Learning Objectives

1.

Define interview. During the course of our lives we all take part in a number of different types of interviews, as either interviewee or interviewer. The interview is the most common type of purposeful, planned, decision-making, person-to-person communication.

2.

Identify six types of interviews and the kind of information shared by participants in each interview. We explored six different types of interviews including: the information-gathering interview (designed to collect information. opinions or data), the appraisal interview (designed for evaluation purposes), the persuasive interview (designed to influence attitudes or behavior), the exit interview (designed to determine why someone is leaving a position), the counseling interview (designed to provide guidance), and the hiring interview (designed to select the right person for a job).

3.

Describe the stages of an interview. Effective interviews are well-
structured interactions. They have a beginning, which provides an orientation to what is to come; a middle, when the participants get down to business; and an end, when the main points are reviewed and the participants take leave of one another.

4.

Formulate closed, open, primary, and secondary questions. Questions are the heart of the interview and the primary means of collecting data. Four basic types of questions are asked in an interview; closed, open, primary, and secondary. Closed questions are highly structured and can be answered with a simple yes or no or in a few words; open questions are broader and offer the interviewee more freedom in responding. Primary questions introduce topics or begin exploring a new area; secondary questions (probing questions) follow up primary questions by asking for further information. Whatever the type of question, an interviewee must maintain honesty in answering.

5.

Compare and contrast the roles and responsibilities of interviewer and interviewee. Good interviewers and interviewees work hard during an interview, functioning simultaneously as information seekers, information givers, and decision makers. To be a successful interviewee requires specific preparation. Honest self-assessment, practice in answering typical questions, and mastery of the techniques of impression management are of prime importance. To avoid misunderstanding, both interviewer and interviewee need to be aware of how cultural differences could affect the interview.

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