Course:LFS400/Workshops/Interview Skills

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The Sawatsky Method

Sawatsky's "7 Deadly Sins"

1:Asking a non-question

  • To explain this, Sawatsky gives an example of an interviewer who talked to Paul Newman about he death of his son, and said, “that must be a terrible thing.” Newman’s response was, “It’s still there with me,” a quick statement that doesn’t give us depth into how he felt.
    • e.g. "The pipeline is very controversial..."

2:Asking a double-barreled question

  • If you ask two questions at once, one of two things will happen. Either you give the other person the choice of which question to answer and you actually lose control of the interview, or they will combine the questions and you will get an unsatisfactory answer.
  • e.g. "How will you choose the route the pipeline will take and who's going to pay for it?"

3:Overloading your question

  • If you make the subject of your question too big or you put in too many subjects, your question can’t be answered.

4: Putting remarks into your question

  • At best, putting remarks into your questions could distort the answer you get. At worst, it could get a cheap rise out of the other person

5:Including trigger words in your question

  • These are words that are so powerful to an interviewee that they take attention away from the rest of the question and ruin the answer.

6:Including hyperbole in your question

  • If you exaggerate for effect, the interviewee will defend against the exaggeration instead of giving you a meaningful answer.

7: Asking a close-ended question

  • “Yes or no” questions only test your hypothesis, but they don’t lead to genuine discovery.

In summary

  • Ask why or how questions and avoid yes or no answers
  • Give interviewees time to explain themselves
  • Don’t worry about appearing smart

Words of wisdom

Peter Rinearson, The Seattle Times

“One thing I learned early on as a reporter, that it’s a lot better looking stupid to your sources than looking stupid to your readers. Throughout my career I’ve confronted people who have said something to me in a very offhand way as if I should know exactly what they are talking about. And I’ve said, ‘Wait a minute, what are you talking about?’ I think sometimes their esteem for me fell a little bit as a result of asking the question, but I’d much rather have that than having to write around some point to camouflage the fact that I didn’t know what I was talking about or else get it wrong.”

Beaver Attack!

Before the interview

  • Be prepared
    • Equipement
    • Questions
    • Punctuality
  • Plan for your location
  • Be friendly
  • Explain your purpose

During the interview

  • "Why?"
  • Silent response and eye contact
  • Get the interviewee to show you, it may trigger enriched descriptions and anecdotes.
  • Don't worry about flubbing your question. Get the right question
  • On and off the record

At the end of the interview

  • "Is there anything you'd like to add?"
  • Keep the tape running
  • Other people to talk to
  • Ask about follow-ups
  • Thank your interviewee
  • Raw sounds and ambient noise

Examples

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