INTERVIEW: An interview is a structured conversation where one participant asks questions, and the other provides answers.
In common parlance, the word “interview” refers to a one-on-one conversation between an interviewer and an interviewee.
The interviewer asks questions to which the interviewee responds, usually providing information. That information may be used or provided to other audiences immediately or later. This feature is common to many types of interviews – 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.
- Good reporting is 80% interviewing, so be courageous to ask questions News gathering is a life long process.
Chinese proverb
· He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who does not ask a question remains a fool forever.
What does that mean?
This, like most ancient proverbs, was difficult to source, but quite interesting to contemplate. In this case, we have all been there, right?
You have a question, but you’re afraid to ask it. You don’t want to look foolish, stupid, or inattentive in front of your peers. You say nothing, and having not asked, you never learn what you need to know.
Yes, you might get some grief for asking the question, but that sting soon wears off. You were a fool, but just for a short time. But if you did not ask, when would you have learned?
By not asking, you leave yourself a fool for the rest of your life. You had a chance to get the answer, but you let it pass. Perhaps you’ll learn later, but at how high a price? Fool for five, or fool forever?
Why are questions important?
I could ask a silly question at this point, but I think you can fill that in for yourself. Questions may not be the best way to learn some new skill or idea, but they are excellent for clarifying something about what you are learning which you do not quite understand, or have some concern about.
How does one pronounce that one word? That is a common question in foreign language classes, as there are usually many rules and many more exceptions with which to become familiar. You could learn then, in the classroom, or mispronounce it on the street, and get beat up for an unintended insult.
The same can be applied to other aspects of our lives. Any time we have a question, there is usually a reluctance to ask. Usually it’s because we are concerned about what others will think of us. Is it worth being a fool for life to impress others? I think not.
Besides, if you have a question, odds are that at least one other person has a similar question, or isn’t exactly certain about the answer. Your question isn’t just an indictment of your brilliance, it is a community service. Does that change your attitude towards asking a question?
- An Interview is. a conversation between two or more persons to elicit information on behalf of on unseen audience.
Principle
Be yourself.
1.Do what works for you.
2.Be sincerely interested
3.What you get depends on what you put
4.Use the pleasure principle
5.Open-minded- tolerant attitude-empathy
6.Mine tons of raw conversation or to get on ounce of gold
- .Identify and assess your strengths.
“When you identify your inner strength it makes you to more stronger and it helps you to overcome from worst problems, which is Most Effective Principles for Interview Preparation “
One of the first steps any potential job seeker/job changer should tale is to conduct a thorough self-assessment, which consists of an evaluation of one’s skills, abilities, and accomplishments. This is important in part so you will allow what you are good at, but it is also a critical step toward being able to clearly communicate your strengths to potential employers. The adage that you should “know thyself” is extremely important during all phases of your job search. With this self-knowledge, you will be in a better position to tell employers what it is you do well, enjoy doing, and want to do in the future. This information will play an important role in both developing your resume and preparing for the interview. This self-assessment generates a useful language that stresses your major skills, abilities, and achievements
Identify what you enjoy doing.
There are a lot of skills you may have honed to the point of excellence, but do you want to spend the better part of your work-life engaging in this activity? When he was 95, George Burns claimed one reason he was still going strong and working a rather demanding schedule was that he loved his work! A secretary may have excellent typing skills but want to move up and out of consideration for another similar position. If this is the case, he doesn’t want to stress his typing skull – even though he may be very good at it. Skills you really enjoy using are the ones you are most likely to continue to use to the benefit of both you and the employer
· What to Bring to an Interview
Interview ground rules
1.Define the purpose
2.Conduct background research.
3. Request an appointment.
4. Plan your strategy.
5.Identify yourself clearly
6. Tell me how much time you need
7. Try to be short
8. Ask specific questions- the source will answer easily
9.Ask to clarify if he is complex.
10. Avoid lecturing the source, and arguing or debating.
11. Later source bombing – taper later abide for attribution off the record.
12. List questions in descending order.
13. Carefully word questions.
14.Maintain the prestige of your organization sometimes use flattery at the
beginning.
interview” questions to ask when a reporter calls). Then, after you’ve researched the reporter and prepared your messages, you can return their call (while making sure you meet any deadlines).
