CCNY Introduction To Journalism

Whether you interview someone in person, via video chat, or phone, the principles for a good interview remain the same.

1. Prepare before your interview. Make sure you know as much about the topic and your interview subject as possible.
2. Use your social skills when you begin the interview. Be friendly without being fawning especially if it’s a celebrity. You want to be on relatively equal footing with your interviewee whether it’s a child, a neighbor, a celebrity, or the president.
3. Be nice even if you are about to ask tough questions. Be polite.
4. Often interview subjects feed off of your energy. Make sure that you are energetic without being overbearing.
5. Try not to read from a list of questions.
6. Get right to it. Make sure you have the correct spelling and pronunciation of the person’s name in advance.
7. Don’t waste their time with trivial details.
8. Make eye contact.
9. Ask your question and listen to the answer. Listening is really important. The interview subject may say something that needs an immediate followup. She may have given you the answer for the tenth question you have in mind but haven’t asked yet.
10. You may have to interrupt if the person goes on and on and doesn’t answer the question. Keep the interview in your control. Be firm. But stay pleasant.
11. Quit when you understand that the interview subject has answered your questions and really has nothing else that is relevant to say.