Interviewing: Principles, Techniques, and Best Practices Report

This report delves into the principles of effective interviewing, covering essential techniques for both interviewers and interviewees. It begins with a fictional account of an interview with Steve Jobs, highlighting his philosophies and struggles, and includes perspectives from his friends. The report emphasizes the importance of preparation, understanding objectives, and knowing the interviewee. It outlines principles such as planning, maintaining a constructive attitude, and building a structured interview framework. Various interview types, including stress, behavioral, and job interviews, are discussed. The report stresses the need for interviewers to be well-prepared, persuasive, and respectful of the interviewee's privacy, while also providing guidance for interviewees on how to excel. The report emphasizes the significance of determining objectives, learning about the interviewee in advance, and keeping a constructive attitude. It is a valuable resource for anyone involved in the interviewing process, whether as an interviewer or interviewee.

Running head: INTERVIEWING
Principles of Interviewing
Name of the Student:
Name of University:
Author’s Note:

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I am really glad to conduct this interview today I have been working as a journalist for
about 3 years and have been able to interview several people in the course of my career.
However, in the course of my profession, I have been able to take myself to the position where I
could conduct the interview with some of the very eminent and well-known personalities. One
among them is Steve Jobs. I was really very happy the day I knew that I was going to interview
Steve Jobs he tech legend himself. I remember that Apple was the name that was in a huge buzz.
I was really happy with the fact that I could interview the creator of such a path-breaking
invention.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life…”- Steve Jobs
This quote defines jobs in a very clear way. He was of the opinion that life is indeed very short to
lead a life as per the will of others or by imitating others.
I interviewed Steve jobs on the hardships that he faced in his life and to make a
recollection of his struggle. This would be a good opportunity as I also got the chance to invite
other two friends of Steve in this interview namely, Heidi Roizen and Emily Brower Auchard.
This interview will really be very helpful for so many young boys and girls who often feel
demotivated and discouraged in life. They will get a huge motivation from the motivation and
the success tips that will be shared by Steve Jobs. Right from the early days of his childhood, he
had a huge interest in the electronics and gadgets. He realized that all the computers that are in
the market are very mainstream and something needs to be done about them. He worked very
hard to find out the company Apple. He co-created it and he gave h8ge effort in finding out this
company. Though this company revealed at its height it was not really a cake walk for Steve.
There were some drawbacks to him that made his employees dislike him. It was for this reason

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that he was fired from Apple by the board of directors. He was not only fired but it was kind of
banishment for him. Apple was his own creation and was like his baby who had dumped him.
However, he did not lose hope. Soon after thus he led the foundation of NeXT, and this was also
a very good invention. As per the opinion of his friends, Jobs was very supportive and he noticed
everything. He had huge competitors like the IBM. However, he knew how to keep up with his
spirit and his moral strength. He says that no one just gives up their open ideas or opinions just
for the intrusions that they face from others.
“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” – Steve Jobs
However, at the same time, he talks about building a good team. He was a believer in the
power of mutual cooperation and trust. He himself was not a very social or friendly person. He
had the very limited number of friends but good friends. This was as per the onion if his friends
as well. He liked making friends with fewer people but at the same time, the made sure that those
few people are his true friends. He even suggested all the youngsters to never lose faith in them
and also to believe in their passion. This legend breathed his last at the age of 56 years but his
name has become unforgettable in the history of technology (Olson, 2016).

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Interviewing is a very essential aspect of the modern day scenario. The interview is
important or the purpose of bringing many unknown facts in front of the world. Interviews are
important as they help in making the information available to people. Interviews are an important
part and parcel of each sphere of life. It is seen in schools, colleges, job interviews and also in the
columns of the newspapers and the television shows as well. However, conducting interviews is
a very important task. This is because not every interviewer makes a good preparation before
conducting the interview. Often the interviewers also are not very well versed with the principles
or the proper ways in which they are to conduct the interview.
Soon after completing the studies the students have to step into their job lives and it is for
getting a good job that they have to appear for interviews. However, it is a very important fact to
note that for a successful and sound interview there are certain principles that are to be followed
both by the interviewers and the interviewees (Manzano, 2016). As the process of interviews is
becoming so popular there are also so many shows coming up on the television and also on the
internet or the YouTube that is mainly featured on how people can appear in an interview and
crack then interview with flying colors. However, there are also tips for the ones who are
conducting the interviews. Interviews are of many types. Some of them are a stressed interview,
behavioral interview, job interview, problem-solving interviews and many other such kinds. The
journalists and the reporter often conduct interviews with some of the very well known and
famous personalities. It is indeed a big responsibility (Miller, 2015). Such interviews are n it only
viewed by many people on their television or on other electronic gadgets but there are also so
many people present at the auditorium where the interview is being carried on (Yakovenko et al.,
2015). The reporters often interview people, who are film stars, sportspersons, ministers, tech
giants or many other such people. There has to be a good persuasive technique that must be

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followed by the interviewers. Persuasion is indeed very important because the celebrities have to
be persuaded to answer the questions. The interviewers have to keep in mind that the questions
that they are asking the interviewees must not be violating the personal space or the privacy of
the same. A very common feature that we see is the film stars getting angry on the reporters
because of the questions that are asked of them. So the interviewers have to keep in mind that
there are certain rules and certain principles of interviewing that they are obliged to follow.
There are some techniques or some principles of interviewing that the interviewers must follow
in order to make it a very peaceful process both for themselves, the persons whom they are
interviewing and also for the viewers who are watching them (Klein, 2015).
Apart from this, the principles or the principles of I reviewing is also very important for
the purpose of selecting the right candidate for the right job. These principles of interviewing are
to be followed so that the recruiter can make an evaluation of the merit and the capabilities of the
interviewee. The human resources managers and the recruiters are hired for the purpose of
conducting the interviews and selecting the employees who would deliver good production for
the company in the long run. It is for this reason that the interview has to be carried on in the
right way by keeping in mind all the techniques and the principles of interviewing. Dome of
principles of interviewing are
Determining the objectives
In case of any job or employment-related interviews, the interviewer has to make sure
that they are c.ear about the employment objectives. They have to develop a good content for the
interview right from the beginning. If they have a good knowledge of the objectives been he will
be able to conduct the same in the best way. They know the need and the objectives so they can

