Communicating for
Results
9e
7
Basic Information for Al
Types of Interviews
Key Ideas
•Defining interviews
•Common types of interviews
•Phases of an effective
interview
•Organizing interview
questions
•Answering interview questions
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1
Consider this . . .
In a few communication formats – public
speaking, conferences, or interviewing – is
greater involvement expected of a
participant than in an interview . . .It is
only in the interview that approximately
equal participation is expected of both
parties.
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2
Rubberball/Jupiter Images
Case Study: Interview gone bad
 Read or describe the case study
 Answer the following questions:
What types of questions did Mandy and
Ken ask?
What was the quality of the responses?
 Were Ken’s observations correct?
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3
Types of Interviews
Bob Daemmich/The Image Works
 Counseling interview
 Employment interview
 Exit interview
 Group interview
 Informational
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Types of Interviews
Bob Daemmich/The Image Works
 Interrogation
 Performance Review
 Persuasive
 Telephone
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Counseling Interview
Helps interviewee uncover and solve
career-related personal or interpersonal
problems. (Bell 1989, p. 169)
Communication skills needed:
Empathetic listening,
Non-evluative feedback,
Careful paraphrasing
Sympathetic nonverbal responses
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Employment Interview
Critical to making organizational and
personal decisions
Usually one-on-one between interviewer
and perspective employee
Employer usually takes the lead
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Exit Interview
Done when employee is laird off, fired or
quits
Requires careful listening and reading
between the lines
Employees usually only hint at their real
reason for leaving
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Grievance Interview
One-to-one encounter for conflict
resolution
Emotions may run high
Participants should express their feelings
honestly and remain cooperative
Interviewer must be a good listener and
problem solver
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Group Interviews
General suggestions include . . .
 Be prepared for confusion & noise
 Learn who panelists are ahead of time
 Determine reason for group interview
 Appear confident & in control
Digital Vision/Getty
Images
 Make answers direct, brief, honest and
sincere
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Group Interviews
Suggestions for Panel Interviews include . . .
Digital Vision/Getty
Images
 Speak to everyone not just the
interviewer
 Take an active role but don’t always
speak first
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Group Interviews
Suggestions for Board Interviews include . . .
Try not to be among the first interviewed
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Kathy McLaughlin/The Image Works
© Jason Harris
Sit where you can see all interviewers
without moving your head constantly
Make eye contact with all interviewers
Stick by your answers
12
Informational Interview
Information-giving interview -Interviewer
imparts important information
Information-seeking interview – interviewer
wants information from the interviewee
Use standard interview structure
No longer than 15 minutes
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Interrogation Interview
Done when an offence is committed
Begin by discussing a topic of interest to
assess nonverbal behaviors
Use open-ended questions
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Performance Review
 Recognize/reward employee
contributions
 Give employees feedback on their
standing
 Motivate employees by setting objectives
 Discover & solve communication
problems
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15
Persuasive Interview
Successful if you convince interviewee that your proposal . . .
Will satisfy unmet needs
Consistent with beliefs, attitudes, & values
Is practical & affordable
Has benefits that outweigh any objections
© Jason Harris
Is best course of action
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Telephone Interview
Prepare like face-to-face interview
Keep file of personal information by the
telephone
Keep answering machine messages brief
and professional
Plan for detailed interview that might last
an hour
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Telephone Interview
Show complete attention to interviewer
Prepare to sound friendly, sincere,
enthusiastic and professional
Listen carefully to questions before
answering
Thank interviewer and ask for contact
information
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Basic Interview Organization
Opening Phase
Question-Response Phase
Closing Phase
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Opening Phase
Rapport
Orientation
Motivation
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Question-Response Phase
Determine types of questions to ask
Decide how to best organize questions
Be prepared to answer questions
effectively
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Closing Phase
Summarize major points covered
Make sure all important topics covered
Give interviewee chance to ask questions
Thank participants for time & cooperation
Include agreement on
follow-up
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Types of Interview questions
Open-ended questions
Hypothetical questions
Direct questions
Closed questions >
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Types of Interview questions (cont.)
Loaded questions
Leading questions
Third person questions
Verbal and Nonverbal proves
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Open-ended questions
Allow for maximum freedom of response
Examples:
“In your own words, evaluate your accomplishments this
year.”
“Tell me about your complaint.”
