Appendix A Outline

• The Nature of Interviews
• Types of Interviews
• The Format of an Interview
• Understanding Roles and Responsibilities in Interviews
• The Job Interview

1. An interview is an interaction between two parties that is deliberate and purposeful for at least one of the parties involved. Interviews are more structured and goal-driven than other forms of communication.
   1. Interviews are planned.
   2. Interviews are goal-driven.
   3. Interviews are structured.
   4. Interviews are dyadic.
   5. Interviews are transactional.

   Ask Yourself:

   • Do you watch or listen to any programs (such as television shows, web series, or podcasts) that feature interviews? Which do you like the best? Why?
2. There are different types of interviews that play a role in most of our lives.
   1. An information-gathering interview collects attitudes, opinions, facts, data, and experiences.
      1. Service-oriented interviews are designed to cull information and then provide advice, service, or support based on that information.
      2. Media interviews seek to get information about people and events and sometimes analyze the information or express opinions and emotions.
   2. In a persuasive interview, questions are designed to elicit some change in the interviewee’s behaviors or opinions.
      1. In problem-solving interviews, interviewers attempt to persuade participants to deal with problems, tensions, or conflicts.
      2. In motivational interviews, interviewers ask goal-oriented questions that are designed to inspire and strengthen personal motivation.
   3. In most careers, including academic, performance appraisals are a regular part of reviewing accomplishments and developing goals. These can be highly structured, involving a written appraisal and a one-on-one interview, or more informal, involving a discussion.
   4. Exit interviews are conducted with employees as they leave a company in order to identify organizational problems that might affect employee retention.
   5. The primary goal of a selection interview is to secure or fill a position within an organization
      1. The job interview is the most common example in business, government, and military organizations, with the end goal of filling a position of employment.

   Ask Yourself:

   • Which types of interviews have you been a part of?
   • How did you prepare for those interviews?
3. There are three major parts of interviews: the opening, the questions, and the conclusion.
   1. The opening of an interview should establish three things: task, relationship, and motivation.
      1. The task is the nature of the interview and how it will proceed.
      2. The relationship is whether you like or trust the other party.
      3. The motivation is what both parties hope to gain.
   2. Questions and answers accomplish the goals of the interview.
      1. The types of questions asked determine the path of the interview. Questions vary in terms of how much freedom respondents have and how the questions relate to what has happened during the interview.
         1. Open questions provide the most freedom for responses.
         2. Closed questions provide less freedom by restricting answer choices.
         3. Bipolar questions offer only two answer choices (yes or no).
         4. Primary questions introduce new information.
         5. Secondary questions seek clarification or elaboration of responses to primary questions and can take a variety of forms (clarification, elaboration, encouragement, and so on).
      2. The way in which a question is constructed can directly influence the information received in response. Be aware of questions that may be unethical.
         1. Directed questions suggest or imply the answer that is expected.
         2. Leading questions are a subtle version of directed questions.
         3. Loaded questions are bolder in their biasing effect and assume an answer before it is given.
         4. Neutral questions provide no hint as to the expected response.
      3. There are three main question sequences that work well in interview situations.
         1. The funnel sequence starts with broad, open-ended questions and moves to narrower, more closed ones.
         2. The inverted funnel sequence starts with narrow, closed questions and moves to more open-ended ones.
         3. The tunnel sequence uses questions at the same level of specificity throughout.
   3. At the conclusion of an interview, the interaction should come to a comfortable and satisfying close. The conclusion serves three functions.
      1. The conclusion should conclude, or signal the end of, the interview.
      2. The conclusion should summarize, or review, the substantive conclusions produced by the interview.
      3. The conclusion should support, or express satisfaction with, the interaction and project what will happen next (follow-up).

   Ask Yourself:

   • Have you ever gone into an interview anticipating which questions they might ask you?
   • How might this be helpful? How might this hinder?
4. Both parties in an interview have prescribed roles and responsibilities.
   1. The competent interviewer performs specific tasks to ensure a successful interview.
      1. Identify and address potential barriers that might disrupt the interview.
      2. Make the interviewee comfortable by adapting as needed.
      3. Ask ethical and appropriate questions.
      4. Listen and respond effectively.
   2. The interviewee also has work to do.
      1. Clarify and fulfill personal goals by having a clear sense of what he or she wants to achieve in the interview.
      2. Prepare responsibly for the interview, in terms of what to wear, what to bring, and what to say.
      3. Listen carefully to the interviewer and respond effectively.
   3. The interviewer and interviewee also have shared responsibilities.
      1. Both must adapt to the person and the situation in terms of both verbal and nonverbal communication.

   Ask Yourself:

   • Have you been both interviewer and interviewee?
   • How should you prepare differently for each of these roles?
5. The job interview is a process.
   1. The following guidelines can help you get an interview.
      1. Learn of potential jobs through friends and family, placements centers, and discipline-specific job sites.
         1. Networking is the process of using interconnected groups or associations of persons you know to develop relationships with their connections that you don’t know.
      2. Prepare interview materials thoughtfully, as they create a first impression.
         1. Before you send off any written materials, clean up any searchable information that does not portray you in a favorable light.
         2. Your résumé is a printed summary of your education, work experiences, and accomplishments.
            1. Contact information: include campus and home addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail address.
            2. Employment objective: be concise and specific about what you’re looking for in a position and your career goals.
            3. Education: list the institutions you have attended, their locations, and the dates of attendance.
            4. Work experience: list experience in reverse chronological order (most recent ones first), focusing on concrete examples of achievement or skills that you have mastered.
            5. Activities: participation in a variety of academic, extracurricular, or social activities indicates that you are motivated and get involved.
            6. Special skills: these may be useful to the organization, and your accomplishments show dedication and determination.
            7. References: include professors, previous supervisors, or anyone else who can confirm your employment history and attest to your work ethic and character.
         3. Your cover letter should be a one-page letter that sets out the reasons for your interest in the position and demonstrates your written communication skills.
      3. Develop realistic expectations about the process and remember that rejection is common.
   2. Certain guidelines can also help you excel during and after the interview.
      1. Make a good first impression by being a competent communicator with verbal and nonverbal behaviors.
      2. Anticipate common questions about ability, desire, personality, character, and health.
      3. Deal with difficult or unethical questions appropriately.
      4. Ask questions of your own.
      5. Follow up after the interview with an appreciative e-mail or note (or both).

   Ask Yourself:

   • Do you have a current résumé? What might you include (if not) or change (if so)?
   • Have you asked questions during a job interview? What did you ask, and how were your questions received?