Tuesday, February 3, 2009

Stuff That Makes a Great Interview

DESIGN PRINCIPLES:

1. Be Polite. Even if the interviewer harbors a deep personal hatred for the interviewee, retaining good manners will allow for barbed questions and comments that will not be sufficient for the subject to challenge outright, thus causing the interviewee to grow flustered, frustrated, lose their cool, and make it much easier for the interviewer to extract the required information. This interview demonstrates exemplary execution of this principle - the interviewer can be seen speaking courteously to a person devoid of higher brain function (Sarah Palin).

2. Keep digging until you receive a satisfactory answer. Note that this "digging" can be done with either a 20 pound maul or a razor sharp trowel (or anything in between), according to the preferences of the interviewer. A good example of this principle in action is this Sarah Palin interview. You can see the interviewer digging with what I might describe as a medium-weight shovel until the interviewee is practically forced to admit that she cannot name a newspaper.

3. Keep the interviewee on their toes trying to guess where your next blow will fall, regardless of the preferred approach. Adhering to the tenants of guerilla warfare will ensure that your questions fall on the interviewee's metaphorical underbelly. The previously cited interview of Sarah Palin also happens to fit this third design principle like a tailored glove on a petroleum jelly smeared hand. Obviously Sarah Palin was not expecting to be asked what newspaper she read, or she would have taken the 5 minutes necessary to find out (or make one up).


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