2. Know when to return a reporter’s call or email
Speaking of deadlines, it’s generally best not to wait until the deadline to return a reporter’s call. Why? Because if you wait until the last minute, their story is probably mostly completed, meaning that at best, you’ll only get a short quote in a story that’s already been written. Returning a reporter’s call earlier in the process may help you frame their story—or at least persuade them to consider an alternate viewpoint or side angle. (On the other hand, if your goal is to minimize your presence in the story, waiting until the last minute to email a short statement prevents the reporter from being able to say that you refused to comment.) Speaking of which…
3. Never say, “No comment”
There is no phrase more damning in a spokesperson’s lexicon. The public regards someone uttering those words the same way they do a murder suspect who shouts, “I did it!” into a megaphone in a crowded park: guilty as charged. That doesn’t mean you have to tell a reporter everything. Here’s what you can say instead when a reporter enters a “no-go zone.”
4. Don’t go off the record (usually)
Journalists—even some working for the same news organization—don’t agree on what “off the record” means. If reporters can’t agree on the definition, you’re going to get into trouble if you rely on it to establish confidentiality. Still, unlike some media trainers, I maintain that there’s a place for going off the record…sometimes. But those rare instances should be decided upon strategically in advance, not spontaneously, and always with full awareness of the risk of being unmasked as the source. If you go off the record: consult with a communications professional in advance; consider your history with the reporter; ask the reporter to define what “off the record” means to them; and forge an off-the-record agreement before speaking—not only after you’ve said something compelling.
generally advise against recording the most straightforward interviews, as doing so can create a defensive environment before you even get started. If you decide to tape, keep in mind that many states require you to notify the other party that you are recording—so check the law in your state (or, better yet, just tell the reporter you’re recording).
5.. You can limit the time of the interview
Doing so can help you prevent the conversation from turning into a harmful fishing expedition. If you believe a reporter is primarily interested in digging for dirt (and if you decide not to turn down the interview outright), tell the reporter you’d love to talk but only have a 15-minute window available. Although this can be a useful tool in certain situations, make it a rare exception to the rule, not your standard operating procedure. Have an exit plan in case the reporter goes long.
6.Stay in your lane
In the midst of a high-pressured interview, many spokespersons feel compelled to answer every question they’re asked. If you’re asked a question that’s truly outside of your lane—for example, if you’re a scientist who’s asked about your organization’s latest financial statement—it’s perfectly acceptable to tell the reporter that the focus of your work is scientific research, not finances. You can offer to connect the reporter with a more appropriate person for that topic or, for more straightforward questions, to get back to them with the answer.
Types of interview:
News interview: to gather information to explain an idea, event, or situation facts related to the
public interest.
Profile interview:
Focus on individuals. Personality, personal life, achievements, reactions from public figures.Present it in storytelling or question & answer type.
1. Panel Interview
In this type of interview, there are multiple interviewers who assess the candidate. All types of questions from expertise to future aspirations may be covered in these interviews. These may include different professionals from the team who assess the candidate on different grounds. The decision in such interviews is collective. In such interviews, the candidate is keenly observed based on their skill set and body language.
2. Structured Interview
In such interviews, interviewers ask the same set of questions from all candidates. These can be open-ended or close-ended questions. If it is an open-ended question, then there can be multiple answers for a single question. If it is a close-ended question, there will only be a single answer. In this type of interview, the interviewer compares candidates based on their responses to these questions.
3. Unstructured Interview
Here, interviewers change questions based on the candidate’s response to the previous questions. There is no set format and there can be all types of interview questions that you may not predict. The interviewer may already have questions or they might base them on the interview progress.
4. Stress Interview
These are challenging in nature since the interview assesses your response to stressful situations. Interviewers want to ensure that your response will be constructive for the company. Such types of interview are common for high-stress job profiles.
5. Case Interview
Here, the interviewer gives you a situation and the associated problem. This may be an imaginary or a real-life problem. They then ask for a solution to the problem. The aim is to assess how good you are at problem-solving.
6. Off-site Interview
These are informal interviews where the candidate and interviewer meet at a place other than the office. The interviewer may invite the candidate over lunch. The aim of such interviews is to assess your personality outside the workplace.
Dhana sekar S. 22MMC009. With inputs from DR.Jayaprakash. C.R