Conducting Interviews

[In The News]

Some journalists will tell you interviewing sources for a story is like riding a bike. Once you’ve got the hang of it, you’re good for life.

But that’s not necessarily true. Whether you’re new to journalism or a seasoned pro, there’s always room to improve your interview skills as a journalist. 

How to conduct a good interview as a journalist

Below, we highlight top interview tips for journalists who are interviewing sources.

1. Research the topic and your subject

---

Before any interview, it’s essential you research the topic of the interview and your subject.

Ideally, you researched the topic ahead of securing your interview, ensuring your subject is a good fit to speak on the matter. No need to become a subject matter expert—that’s the interviewee’s role—but you want to know enough to be able to ask good questions. (More on that soon.)

It’s also important to research your subject. Survey their online presence. It doesn’t hurt to see where else they’ve been quoted and on what topics.

Lauren Anderson, a staff writer at Showbiz Cheat Sheet, shares a pro tip: “Check their social media in the days/hours leading up to your interview,” she says. “This gives you something to talk about to break the ice.”

2. Determine how you’ll do the interview

---

In journalism school, you’ll learn that in-person interviews are ideal. However, sometimes that’s not possible—or doesn’t make the most sense. Other options include video interviews, phone interviews, or email interviews. Note that it’s best to avoid email interviews when possible unless it’s a quick one-two question. Why? It’s difficult to develop a natural rapport and naturally follow up with questions. Plus, you’ll likely get more canned responses from your subject.

When you reach out to the source, establish the method of interview. If you don’t feel strongly between, say, a video and phone interview, it’s a nice courtesy to give them the option.

Once you’ve established the method, send them any relevant information (e.g., an address, your phone number, a Zoom link, etc.).

If the event is in several days, you can also send them a calendar invite. This will add the event to your calendar and theirs. With Zoom interviews, add your phone number to the calendar invite in case anything goes awry with the link or platform.

3. Set expectations

---

When you make contact with a source, set expectations. Explain what you’re working on and why you’d like to speak to them. This gives the source a chance to think about the subject of the interview beforehand. However, do note that journalists won’t typically send their subjects a set of questions before an interview.

You’ll also want to give your source a time estimate. For instance, you can simply say, “The interview shouldn’t take more than 45 minutes.” This sets the source’s expectations and helps ensure the interview won’t get cut short.

Finally, explain any follow-up steps at this time. For instance, you can say, “After the interview, my assistant editor will follow up for a quick fact-check to ensure everything is accurate.”

4. Consider your interview questions

---

When going into an interview, you don’t want to read off a list of set questions, but you do want to have several key questions ready to ask. These are questions you know you need to ask in order to thoroughly report your story.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you brainstorm these questions:

• Ask open-ended questions versus closed-ended questions. Open-ended questions are more broad whereas closed-ended questions may simply elicit a “yes” or “no” response. Here’s an example of an open-ended question: How did it feel when you lost the election? Here’s an example of a closed-ended question: Did you feel disappointed when you lost the election?
• Ask for specific examples or numbers. It’s always best to show versus tell. The more specific, the better.
• End any interview by asking, “Is there anything else important that we haven’t covered?” This gives the source a chance to share any additional information. Sometimes you’ll get a simple, “Nope!” But other times you’ll get some good information or a strong quote. If you’re looking for more sources to interview, you can also ask: “Is there anyone else I should speak with about this?” The source may be able to point you to your next interview.

5. Start with the basics

---

When it comes time for the interview, start with the basics. This has two purposes: 1. You want to confirm certain information is accurate, and 2. You’ll get your source warmed up and feel more comfortable before launching into the interview.

Ask them to spell their name and confirm their job title (don’t be afraid to ask, “What exactly does that mean?”), the name of their company and any additional background information.

Pro tip: If their age is relevant to the article, ask for their birthday. The article may be published later on, so you’ll want to ensure their age will still be accurate.

