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Research the person you are interviewing
You should have a fairly good idea of what the person is going to say. -
Step 2: as well as the interview topics extensively.
Ask the person for permission.
If they allow you to, you can take fewer notes and pay more attention to your questions during the interview. , It may not be used in your writing, but it will put the interviewee at ease. , Touch on education, hobbies, clubs and family.
You may want to refer back to these things later on.
If the information you are going to cover is technical, you may want to send the interviewee some questions in advance.
If you want to probe into the person, don’t send them questions.
The more practiced they are, the less likely they are to show their genuine selves. , The person will steer the conversation to where they want to go if you ask too many questions. , This is when you can fit in yes or no questions.
Ease the person into the interview. , If you want a person to elaborate, try leading questions with “Explain how” or “Could you take me through the process…?” , Learn to probe deeper into a question.
If the person seems upset, uneasy, excited or surprised, this is probably a good time to use a probe.
Examples of probes include “Could you explain what you mean when you say…,” “How did you accomplish that?,” “Why does that stand out to you?” and “Can you tell me more about that?”, If a person has given you a long rambling response, try summing it up with “It sounds like what you’re saying….
Is that a fair summary?” You might be able to pin the person down more on a subject.
It is important to take control of the interview and steer the conversation to your priorities after digressions, unless you are hoping the interviewee will digress., If you want to break into details about personal life or reactions, then say, “Why was this significant to you?” or “What was your motivation?” If the person gets emotional, give them time to recover before continuing.
You don’t need to pat them on the back and comfort them, but they should be allowed to compose themselves. , You should arrange a way to fact-check anything that you plan to write or print.
Ask the person to sign a release if necessary. -
Step 3: Record the interview with a voice memo on a cell phone or with a tape recorder.
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Step 4: Introduce yourself and explain who you are.Have a little bit of polite chatter.
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Step 5: Ask some background questions to get an idea of the person and their expertise.
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Step 6: Pose one question at a time.
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Step 7: Start with simple questions.
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Step 8: Move to open-ended questions.
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Step 9: Ask follow up questions.
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Step 10: Summarize.
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Step 11: Ask questions about their feelings.
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Step 12: Request follow-up contact.
Detailed Guide
You should have a fairly good idea of what the person is going to say.
Ask the person for permission.
If they allow you to, you can take fewer notes and pay more attention to your questions during the interview. , It may not be used in your writing, but it will put the interviewee at ease. , Touch on education, hobbies, clubs and family.
You may want to refer back to these things later on.
If the information you are going to cover is technical, you may want to send the interviewee some questions in advance.
If you want to probe into the person, don’t send them questions.
The more practiced they are, the less likely they are to show their genuine selves. , The person will steer the conversation to where they want to go if you ask too many questions. , This is when you can fit in yes or no questions.
Ease the person into the interview. , If you want a person to elaborate, try leading questions with “Explain how” or “Could you take me through the process…?” , Learn to probe deeper into a question.
If the person seems upset, uneasy, excited or surprised, this is probably a good time to use a probe.
Examples of probes include “Could you explain what you mean when you say…,” “How did you accomplish that?,” “Why does that stand out to you?” and “Can you tell me more about that?”, If a person has given you a long rambling response, try summing it up with “It sounds like what you’re saying….
Is that a fair summary?” You might be able to pin the person down more on a subject.
It is important to take control of the interview and steer the conversation to your priorities after digressions, unless you are hoping the interviewee will digress., If you want to break into details about personal life or reactions, then say, “Why was this significant to you?” or “What was your motivation?” If the person gets emotional, give them time to recover before continuing.
You don’t need to pat them on the back and comfort them, but they should be allowed to compose themselves. , You should arrange a way to fact-check anything that you plan to write or print.
Ask the person to sign a release if necessary.
About the Author
Brittany Mendoza
Experienced content creator specializing in home improvement guides and tutorials.
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