“A lot of times the interview relies not so much on the interviewee, but on the interviewer.”
The American Sports Commentator, Ernie Johnson Jr. explained how an interview is not just about the interviewee, but also the interviewer.
There are innumerable magazines and newspapers around the world, that publish interviews with various celebrities, CEOs, and a lot of famous personalities. We simply munch on snacks while reading any interview, the interviewer has to prep a lot before it. Many have mastered the skill of interviewing over the years, and many are still struggling. The main aim of any interview is to make the interviewee comfortable while getting the information you need to get your story right.
If you are someone who is getting into the field and needs tips on how, to begin with, here is a list of tips that will help you to master the art of interview-taking.
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Always do your research.
This should be the first step of any interview preparation for the interviewer. You need to do a thorough background check depending on the degree and time of the interview. You should be aware of their lives, histories, and careers. While researching, note down the points that interest you.
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Avoid repetition.
While researching, you will come across a lot of their interviews, make sure you do not ask the same set of questions that have been previously asked. This will help you get brownie points from the interviewer as well.
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Make a list of questions.
Once you have done proper research, make a list of questions that you think will be appropriate to ask and the interviewer will enjoy answering. You can also take the help of the internet to get inspiration for questions to ask the CEO during an interview.
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Practice.
Always practice before interviewing the person. And if you are interviewing a huge personality, you need to be well prepared.
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Make it a conversation.
You are not interrogating the person, you are conversing with them about their personal or professional life. Make sure you make them the interviewer is comfortable and let the conversation flow organically.
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Remember, respect is always mutual.
No matter whether you are interviewing a CEO or a common man, it is important to have respect. If you respect their boundaries, they will respect you and feel comfortable with you and your questions.
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Create a story.
After winding up the interview, listen up or read it multiple times to understand the point of view of the interviewer. Only then, you will be able to write a story that will connect with readers.
Conclusion
Conducting an interview is quite a task, and it becomes a fun activity if everyone involved is happy and invested. It is an art and to master this art, you need to make sure that you follow the above points dedicatedly. These points will help you conduct a smooth interview that will resonate with the targetted audience.
