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March 1991
SUCCESSFUL INTERVIEWING
By
James R. Ryals
Commander
Long Beach, California, Police Department
Interviewing is one form of communication used extensively
by law enforcement. Whether used to screen applicants, to elicit
information from a witness to a crime, or to obtain a confession,
a good interview can have a significant impact on the
organization. However, if conducted improperly, the interview
may be rendered worthless or can result in serious negative
consequences for all involved.
There are certain guidelines to follow when conducting an
interview. By adhering to the following basic rules, the
interviewer can reduce many of the problems that might arise
because of a faulty interview.
* Develop a plan of action. The interviewer should review
pertinent data and develop questions that will elicit
the information required to complete the task at hand.
For example, for applicant interviews, questions should
be tailored to gather information that accurately
evaluates the potential employee. On the other hand,
questions posed to witnesses of a crime should be
designed to obtain facts to complete an accurate report.
For the most part, interviewers should prepare areas of
inquiry in a general way to keep the interview flowing.
Previously prepared questions tend to "drive" the
interview in a particular direction, which limits the
type and amount of information gathered.
* Conduct the interview privately. While this basic rule
is oftentimes difficult to follow, depending on the
circumstances, every effort should be made to minimize
distractions during the interview.
* Put the interviewee at ease. Emotions and stress play a
big part in any type of interview, and the interviewer
will have a difficult time evaluating a nervous person.
Starting the interview casually with nonthreatening
conversation can have a calming effect. By defusing
negative feelings and reinforcing positive ones, the
interviewer can deal with the emotions exhibited by the
interviewee.
* Let the person being interviewed do the talking. One of
the biggest mistakes the interviewer can make is to talk
too much. Accurate evaluations of applicants or
gathering crucial information regarding a crime depends
on letting the interviewee talk under controlled
conditions. The interviewer should control the
interview, not dominate it.
* Perfect questioning techniques. Knowing how to ask
questions is just as important as knowing what questions
to ask. Also, making questions easy to understand is
critical. This allows the person being interviewed to
concentrate on answering the questions, not on trying to
decipher what they mean.
* Select questions carefully. Use closed-ended questions
(yes/no answers) sparingly because they only require a
short answer and usually only confirm factual data.
Open-ended questions force the interviewee to talk and
elaborate on the matter at hand. For example, when
interviewing witnesses to a crime, the interviewer
should ask the witnesses to relate in their own words
what they saw. This allows the interviewer to better
assess the reliability of the information obtained.
Interviewers should refrain from asking hypothetical
questions of potential employees. Such questions tend
to evaluate the applicant's ability to guess what answer
the interviewer wants to hear. The best guesser then
gets the job. Questions posed to potential employees
should center on what the person has already done that
relates to the position applied for by the applicant.
Leading questions, which contain the answer, and loaded
questions, which ask the person interviewed to choose
the lesser of two evils, should always be avoided.
* Be a good listener. A good interviewer is a good
listener. Interviewers must discipline themselves to
focus on what is being said and how it is being said.
They should not look ahead to subsequent questions or
begin to analyze an answer before the person finishes.
Nor should they anticipate what the answer will be.
* Don't challenge answers given. Interviewers must keep
emotional reactions private and should not let personal
feelings interfere with the interview. There is time to
document problems after the interview.
* Stay in control. During an interview, some people try
to digress from questions asked. Proper preparation is
the key to maintain control of the interview and to
ensure that it does not get off course.
* Take brief notes. Notes allow the interviewer to recall
important details revealed during the interview.
However, while making notes, the interviewer should not
lose eye contact with the person. Excessive note-taking
causes the person being questioned to slow down
responses in order to accommodate the interviewer.
* Conclude the interview properly. It is the
responsibility of the interviewer to signal the end of
the interview. This can be done by simply closing a
notebook, standing up, or announcing that the interview
is over.
* Write a summary immediately following the interview.
This helps the interviewer to recall important
information should questions arise later.
* Learn from experience. Critiquing helps to identify
areas that need improvement and to develop interviewing
techniques.
These basic rules are merely guidelines to follow when
conducting an interview. While they will not alleviate all the
problems that can arise during an interview, they will assist in
developing the skills required of a successful interviewer.