You open your email and see a subject line that has the potential to fill you with dread, excitement, apprehension or all of the above: “Interview Request.” This is usually accompanied by an email requesting your expertise on a given topic. While it may be nerve-wracking to sit in for an interview, there’s always a reason you’re the person getting that email — you’re an expert on a niche subject. After accepting the request, you may be asking yourself, “Now what?” Giving the perfect interview isn’t nearly as daunting as it sounds. Below are tips to tackle your first interview or home in on your existing interview skills.
- Outline Your Responses
There’s nothing worse than being asked a question and completely blanking. Ensure you don’t suddenly forget your name or job description by writing out your responses ahead of time. Our team at Innovative sends interviewees questions ahead of the interview, so that you have ample time to prepare. We suggest reviewing the questions and writing out a couple of bullet points for each one. This will help keep you on track during the interview!
- Be Concise but Detailed
Consider what the focus of the article is and who the magazine’s target audience is. Do your responses stay on topic or are they veering off into irrelevant territory? Providing long responses that don’t align with the article’s subject can make it more difficult for the writer to parse everything together. Yet, not giving enough details can make it difficult for the writer to expand on the topic and write a full article. Have clear, focused talking points and be as detailed as possible. We also recommend fleshing out potential quotes that could be incorporated. If there’s anything to note that wasn’t touched on during your discussion, the end of the interview is a great time to circle back and address anything you’d like to add.
- Make Sure You’re Heard
As a writer, the two worst things that happen are hearing your own voice in a recording and not being able to hear your interviewee. Any distorted audio or background noise impacts our ability to understand you. Taking your interview while you’re driving, eating or in a crowded area is a recipe for a disastrous transcription. When you take your phone or Zoom interview, make sure you’re in a closed room. On Zoom, you can eliminate background noise by going to your settings, selecting “audio” and turning on “background noise suppression.” Talk clearly and enunciate as much as possible. It’s always OK to pause, clarify points or even repeat as you go.
- Learning About Your Industry
We write a lot of articles for various industries that we’re not directly a part of, which is why we want to amplify experts in those fields. If you plan to use any specific industry jargon or touch on topics that someone outside of your industry might lack knowledge of, it’s always a good idea to explain exactly what you mean and know there will likely be follow-up questions. Keeping in mind that the writer is outside of your industry helps us better understand each other, and it makes the article impactful to a wider readership.
Interviews can seem daunting, but following the above tips will ensure your interview is stress-free and a success. It’s also always OK to email the article writer and ask any clarifying questions or for any pointers. We’re here to help you as much as you’re here to help us.
Jessica Sears is an editor at Innovative Publishing. Reach her at jessica@innovativepublishing.com.
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