"In common parlance, the word 'interview' refers to a one-on-one conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee."
The ability to ask open-ended questions, listen actively, and capture quotes that add color to the story.
Understanding the purpose of the interview: Learn about the purpose of the interview and how to communicate it to the interviewee.
Research and preparation: Develop strategies for gathering information about the interviewee and the topic you will be focusing on.
Developing communication skills: Improve your communication skills in order to develop a rapport with the interviewee and make them feel comfortable during the interview.
Types of questions: Understand the various types of questions and how to use them effectively.
Listening skills: Learn how to listen effectively during the interview and make the interviewee feel heard and valued.
Building rapport: Establish trust and rapport with the interviewee to put them at ease and create a comfortable atmosphere for the interview.
Body language: Understand how body language affects the interview and how to use it to your advantage.
Handling difficult situations: Develop strategies for dealing with challenging interview situations, such as handling difficult interviewees or discussing sensitive topics.
Follow-up: Learn about the importance of follow-up after the interview and how to ensure that you have all of the necessary information.
Ethics: Understand the ethical considerations involved in conducting an interview, including issues related to confidentiality, privacy, and consent.
Open-ended questioning: Asking open-ended questions to get a detailed response from the interviewee.
Active listening: Listening intently to the interviewee and responding to their answers.
Clarifying questions: Asking questions to clarify the answers given by the interviewee.
Probing questions: Asking questions to extract more information from the interviewee.
Nondirective interviewing: Allowing the interviewee to lead the conversation, encouraging them to provide more elaborate answers.
Hypothetical questioning: Asking the interviewee what they would do in a particular situation to gauge their experience and perspective.
Reflective questioning: Restating the interviewee's answer in a different way to gain a better understanding of their opinion.
Closed-ended questioning: Asking questions that can only be answered by 'yes' or 'no'.
Empathy: Understanding the interviewee's perspective and showing concern for their opinion.
Familiarity: Establishing a relationship with the interviewee through shared interests or experiences to encourage the interviewee's responses.
"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."