Mastering Interviewing Techniques and Skills

Presentation Skills & Interview Techniques

Learning Objectives 1. Students enhance their interview techniques by developing an interview outline and discussing rules for effective interviewing 2. Students enhance their research skills by brushing up on their knowledge of referencing, citing, formatting, and dealing with data 3. Students enhance their presentation skills by presenting a student assignment in class

Warm Up Collecting primary data is an important tool for consultants Which types of primary data collection do you know?

Types of Primary Data Collection Interview Observation Participant Observation Structured Observation Semi/Non- Standardised Standardised Questionnaire Self- Interviewer- Administered Administered

Interviewing: The most basic and most important data collection skill for consultants

Interviewing A skill that every consultant should have in his/her tool box Can be used in all stages of the consulting process An effective tool to gather information and to establish a positive relationship with the client Goals of Interviewing: Delving into issues that are sometimes sensitive Getting below the surface Going beyond what is socially desirable to talk about

Interview Types Structured Interviews Semi-Structured Interviews Unstructured Interviews

Interview Types Interviews Semi-Structured/ Non-Standardised Structured/ Standardised Questionnaire One-on-One Group Discussion Electronic Face-to-face Telephone (adapted from Saunders et al., 2009)

Intake Interview Non-Standardised Interview Purpose of the Intake Interview Significance of Personal Contact Time Required Nature of Questions

Types of Questions Question Types Specific and Closed Questions Open Questions Probing Questions How would you evaluate the success of this new marketing strategy? How has corporate strategy changed over the past five years? Did you lose money? Break even?

Preparation the Key to a Successful Interview Appropriate- ness of Location Level of Knowledge Level of Information Researcher s Appearance Opening Comments Approach to Questioning Attentive Listening Nature Test Cultural Differences Recording Data Understanding

References Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students. Fifth Edition. Pearson: Essex. Stroh, L.K. & Johnson H. H. (2006). The Basic Principles of Effective Consulting. Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers: London. Consultantsmind (2012). How Consultants Interview Clients. Retrieved from http://www.consultantsmind.com/2012/11/04/consultant-interview/

General Rules for Interviewing Can you think of any general rules for effective interviewing?

General Rules for Interviewing Before the interview: Goals Interviews should be goal oriented Goals should be communicated before the interview Be clear about the information you want to collect Planning ahead Appropriate interview setting (quiet, no distractions, private, comfortable) Do your homework! Research the company, its business model, clients, etc., and the person(s) you will interview

General Rules for Interviewing During the interview: Before the interview starts Shake hands with everyone Present yourself (first and last name) Start with some small talk to create a relaxed atmosphere Questions Ask one question at a time The type of question must fit the purpose of the question Do not be afraid of tough questions Ask additional questions (in case the response is not complete/unclear)

General Rules for Interviewing During the interview: Listening Listen to the response Let the interviewee talk do not interrupt (unless interviewee digresses) Encourage the interviewee to use details and examples Give the interviewee time to think about the question and to develop his/her answer During the interview, the interviewee should talk ca. 90% of the time and the interviewer only ca. 10% of the time

General Rules for Interviewing During the interview: Own behaviour & body language Be focused and keep the interviewee focused on the topic Be flexible Maintain a bias-free and politically-neutral stance An interview should be a conversation, not an interrogation If you do interviews in teams, make sure to have one lead interviewer Non-verbal communication (sitting face to face, keeping eye contact, sitting upright in your chair, signalling that you are listening, taking notes)

General Rules for Interviewing During the interview: Time Keep an eye on the time Because the interviewee s time is limited, always come prepared! After the interview: Thank the interviewee for taking the time No Go s What does your company do? What are your main products? shows that you are not prepared Why did your company fail at XX? avoid judgements and negative wording

Dealing with Difficult Interview Situations Yes/No Sayer Participant appears willing only to give monosyllabic answers, these being little more than yes or no Talker Participant repeatedly provides long answers which digress from the focus of your interview Interviewer Participant starts interviewing you Criticiser Participant is proud of their status relative to you and wants to show off their knowledge, criticizing what you do Upset Participant becomes noticeably upset during the interview and, perhaps, starts to cry

Further Information Want to know more about how consultants interview clients? http://www.consultantsmind.com/2012/11/04/consultant-interview/

References Saunders, M., Lewis, P. & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research Methods for Business Students. Fifth Edition. Pearson: Essex. Stroh, L.K. & Johnson H. H. (2006). The Basic Principles of Effective Consulting. Lawrence Erlbaum Publishers: London. Consultantsmind (2012). How Consultants Interview Clients. Retrieved from http://www.consultantsmind.com/2012/11/04/consultant-interview/