“Describe a time during your current job when your work
was criticized. Tell me how you responded and the
outcome of the complaint.”
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Hypothetical questions
An invented situation
Examples:
“On your first day of work, you arrive an hour late. How
would you explain this and to whom?”
“Suppose you were supervisor of this department and
someone came to you with a complaint similar to yours.
How would you handle it?”
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Direct (or specific) questions
Short questions requiring a short answer
or “Yes” or “No”
Examples:
“Is the accusation against you accurate?”
“Did you accomplish your top priority this year?”
“Who recommended you to us?”
“How long have you been in this field of work?”
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Closed questions
Limit interviewees choices of answers to
those supplied by the interviewer
Examples:
“Do you prefer to work with Doris, Carol, or Bob on this
assignment?”
“Which would best help you meet your performance
objectives—more guidance from me or more assistance
from the other supervisors?”
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Loaded questions
No correct answers designed to get an
emotional response
Examples
“Have you stopped drinking yet?”
“Are you still difficult to get along with?”
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Leading questions
Implies the correct answer
Examples:
“You want the kind of car that gets good gas
mileage, don’t you?”
“We are looking for creative people here. What do
you have to offer?”
“I don’t think you have been working up to your
potential. What do you think?”
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30
Third-Person questions
Embarrassing or personal questions
phrased in a less threatening way by
involving a third person
Examples
(a) “What do you think about the latest merger proposal?”
(b) “What does your group think about the latest merger
proposal?”
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Verbal and Nonverbal probes
Used to urge the respondent to add more
information to a pervious response
Examples
“Tell me more.”
“Really?”
“That’s interesting.”
“I see.”
“Uh-huh.”
“How do you mean?”
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Control continuum
Expect the following control in each type of question . . .
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Organizing interview questions
Funnel sequence
Inverted Funnel sequence
Hourglass sequence
Diamond sequence
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Funnel sequence
General to specific
1. “Tell me what overall problems you see occurring in the
Harrison project.” (open-ended)
2. “Why do you feel Shelton is an ineffective
communicator?” (open-ended)
3. “Are you willing to accept Shelton and Jackson as coworkers?” (direct)
4. “What makes you say that?” (verbal probe)
5. “Whom do you recommend for director of the Harrison
project—Jackson, Shelton, or yourself?” (closed)
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Inverted Funnel sequence
Specific to general
1. “Whom do you recommend as director of the Harrison
project—Jackson, Shelton, or yourself?” (closed)
2. “What makes you say that?” (verbal probe)
3. “Are you willing to accept Shelton and Jackson as
coworkers?” (direct)
4. “Why do you feel Shelton is an ineffective
communicator?” (open-ended)
5. “Tell me what overall problems you see occurring in the
Harrison project.” (open-ended)
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Hourglass sequence
Questioning to clarifying missing
information general to specific
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
“Tell me what overall problems you see occurring in the Harrison project.”
(open-ended)
“Why do you feel Shelton is an ineffective communicator?” (open-ended)
“Are you willing to accept Shelton and Jackson as coworkers?” (direct)
“What makes you say that?” (verbal probe)
“Whom do you recommend for director of the Harrison project—Jackson,
Shelton, or yourself?” (closed)
“Let me clarify a few items. Did you earlier indicate leadership as a possible
problem with the Harrison project?” (direct)
“Did you not express serious reservations about Shelton as project leader?”
(direct)
“Then, could you please explain why you selected Shelton and not yourself,
Jackson, or even someone else as director of the Harrison project?” (openended)
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Diamond sequence
When answer to hypothetical question in
inverted funnel is unexpected or unclear
To clarity open with a general question
and move to specific
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Answering questions effectively
 Relax and be yourself
 If caught off guard, don’t rush answer
 If don’t know or remember, say so
 Don’t say more than you want to say
 Use open-ended questions to present info
 Listen carefully
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39
Answering questions effectively(cont)
 Be attentive to interviewer’s intentions
 Don’t let closed questions limit you
 Avoid answering yes or no to loaded
questions
 Beware of leading questions
 Be aware that 3rd-person questions are
aimed at getting you to say more
Copyright Cengage © 2011
40
Communicating for
Results
9e
7
Basic Information for All
Types of Interviews
Key Ideas
•Defining interviews
•Common types of interviews
•Phases of an effective
interview
•Organizing interview
questions
•Answering interview questions
Copyright Cengage © 2011
41