Interview Tips #4: Put Your Interviewee at Ease

Take the time before an interview to put your interviewee at ease. It will make a huge difference to the outcome of the interview.

There are a number of ways to do this:

• Brief them on the general outline of the interview. If they ask for questions beforehand, supply them with your questions or your plan for the flow of the interview but explain that these are not rigid. An interview based on set questions alone can sound very dull and boring, especially if you have both been “practising” ahead of the event.
• Chat with them a little before you start recording. Factor-in a little “getting to know you” time.
• Make sure they are comfortable with the equipment. Explain what you are doing and how you are recording and take some test audio for levels etc.

All these will also help you feel at ease too. Having two relaxed people talking together will make for a more natural interview.

Of course, there are some people who are experienced at being interviewed and you will need to judge how much time to give them beforehand – you don’t want to waste their time if they are ready to launch straight into it.

Another lesson from my radio days: I discovered very quickly that if I was uptight and nervous about an interview it usually made my guests very nervous too. I remember once being stuck in traffic on my way to the radio station and arriving with barely 5 minutes to go until the start of the show (which I was covering for the regular presenter).

One of the first items in the show was a sponsored slot with local chefs coming in, sharing their favourite recipes, and actually cooking in the studio. I raced in all harassed and tried to grab everything I needed while greeting the chef and trying to explain the format. I knew that in my stressed state I was making it worse for him and was running the risk of creating havoc for the interview – imagine Moules Marinere being cooked live on-air by a chef who is all flustered because I am. But I just couldn’t calm down. I was usually well-prepared for my shows and always arrived at least an hour ahead to ensure things went smoothly.

This was one of those occasions when everything could have gone wrong, but because the chef was experienced at interviews and cooking under pressure he breezed through it and helped me relax as well.

I was so aware of how unprofessional I had been and how lucky I was to have him as my guest that day – raising the standards of the show on my behalf – that I made a huge apology to him later.

You may not have someone so experienced so you will need to relax or at least create an aura of relaxation, even if you are churning with nerves inside.

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