Download Interview Techniques

Interview Techniques
Shailaja Karve
Interview Techniques 1
Steps in the Interview Process
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Preparing
Scheduling
Opening
Body
Closing
Recording
Interview Techniques 2
Preparing
• Determine interview objectives
• Who should attend (one on one may be best)
• Location and facilities needs (best on auditees
turf)
• Know interviewee (personality, job, issues,
history)
• Prepare agenda (order and content of interview),
questions (see slide), aids to recording, and
information/requests for interviewee in advance
Interview Techniques 3
Scheduling
• Mutually acceptable time
• Avoid Friday afternoon, day before or after
a holiday or vacation, just before lunch or
quitting time. Best times are morning or
mid-afternoon
• Adequate notice about when and what to
bring
Interview Techniques 4
Opening
• Purpose and how you will achieve the
purpose
• Make clear how the interviewee’s
contribution will be used
• Develop rapport (friendly and sincere)
without wasting too much time
• Use interviewee’s name and position
correctly
Interview Techniques 5
Opening Continued
• Be cordial and helpful (not threatening)
• Start with positive points, if possible (work not
personal)
• Demonstrate good listening skills
• Be considerate of interviewee’s time, work
space, personal needs, work schedule
• Solicit facts but don’t ignore opinions (be sure
to keep the two separate in your mind and notes
Interview Techniques 6
Conducting or Body
• Communicate (see slide)
• Pay attention to verbal and non-verbal
responses
• This is where the body of the interview
takes place (objectives are achieved)
Interview Techniques 7
Closing
• Be alert for signs that it is time to end (verbal,
non-verbal, tiredness, inability to concentrate)
• Summarize interview results with emphasis on
positive if possible
• Record action items including responsibility and
timing
• Reschedule if unfinished
• Confirm rapport with interpersonal skills
Interview Techniques 8
Recording
• Brief notes in meeting, if necessary
• As soon as possible after meeting (within a
few hours) prepare detailed notes
(workpaper) with proper heading including
date, time, location, and those present
• Schedule time to record meeting results so it
doesn’t get put off
Interview Techniques 9
Questions
• Closed ended
– quick, easy to document
• Open ended
– encourages cooperation and communication
– doesn’t presuppose that you know all the
possible answers or ramifications
– encourages interviewee to describe related
issues, may be more important than question
Interview Techniques 10
Questions Continued
• Don’t cue the interviewee about what
answer you expect by asking leading
question
• Phrase the questions so they are nonthreatening, non-judgmental, and inclusive
Interview Techniques 11
Listening Skills
• Empathy vs. sympathy
• Facts vs. opinions especially for contentious
issues
• Confirm understanding by rephrasing
• Provide verbal and non-verbal cues for
encouragement
• Make only non-judgmental comments
Interview Techniques 12
Communication
• There are senders and receivers for messages
communicated through a channel
• The message is encoded in written, oral, actions,
and/or body-language forms
• Channel examples: report, letter, presentation effect of channel noise
• Receiver’s acceptance of message depends on his
experiences with channel and sender and his
abilities
Interview Techniques 13
Communication Continued
• Receiver gives feedback to sender via
actions, words, body-language
• Barriers to effective communication
– attitudes
– channel noise
– technical words
Interview Techniques 14
Things Than Can Spoil and Interview
• Be late or arrive w/o appointment
• Invade interviewee’s space
– Wait for permission to enter
– Don’t use his desk or other tools without permission
• Assuming a poor attitude (know it all, talk down,
imply your work is more important than his)
• Make interviewee feel inferior or unimportant
• Get the facts wrong
Interview Techniques 15