"In common parlance, the word 'interview' refers to a one-on-one conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee."
How to conduct interviews with fashion industry professionals, designers, celebrities, and models, and how to structure, prepare, and follow up on interviews, etc.
Research: Understanding the company or designer you are interviewing so that you can prepare relevant questions.
Pre-interview preparation: Ensuring that you have all the necessary equipment and materials, such as a notepad and pen, a portfolio, and a list of questions.
The art of questioning: Asking open-ended questions that allow the interviewee to express themselves fully and provide insightful responses.
Body Language: Understanding how to communicate effectively through nonverbal cues to establish rapport with the interviewee.
Building rapport: Establishing a comfortable environment by introducing yourself and the purpose of the interview.
Active Listening: Paying attention to not only what the interviewee is saying but how they are saying it to capture the best answers and follow with relevant questions.
Etiquette: Understanding formalities such as dressing appropriately and arriving on time.
Managing the interview: Guiding the conversation flow by sticking to the agenda and keeping the interviewee on topic.
Relevance: Focusing on questions relevant to the interviewee and the topic at hand to avoid wandering off-topic.
The power of silence: Knowing when to remain silent to allow the interviewee some space to express themselves and provide insightful answers.
Active Listening: This is the ability to listen intently, ask questions, and understand what the interviewee is saying. It involves paying attention to verbal and nonverbal cues and acknowledging their thoughts and feelings.
Probing: This involves asking open-ended follow-up questions to extract more information and clarify points raised.
Empathy: This skill enables the interviewer to understand and connect with the interviewee on an emotional level. They can put themselves in the interviewee's shoes and respond accordingly.
Rapport Building: Building a good rapport goes beyond icebreakers; it entails establishing a trusting and friendly relationship with interviewees to make them comfortable and willing to open up.
Adaptability: This is the skill of being flexible and able to adjust one's approach depending on the particular interviewee and situation.
Communication Skills: Being able to convey your thoughts and ideas effectively and clearly is crucial. This includes verbal and nonverbal communication, and it may entail using storytelling techniques to capture the interviewee's attention.
Research Skills: To conduct a successful interview, one must first conduct thorough background research to learn about the interviewee's personal life, work, and other aspects.
Time Management: Interviewers must know how to manage time effectively, balancing the needs of the interviewee with other factors such as deadlines, while still achieving good results.
Note-taking: This involves taking important notes during the interview: Especially about key points, topics, and points of interest - to have reference material for future use.
Technical Skills: Certain interviews, particularly with fashion designers, may require an interviewer with technical skills such as knowledge of fabrics, sewing techniques, textile design, and embroidery.
"The interviewer asks questions to which the interviewee responds, usually providing information."
"A job interview or interview with a witness to an event may have no other audience present at the time, but the answers will be later provided to others in the employment or investigative process."
"An interview may also transfer information in both directions."
"Interviews usually take place face-to-face, in person."
"Interviews may be separated geographically, as in videoconferencing or telephone interviews."
"Interviews almost always involve spoken conversation between two or more parties."
"In some instances, a 'conversation' can happen between two persons who type their questions and answers."
"Interviews can be unstructured, free-wheeling and open-ended conversations without predetermined plan or prearranged questions."
"One form of unstructured interview is a focused interview in which the interviewer consciously and consistently guides the conversation so that the interviewee's responses do not stray from the main research topic or idea."
"Interviews can also be highly structured conversations in which specific questions occur in a specified order."
"They can follow diverse formats; for example, in a ladder interview, a respondent's answers typically guide subsequent interviews, with the object being to explore a respondent's subconscious motives."
"Typically, the interviewer has some way of recording the information that is gleaned from the interviewee, often by keeping notes with a pencil and paper, or with a video or audio recorder."
"The traditionally two-person interview format, sometimes called a one-on-one interview, permits direct questions and follow-ups, which enables an interviewer to better gauge the accuracy and relevance of responses."
"It is a flexible arrangement in the sense that subsequent questions can be tailored to clarify earlier answers."
"Further, it eliminates possible distortion due to other parties being present."