How to Interview People

Interviewing (采訪) is one of those skills that you can only get better at. You will never again feel so ill at ease as when you try it for the first time, and probably you'll never feel entirely comfortable trying to get from another person answers that he or she may be too shy to reveal.

(46) The rest is instinct, which can all be learned with experience.

The basic tools for an interview are paper and two or three well-sharpened pencils. But keep your notebook or paper out of sight until you need it. There's nothing less likely to relax a person than the arrival of someone with a note-taking pad. (47) Take a while just to chat, judging what sort of person you're dealing with, getting him or her to trust you.

Never go into an interview without doing whatever homework you can. If you are interviewing a town official, know his voting record. If it's an actor, know what plays he has been in. (48)

Many beginning interviewers are afraid that they are forcing the other person to answer questions and have no right to inquire about his personal secrets. (49) Unless the person really hates being interviewed, he is delighted that somebody wants to interview him. Most men and women lead lives that are uninteresting, and they grasp any chance to talk to an outsider who seems eager to listen.

This doesn't necessarily mean that it will go well. In general you will be talking to people who have never been interviewed before, and they will get used to the process awkwardly, perhaps not giving you anything that you can use. (50) You will both even begin to enjoy it - proof that you aren't forcing your victim to do something he doesn't really want to.

A Come back another day; it will go better.

B But at least half of the skill is mechanical.

C As one philosopher interviewed in the film notes, they lack irony.

D You will not be liked if you inquire about facts that you could have learned in advance.

E This fear is almost 100 percent unnecessary.

F Both of you need time to get to know each other.

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