Interviewing

• An interview is a communication transaction that emphasizes questions and answers.

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Types and Purposes of Interviews

• Information-giving – provides information to another person

• Information-getting – the interviewer asks questions to learn about the interviewees’ opinions, knowledge, attitudes, behaviors

• Persuasive – designed to influence attitudes or actions

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Types and Purposes of Interviews

• Problem-solving – seeking others’ perspectives to broaden our understanding of problems and our insight into potential solutions

• Counseling – the counselor tries to help the client understand the problem and collaborates to develop strategies for coping with or overcoming the difficulty

Types and Purposes of Interviews

• Employment--allows employers and job candidates to assess each other and decide if there is a good fit between them

• Complaint—allows people to register complaints about a product, service, or person

• Performance reviews--comment on a subordinate’s achievements and professional development

Types and Purposes of Interviews

• Reprimand – identify lapses in conduct, determine sources of problems, and establish a plan for improvement

• Stress – designed to create anxiety in interviewees

• Exit – gains information, insights, and perceptions about a place of work, or education, from a person who is leaving

• The Opening Stage Is brief Creates an effective climate for interaction Clarifies the purpose Previews issues to be discussed

• The Substantive Stage Content relevant to the purpose of the interview Requires careful planning and thought Includes questions prepared in advance and used

for notes during the interview

• The Closing Stage Summarizes what has been discussed Discusses follow-up Creates good will in parting

Funnel SequenceCommunication moves from broad to narrow

Tell me a little bit about yourself and your interests.

So you especially enjoy working with others, right?

Have you ever supervised others?

Are you comfortable dealing with conflict?

Tell me about a situation in which you had

a conflict with a co-worker.

Styles of Interviewing

• Formal – participants stay closely within social and professional roles Written questions Nonverbal cues

• Clothes• Formal meeting room• Stilted postures• Stiff handshake

Styles of Interviewing

• Informal Relaxed, personal, and flexible Communication is more individualistic Questions are only guidelines Nonverbal cues include

• Smiling• Relaxed postures• Casual surroundings• Informal dress

Who Sets the Interview Style?

The interviewer usually has primary control and the

interviewee adapts.

Styles of Interviewing

• Mirror – the interviewer consistently reflects the interviewee’s comments to the interviewee

• Distributive – professionals are equal in professional or social standing

• Authoritarian – the interviewer exercises primary control over interaction Efficiency is the primary strength of the

authoritarian style.

Mirror (reflective) Interviews

Distributive Interviews

Authoritarian Interviews

Stress Interviews

Greatest Interviewee Power

Greatest Interviewer Power

Forms of Questions

• Open – broad questions that allow a wide latitude of appropriate responses

• Closed – call for specific and brief responses

• Mirror – paraphrase, or reflect the previous communication

• Hypothetical – ask for response on a speculative situation

Forms of Questions

• Probing – go beneath the surface of a response to gather additional information and insight

• Leading – predispose a certain response• Loaded – biased in wording• Summary – summarizes the discussion

and allows participants to see if they agree on what was discussed

Preparing to Interview Effectively

• Conduct research. If you have researched the company or

institution you will be able to adapt your communication.

• Engage in person –centered communication.

• Practice responding.

Managing Illegal Questions

• Know the law – The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission protects interviewees in all states from intrusive questions about race, ethnicity, marital status, age, sex, disability, and arrests.

• If asked an illegal question respond diplomatically but be aware that you have the right to not answer the question.

It’s legal to ask: But illegal to ask:

1. Are you a law abiding person?

1. Have you every been convicted of a felony?

2. Do you have the physical strength to do this job?

2. Are you physically disabled?

3. Are you fluent in any languages other than English?

3. Are you a native speaker of English?

It’s legal to ask: But illegal to ask:

4. Could you provide proof that you are old enough to meet the age requirements for this job?

4. How old are you?

5. Your transcript shows you took a course in socialism. Did you find it valuable?

5. Are you a socialist?

Other questions illegal to ask:

6a. Would you be willing to live in a town without a temple/church/synagogue?

8. Do you have (plan to have) children?

6b. Does your religion allow you to work on Saturdays?

9. Are you married?

7. May I have a picture to put with your file?

10. Do you have reliable child care?

11. Do you own a car or a house?

12. What is your political affiliation?

Experiencing Communication in our Lives . . .

View the following video clip and then answer the questions that follow based on material presented in this chapter. A script of the scenario can be found at

the end of Chapter 12.

1. Did Ms. Bourne provide a good opening for the interview?

2. How effectively do you think Mr. Miller handled the tough questions that Ms. Bourne asked?

3. Did Mr. Miller seem well prepared for the interview?

4. Identify leading questions asked by Ms. Bourne and evaluate how Mr. Miller responded to them.

You may go to your student CD that accompanies the text to compare your answers to Julia Wood’s.