Writing - How to Conduct an Interview (Part 2: The Interview)

For example, if you do a research paper on becoming a nurse, interviewing people who are working as a nurse would be a great source of information. They can tell you about the training that is needed, how much nurses make, what their day-to-day assignments are, what the demand is and so on. They can give you information that cannot be found in books.

Conducting successful interviews is a learning process.

If you do not learn the steps involved, you could walk away from an interview with very little valuable information. It is not a hard process or series of steps but those steps are critical. If you have not taken the How to Conduct an Interview (Part 1: The Preparation) quiz, please look at that quiz first as it details the steps that need to be taken before an interview can even begin. Once that quiz has been understood and mastered, this quiz will help you in conducting the actual interview.

When you get down to conducting the actual interview, the questions asked should be done in a proper sequence. If the questions are all over the place, your interviewee could become confused and then their answers will become jumbled. So stick to an organized sequence as follows:

Sequence of Questions

1. Get the respondents involved in the interview as soon as possible.

2. Before asking about controversial matters (such as feelings and conclusions), first ask about some facts. With this approach, respondents can more easily engage in the interview before warming up to more personal matters.

3. Intersperse fact-based questions throughout the interview to avoid long lists of fact-based questions, which tends to leave respondents disengaged.

4. Ask questions about the present before questions about the past or future. It's usually easier for them to talk about the present and then work into the past or future.

5. The last questions might be to allow respondents to provide any other information they prefer to add and their impressions of the interview.

Wording of Questions

1. Wording should be open-ended. Respondents should be able to choose their own terms when answering questions.

2. Questions should be as neutral as possible. Avoid wording that might influence answers, e.g., evocative, judgmental wording.

3. Questions should be asked one at a time.

4. Questions should be worded clearly. This includes knowing any terms particular to the program or the respondents' culture.

5. Be careful asking "why" questions. This type of question infers a cause-effect relationship that may not truly exist. These questions may also cause respondents to feel defensive, e.g., that they have to justify their response, which may inhibit their responses to this and future questions. Therefore, you should try to avoid asking a “why” question.

Conducting the Interview

1. Ask one question at a time.

2. Attempt to remain as neutral as possible. That is, don't show strong emotional reactions to their responses.

3. Encourage responses with occasional nods of the head, "uh huh"s, etc.

4. Be careful about the appearance when note taking. That is, if you jump to take a note, it may appear as if you're surprised or very pleased about an answer, which may influence answers to future questions.

5. Provide transition between major topics, e.g., "we've been talking about (some topic) and now I'd like to move on to (another topic)."

6. Don't lose control of the interview. This can occur when respondents stray to another topic, take so long to answer a question that time begins to run out, or even begin asking questions to the interviewer.

Here are some additional hints in Conducting the Interview

While you are interviewing a person:

• Make each question count. Your job is not simply to fill time but to use the time available to its fullest advantage.
• Try to get complete statements. Don't hesitate to press for further details or information simply by rephrasing the person's answer in the form of a question.
• If you need examples, ask for them.
• When you don't understand something an interviewee is telling you, ask for a clarification or further explanation.
• Avoid interrupting your interviewee.
• Avoid talking too much.
• Above all else (whether your tape recorder is running or not), listen.
• Take notes of all forms of nonverbal communication.
• Don't wear out your subject. When the agreed-upon time limit is up or when you sense that your interviewee is growing tired or losing interest bring the interview to a close.

Immediately after the Interview

As soon as possible after the interview you need to translate your notes and/or transcribe your tapes. In a day or two, your scribbled notes will resemble a foreign language, and you won't be nearly as certain of exactly what your interviewee said.

Mastering these techniques will make you a great interviewer not only in school, but once you enter into the business world. Interviews are a way of life and you will conduct many and be the interviewee of even more. Learning the process can help you get the job of your choice or hire the best person for a position. If will also help to eliminate a lot of fears when it comes time for you to be interviewed and help to you attend an interview with confidence.

Now that you have studied the preparation process of taking an interview and the actual taking of an interview, it’s time to test yourself on what you have learned. Below are ten interview questions. See if you can get them all right!