The power of good interviewing skills

You don’t have to be a reporter to have or need good interviewing skills.  In fact, everyone should learn how to conduct an interview.  Why?  How else will you find out what a boss expects of you? What a client needs? Or, what your spouse wants you to pick up on the way home?

This isn’t brain surgery, but you do need to know the right questions to ask and then have the ability to listen to what the person is saying.

One place good interviewing skills come into play is when you meet people with whom you want to do business.  Whether you’re trying to land a new client or looking for a job. It’s absolutely essential to know how to ask questions that may help you understand what their needs are and then learn to listen effectively.   So, you’ll be able to tell someone about what you have to offer in a way that will relate specifically to his or her business.  It will send a signal to that person that you heard what they were saying and could respond to it.

Now, you don’t want to come across as if you’re conducting a cross-examination.  But, you do want to have a conversation that will help you pitch your services in a way that will interest that person.

You want to ask open-ended questions that elicit more than just a one-word response.  For example, in a job interview it’s valid to ask your interviewer to describe the culture at their company.  If you meet someone with whom you’re trying to do business, you’ll want to get him to talk about his job and his company so you can learn how your services might fit into their needs.  Simple statements like, “Tell me about your business,” can often be the most effective.  You’re trying to get the person with whom you’re speaking to open up a bit about what he or she does.

– Fred Silverman is a television producer who has pitched new programming ideas to television executives.  He now is a marketing communications expert who helps companies and individuals hone their branding and messaging efforts.