"In common parlance, the word 'interview' refers to a one-on-one conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee."
The ability to ask relevant questions and engage with sources to obtain information for a story.
Types of interviews: Understanding the different types of interviews such as informational, behavioral, and situational interviews and their purposes.
Researching: How to conduct in-depth research on the subject/topic of the interview, how it aids in asking relevant questions during the interview.
Preparing for an interview: Steps to take in getting ready for an interview including dressing, practicing questions and answers, effective communication skills, and time management.
Building rapport: Learning how to establish an initial connection with the interviewee, gaining their trust, setting a comfortable atmosphere for the interview.
Active listening: Developing the skill of active listening that aids in understanding the questions asked and interpreting the interviewee's responses.
Body language: Interpreting nonverbal cues, including posture, facial expressions, and tone of voice during an interview.
Questioning techniques: Techniques used to probe deeper or clarify responses, as well as avoiding bias or loaded questions.
Overcoming barriers to effective interviewing: Identifying the potential difficulties, awkward situations, or conflicts that can arise while conducting an interview.
Misconception in interviewing: Debunking the common myths surrounding interviews.
Ethics and legal considerations: Understanding the ethical guidelines, the legal rights of interviewees, and avoiding the potential consequences of unethical behavior.
Structured Interview: A type of interview where the interviewer prepares a set of predetermined questions in advance and asks them in a specific order.
Unstructured Interview: A type of interview where the interviewer has no set questions and allows the conversation to flow more naturally.
Open-ended Questions: Questions that are not limiting and allow the interviewee to express their thoughts in a more detailed and expansive manner.
Closed-ended Questions: Questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no” or a few words.
Probing Questions: Follow-up questions that dig deeper into a topic or issue being discussed.
Leading Questions: Questions that suggest an answer or steer the interviewee toward a particular response.
Mirror Questions: Questions that reflect what the interviewee has just said and encourage them to elaborate or clarify.
Hypothetical Questions: Questions that ask the interviewee to imagine a scenario or situation and give their opinion or reaction.
Behavioral Questions: Questions that ask the interviewee to describe how they have handled a particular situation in the past.
Panel Interview: An interview where the interviewee is questioned by multiple people, often from different departments or levels within an organization.
Phone/Skype Interview: An interview conducted over the phone or online.
Group Interview: An interview where multiple candidates are interviewed at the same time.
Stress Interview: An interview where the interviewer intentionally creates a stressful environment to see how the interviewee handles pressure.
In-depth Interview: An interview where the interviewer delves deep into a specific topic or issue.
Informational Interview: An interview where the interviewee seeks to learn more about a particular profession or job.
Follow-up Interview: An interview that takes place after a previous interview, often to clarify or expand on previous answers.
Confidential Interview: An interview where the interviewee’s responses will be kept private and not shared with others.
Competency-based Interview: An interview where the interviewer assesses a candidate’s ability to perform specific job-related competencies.
Cultural Interview: An interview used to detect the candidate's compatibility with the company's culture.
"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."