Spending Time with Silly People: How to Interview

I had the opportunity to spend some time with a fantastic person, as part of this class. I had the pleasure to interview my daddy, for an assignment on writing personality profiles. My dad, Ohio's own Giant Eagle chef, was gracious enough to allow me to hassle him and a few of his co-workers, as apart of this assignment. Now while I knew a lot about my dad, already, I didn't know a lot about his profession or the people with whom he works. And I honestly hadn't interviewed many people in my time (outside of interviewing people for jobs, when I worked in management), so this was a new experience for me. And honestly, I think I was MORE nervous, because it was my dad! I think the most challenging aspect of the assignment was preparing, beforehand! So, I am offering up some advice on how to properly PREP for an interview.

Prepping for an Interview:

1) Do your research! Know what you're talking about (at least a little) before going into the interview.

2) Use sources: go to the library, use the internet, public records, etc. Anything to help give you a little background on the person and subject matter.

3) Prepare your questions in advance! It's ok to come up with more, based on the answers received. But- make sure you have base questions BEFORE the interview.

4) Have a small notebook and plenty of pens and pencils. A smaller notebook is easier to handle than a large clunky one.

5) Bring a tape recorder, if necessary! If you feel like you're going to forget something or not have the ability to write it all down, bringing a recorder along is useful. Make sure you ask the interviewee if recording him/her is ok! :)

6) Take notes. Lots of notes! It's helpful, when writing about the interview, to comment on more than JUST what the interviewee said. Comment on what he/she is wearing or mannerisms.

7) Have fun! If you're having fun, they are having fun! :)

Ok- so get out there and interview someone! You know you want to!