Practical tips for interviewing.
All of this advice comes from students who have done interviews and
reported back their experiences.
- Be professional--be on time. Make interviewee feel important--because they are.
- Make them comfortable. The more this feels like a conversation, the better.
- You may want to send them the questions before the interview. Interviewees WANT to do well, and having the questions ahead of time can relax them.
- If they get off track in their answers, steer them gently back. BUT, pay attention to what they are saying… sometimes what seems “off topic” actually has value.
- Don’t talk too much. You KNOW what you think. Let them tell you what THEY think.
- Be sure to ask follow-up questions when they say something good. Don’t be a slave to the questions. The questions are just a start.
- Be sure to record the interview. ALSO, take good written notes. You will want to have BOTH sources. Consider using OTTER app. which allows you to get a written transcript of the interview. You can have OTTER going on your phone while you are Zooming or talking in person (safely.)
- When interview is over, ask them if it is OK to contact them with follow up questions.
- Don't do email interviews. Instead, talk with the interviewee.