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interview the candidates properly. For an instance, if the interview is for the post of a teacher, the
interviewer will know how to evaluate the interview and will ask the subject related questions
and will ask them to take a practice teaching session (Reich & Barnoy 2016). Similarly, if the
interview is with any famous personality like that of Steve Jobs, the interviewer has to be very
gentle, informed and organized (Roulin, Bangerter & Levashina, 2014). The interviewer has to
first introduce himself and welcomes the interview with a warm welcomed. He will have to be
very careful about the questions that set for the interview and the way he deals the entire session
(Newton, 2017).
Learn about the interviewee in advance
This is indeed a very important principle of interviewing. The interviewer has to have a
very transparent and thorough idea about the interviewees properly. If the interviewer is not
having a clear idea then he or she will be wasting their and the time of the interviewee (Yoffie &
Cusumano, 2015). They have to use all the relevant and the useful information that they are
getting from the resume, CV or any other such sources. Same is the case with the interviewers
taking the interviews with many famous personalities like any sports person, misters or any such
famous tech giants and entrepreneurs like that of Steve Jobs. Such interviews are indeed of a
very big importance as they are viewed by many people. The audiences belong to all the
different age groups. Any interviews taking place with any famous business person or any
entrepreneurs are usually viewed by people of the age group who are working as the
entrepreneurs, by the youngsters who are aspiring to work in the path of being successful and
good business entrepreneurs (Manzano, 2016).
Planning of the interview

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This is a very important and essential principle that needs to be followed by the
interviewers. Unless then interview is planned beforehand the interviewers will not know the
background information o the persons they for interviewing properly. They will also not have the
questions prepared. They will be in a huge mess. Else, they might end up asking some questions
that are not suitable. Particularly when the person they are interviewing is of a very high profile
or of a very high status, then the planning must be made from the beginning. Even if the
interviewer is of quite long experience then he has to prepare a questionnaire so that there is no
problem at the final time (Roulin, Bangerter & Levashina, 2014).
Keep a constructive attitude
This is also the very essential principle of the interview. The attitude of the interviewer is
of a matter of a great deal. It is he who has to maintain a very good and friendly environment
throughout the session of the interview. Particularly for any fresher or any new interviewer, it is
indeed of a huge importance. They cannot have a very unprepared or an unfriendly kind of
attitude. This will have a huge negative impact on the interviewer and also on the entire
audience. So they must be thorough with the do(s) and don’t(s). This will really help them a
great deal to ease the situation for himself and for the interviewer as well.
Building an interview framework
It has to be kept in mind that each and every interview must have a proper structure or a
proper framework. There are different kinds of interviews that need the interviewer to have many
different kinds of approaches. It is for this reason that the interviewer must make a framework
whether it is a stress interview or it is going to have the buddy approach. The interviewer also
has to know about the interviewee and the way he is going to present that person. He has to

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include in his framework whether the interviewee is for sale, like in case of listening to the
success story of any newly launched movie star. For an instance, if it is the interview with a
famous tech giant who is a great inspiration to all, then there has to be a different kind of
approach. So, making a framework is very essential and is always very helpful (Greene, 2017).
Listen before talking
This is a very important principle that must be followed by each and every interviewer.
They must let the interviewee speak for most of the time. They must keep it in mind that they
must limit themselves to a certain point and must not keep on making the situation very tough for
the interviewee. They must listen to what the interviewee is saying and then go onto the next
question (Olson, 2016).
So, it can be said that there are some very important principles of interviewing that must
be followed. The interviewers must be wise enough to make a good preparation before they are
about to start the interview. It will be very good for them if they take a close look at the life and
the achievements of the person that they are interviewing. This will help them to stay informed
and frame their questions accordingly. They must also frame their questions that do not hurt the
interviewee in any way.

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References
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Bushnell, N., & Stone, G. (2014). Finding the Next Steve Jobs: How to Find, Keep, and Nurture
Talent. Simon and Schuster.
Greene, R. R. (2017). The social work interview: Legacy of Carl Rogers and Sigmund Freud. In
Human Behavior Theory (pp. 35-54). Routledge.
Klein, S. (2015). Steve Jobs and philosophy: For those who think different (Vol. 89). Open
Court.
Lakin, P. (2015). Steve Jobs: thinking differently. Simon and Schuster.
Ma, Y. (2016). An essay anthology: Considerations of Steve Jobs, Apple Computer, and
knowledge gleaned during a Master of Business Administration degree program
(Doctoral dissertation, The University of West Alabama).
Manzano, A. (2016). The craft of interviewing in realist evaluation. Evaluation, 22(3), 342-360.
Miller, D. (2015). A downside to the entrepreneurial personality?.
Newton, V. L. (2017, March). ‘It's good to be able to talk’: An exploration of the complexities of
participant and researcher relationships when conducting sensitive research. In Women's
Studies International Forum (Vol. 61, pp. 93-99). Pergamon.

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Olson, K. (2016). Essentials of qualitative interviewing. Routledge.
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SAGE handbook of digital journalism studies, 477-493.
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Gates, Andy Grove, and Steve Jobs. HarperBusiness.