Top Tips On Interviewing: Tip 1 Reading Your Interviewee

Because reading is fundamental! This blog is about preparing your interviewee for a great video or podcast interview

First impressions are extremely important as an interviewer, and not necessarily for how you may think. In those first moments of seeing your interviewee, you will need to read them without bombarding them with information. This will affect the outcome of your interview. Here’s how:

How has their day been? What mood are they in? Are they relaxed enough?

High profile interviewees might only have been told about the interview by their assistant that day, despite marketeers having organised the video shoot or podcast.

The questions may be handed to you from the client or you have just been asked to cover another producers slot because they have been held up elsewhere. If its a high-level person then you may only have them for thirty minutes or one hour maximum, so you need to act fast when you have them in front of camera or the microphone.

Step 1. First impressions: Get some rapport by asking some easy questions but with very telling answers.

After initial introductions – ask:

“How is your day going so far?”

Answers could be along the lines of:

“Good” Normally people say this if they are actually good, but also a one word answer can say a lot. They might be wary of being interviewed and are reading the room. A one-word answer does not a good interview make – they will need some warming up.

“Great thanks busy lots of meetings” They are being polite and amenable but consider this low down on their list of daily tasks. They might have also come from a tough meeting.

“Not good how much time do we have?” Impatient and frustrated. Maybe they had a bad day.

These answers will definitely give you a baseline of where they are right now. Either way, you are here to conduct the interview and to get the best from them. By reading how they are thinking and feeling, will help you to decide how to respond and coach them to feel relaxed and present.

These answers will definitely give you a baseline of where they are right now. Either way, you are here to conduct the interview and to get the best from them. By reading how they are thinking and feeling, will help you to decide how to respond and coach them to feel relaxed and present.

Step 2. Bring your interviewee into the present

All of this is happening while the camera is being set up by your camera crew. The sound operator is doing their checks, the lighting is being tweaked by your colleagues.

Thank your interviewee for their time. Everyone likes to be thanked and appreciated. Even if this video is for them. They will instantly feel more present because they realise that they are literally spending their time with you.

From the first question, if their response is:

‘Good’

That’s great! Ask some more questions that are more open. Get the juices flowing. Remind them what they are here to do. What angle you are looking for. Ask them if they have some thoughts and opinions on the subject matter. If they still respond with short, answers. Tell them that you are looking for a 3-5 minute video so for them to elaborate, but not too much. (If that’s what they are there for)

“Great thanks busy lots of meetings”

To bring them into the here and the now and get them to forget about that bad meeting or sales objective, exude some positivity. Respond with ‘Well, thankfully you don’t have to think about any of that right now. It’s time for us to sit down and have a chat.’ It’s amazing actually how quickly those people’s shoulders will drop. It’s like you have given them permission to relax. Ask them if they would like a glass of water and start the conversation about what you are going to talk about.

“Not good how much time do we have?”

Offer some kindness and an ear here. They may not take it, but at least it shows as a reminder to them that you are here to listen what they have to say. ‘I am sorry to hear about that. What is on your mind?’ They will probably brush it off here by mumbling something, or delve into a story. Either way, bring them back to the present scenario. ‘Well, I hope that the next 30 minutes will be a lot more pleasant for you. We are here today to talk a little more about your thoughts on ‘X’ scenario. Can I offer you a glass of water before we start?’ This will allow them feel listened to, relaxed and present for your interview.

Step 3: Don’t get in the way of yourself

A lot of time, there can be a lot of people present in the room for interviews. Assistants, direct clients, indirect clients, a lot of different thoughts and opinions.

Remember, that you are here to conduct the interview, to get the best from the interviewee. If an interviewee has walked into the room and they are being surrounded by too much information, too many briefs, too many people in their space – it can be overwhelming before sitting in front of camera. If that is all happening, step back. Let it happen, read the room. Those people are also trying to do a job too, to make sure everything is on message. However, imagine if that was you in that situation. I would feel overwhelmed! Eventually, they will say something like “So what is happening here then?” and that’s where you enter.

“Hello, my name is Hazel Watts and I am interviewing you today, and this is Mark the camera operator, and Luke the sound operator who will be putting a mic on you in just a second. How is your day so far?”

So, all of this can happen within, say 3 minutes. With more experience, you will be able to read people a lot faster. Remember not to rush or to jump in, too excitedly into your interview. Trust me, I have been there! Be cool, read the room, get the best from your employee

I shall be posting more tips and tricks to interviewing here soon such as:

– How to coach and encourage your interviewee – What to do when technical issues happen

If you would like more information – please visit the contact page. If you would like a workshop for your University, work place or school on these subjects – please get in contact!