Apr 24 2008
Tips for Successful Interviews
After doing hundreds of interviews (mostly over the telephone) for magazine articles and books I’ve written, I’ve learned a few tricks and techniques that might help make your interviews more successful:
- Research your subject and interviewee before your interview. When I interviewed Robert Kiyosaki, author of Rich Dad Poor Dad, for a magazine article, I did a ton of homework on him in advance, but I missed a few important aspects of his life. He was offended and I had to do some fancy footwork to regain his confidence and trust.
- When you set up interviews, tell the interviewees how much time you will need. If they don’t have that much time, try to reschedule the interviews when they do. If that’s not possible, at least you will know in advance what your time restrictions are, and you can plan accordingly. The last thing you want is to be halfway through your question list, with some of the most important questions left to ask, and hear, “I’m sorry, but I have to go. I only scheduled 20 minutes for this interview. Do you have everything you need?”
- After you’ve done your homework to prepare for an interview, write a list of questions to ask during the interview. Check these off as you ask them, but don’t be rigid. If the interview takes you in a different or unexpected direction, go with it and come back to your question list later. Additional questions will inevitably arise during an interview. That’s okay. Just add them to your question list on the fly.
- Always thank the people you interview for their time. Do this before you begin the interview and again when you are finished. People like to be appreciated, and the people you interview are often taking valuable time out of their busy schedules to accommodate you.
- Ask questions that require explanations. Asking “Do you enjoy being a multimillionaire?” will probably get you a perfunctory “Yes,” or “Of course,” and then silence. What are they supposed to say to such a question? But if you ask, “What do you like most about being a millionaire?” you’ll make the interviewee think and you’ll receive an answer that tells you something of interest.
- Record your interview. Unless you type at superhuman speed, a recording will allow you to capture the actual, word-for-word statements. Using a lot of actual quotes will liven up your written piece and give readers a better feel for the person you’re interviewing. Keep the recording. You may need it after you’ve written the project if there’s a dispute over what was actually said. Recording to a microcassette recorder-transcriber is an excellent way to capture interviews. You can then transcribe the conversation using the transcriber and a foot pedal. Make sure, however, that you have a small gadget (approximately $30 at Radio Shack) that links your recorder directly into your phone line. Recording cell phone conversations is a newer science, and still a bit dicey. Using Skype to converse through your computer and software that will record those conversations is another option nowadays, but you must have a strong Internet connection to make a clear recording.
PS. Push your writing skills to the next level. Check out Steve Osborne’s real-world writing e-books, now available for immediate download. Click here.