6. Actively listen and ask follow-up questions

---

Here’s another interview tip from Lauren: “Don’t just ask questions—actively listen to your subject’s response and be prepared to react with potentially another question.”

You’ll have your set of questions as you go into an interview, but always expect to ask follow-up questions. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on important details.

Active listening is key here. Don’t get distracted typing (or writing down) your source’s every word. If it helps you focus on the conversation, consider recording the interview. You’ll still want to take some notes, and, if it’s a long interview, you’ll want to note important timestamps. Even so, recording the interview will free you up a bit to listen.

If you decide to record the interview, always ask for your subject’s permission. You can explain it’ll help you more actively take part in the conversation. More often than not, they won’t care.

For more ethical considerations around interviewing, review the Online News Association’s interviewing guide.

7. Take the lead

---

As the interviewer, you’re in charge, so it’s your job to steer the conversation and keep it on track.

“Be mindful of ramblers,” Lauren advises. “Don’t be afraid to cut an answer off if you have what you need and move on to another question, especially if you’re limited on time.”

If you find the conversation veering in the wrong direction, remind the source of the purpose of the conversation before reiterating your previous question or moving to the next.

8. Avoid talking about yourself

---

An interview is a two-way conversation, but it’s really focused on your source.

Although it may be tempting to chime in with a personal story or opinion, limit it. It can be great to establish that common ground and rapport at the beginning of the interview, but once you’re in it, stay focused on what your subject has to say.

9. Ask the hard questions

---

As you build a relationship with your interviewee, you may feel hesitant to throw the more difficult questions their way, but that’s your job.

“Don’t be afraid to ask the hard questions,” Lauren explains. “Your subject expects you to and so does your audience.”

Challenge assumptions by asking, “how did you know that?” Ask follow-up questions for more details. Ask questions again but in a different way.

You have an obligation to your readers to get the facts.

10. Be comfortable with awkward pauses

---

During your interview, become comfortable with awkward silences. 

“If you ask a tough question, leave room for that awkward pause,” Lauren says. “It could get you the answer you seek.”

Even if it’s not a tough question but your source gives you a brief answer, wait a few seconds before moving on to the next question. They may feel the need to fill the silence with additional information or think of something they’d forgotten.

11. Respect their time

---

If the interview is going longer than you anticipated, acknowledge it. Ask the interviewee if they have, say, 10 more minutes. This is a nice courtesy.

If they don’t have extra time, do your best to wrap up the interview or ask your source the best way and time to follow up. You may be able to finish up the conversation via text or email. (See more on this under No.13.)

12. Show gratitude

---

As you finish your interview, thank your subject for their time. This is a simple enough step, but it goes a long way.

13. Follow up

---

Before your interview concludes, ask your source how they prefer you to follow up. You may have additional questions emerge as you continue to report, or you may want to fact-check, so it’s nice to know the best, most convenient way to reach back out. They might prefer text or email—be sure you have that contact information on hand. You can also provide them with your contact information and encourage them to reach out if they think of anything else they’d like to include or share.

Finally, once the article goes live, follow up with your source one more time and send them a link via email. This is a great final opportunity to thank them for their time, and bonus points: They may share the article on their social channels.

14. Save their contact information

---

Did you find a valuable source? Save their contact information!

Create a Google Sheet and save their name, contact information, area of expertise, and contact preferences. As you build up contacts, continue to expand this database.

Need more sources for a story? The Society of Professional Journalists has a helpful resource for finding expert sources in their Journalist’s Toolbox.

You’ll thank yourself in the future when you’re looking for an expert to quote!

Want to tap into more resources for journalists? Check out interviews with pros and get to know top journalists in different industries over on the Muck Rack blog.

The above article at was first published at muckrack.com and written by Carson Kohler, a writer, and editor based in Arlington, Virginia. She’s been writing for the web since 2016 when she graduated with an M.A. in journalism from the University of Missouri

View the full article