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5. Interview Structure

OPENING OF INTERVIEW STRUCTURING

  • Every interview has some degree of structure, determined by:
    • Purpose
    • Types of interview (survey, recruiting, persuasion, counseling)
    • Length
    • Complexity
  • Yet fundamental principles and techniques apply to all.
  • Three major parts of an interview: Opening, Body, Closing.
  • The content covers how to plan, conduct, and close interviews effectively, plus how to design interview guides and schedules.

THREE MAJOR PARTS OF AN INTERVIEW

  • Opening
  • Body interview
  • Closing
  • Each part is essential for successful information gathering and relationship management

OPENING INTERVIEW

THE FEW SECONDS/MINUTES ARE CRITICAL

  • First impressions set the tone for the rest of the interaction
  • Opening influences how both parties perceive themselves and the situation
  • Opening should be a dialogue, not a monologue; avoid interruptions

TWO STEPS IN OPENING

  • 1) Orienting the other party
  • 2) Establishing rapport

ESTABLISH RAPPORT

  • Rapport is the process of establishing and sustaining a relationship between interviewer and interviewee by creating goodwill and trust
  • May begin with self-introduction or a simple greeting, plus appropriate nonverbal actions, and proceed to personal inquiries
  • Use appropriate verbal and nonverbal rapport-building techniques

ORIENTING THE OTHER PARTY

  • Explain the purpose, length, and nature of the interview
  • Explain how the information will be used
  • Explain why and how the interviewee was selected
  • Ensure orientation is mutual so both sides know what to expect
  • Aim to reduce relational uncertainty

VERBAL OPENING TECHNIQUES

1) STATE THE PURPOSE: Explain why the interview is conducted; sometimes withhold a specific purpose to elicit honest responses or prevent defensiveness
2) SUMMARIZE A PROBLEM: Useful when the interviewee is unaware or vague about a problem; should inform, not fill the body of the interview
3) EXPLAIN HOW A PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED: Be honest about sources; avoid putting the interviewee on the defensive
4) OFFER AN INCENTIVE OR REWARD: Can be effective but must be meaningful and appropriate; may risk credibility if overused in certain contexts
5) REQUEST FOR ADVICE OR ASSISTANCE: Be sincere; need should be clear and interviewee should be able to satisfy it
6) REFER TO THE KNOWN POSITION OF THE INTERVIEWEE: Identify the interviewee’s position; ensure the position is accurately understood
7) REFER TO THE PERSON WHO SENT YOU TO THE INTERVIEWEE: Only if you have permission to name them
8) REFER TO YOUR ORGANIZATION: Often done to indicate representation
9) REQUEST A SPECIFIC AMOUNT OF TIME: Propose a realistic time frame (e.g., more than 5–10 minutes) and offer a continuation option
10) ASK A QUESTION – avoid closed questions answered with a simple yes/no
11) USE A COMBINATION – make it a dialogue; involve the interviewee

NONVERBAL OPENING TECHNIQUES

  • TERRITORIALITY: use a respectful approach to space and boundaries
  • FACE, APPEARANCE, DRESS: contribute to first impressions (neatness, maturity, professionalism)
  • TOUCH: handshake or appropriate touch in established relationships
  • READING NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION: cultural differences in nonverbal cues; avoid over-reading nonverbal signals

BODY INTERVIEW

STEPS TO MAKE A BODY INTERVIEW A CLEAR PURPOSE

  • 1st STEP: Decide the INTERVIEW SCHEDULE
  • 2nd STEP: Outline SEQUENCE (Outline Sequence)
  • 3rd STEP: Make an Interview Guide, NOT a list of questions, by arranging OUTLINE
  • 4th STEP: Decide the QUESTION SEQUENCE
  • 5th STEP: Make a list of QUESTIONS
  • 6th STEP: Do the interview

OUTLINE SEQUENCE

  • An interview guideline is an outline; to impose a clear, systematic structure you decide the OUTLINE SEQUENCE
  • Outline sequences can be based on:
    • TOPICAL: follows natural divisions of a topic or issue; traditional journalist’s guide 5W1H (what, who, when, where, why, how)
    • TIME: treats topic in chronological order
    • SPACE: arranges topics according to spatial divisions (left-to-right, top-to-bottom)
    • CAUSE-TO-EFFECT: addresses causes and effects
    • PROBLEM-SOLUTION: consists of a problem phase and a solution phase

DEVELOPING THE INTERVIEW GUIDE

1) Decide major information topics you need (topics to discuss)
2) Place plausible subtopics under each major topic (specifics under each topic)
3) Determine if there are important subtopics of subtopics (further detail)

  • FYI: Selection of areas and subtopics determines which sequences are most appropriate, but it’s not unusual to employ more than one outline sequence
  • EXAMPLE: Exploratory Karawaci GUIDELINE INTERVIEW
    • Topic: Place to eat
    • Subtopic: heavy meals, snacks
    • Topic: Recreation places
    • Subtopic: youth recreation spots, most famous outdoor activities
    • Topic: Sports venues

INTERVIEW GUIDE GUIDELINES FOR GROUP DISCUSSION/TASK

  • TASK: Create a simple interview guide from topics already determined

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE TYPES

  • After completing an interview guide, decide if additional structuring/preparation is needed
  • An interview schedule helps decide whether to use the guide in interview or transform all/part of the guide into questions
  • Types of Interview Schedule:
    • A nonscheduled interview
    • A moderately scheduled interview
    • A highly scheduled interview
    • A highly scheduled standardized interview

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE: NONSCHEDULED INTERVIEW

  • Merely an interview guide with no questions prepared in advance
  • Appropriate when interview is brief, interviewees and information levels differ significantly, the information area is extremely broad, or there is little preparation time
  • Provides unlimited freedom to probe answers; most flexible, but difficult to replicate across interviews
  • Likely to produce interviewer bias

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE: MODERATELY SCHEDULED INTERVIEW

  • Contains all major questions with possible probing questions under each
  • Phrasing becomes questions; sentences/phrases in the guide become items to ask
  • Allows freedom to probe into answers and adapt to different interviewees
  • Imposes greater structure than nonscheduled; aids recording and replication
  • Reduces dangers of instant question creation

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE: HIGHLY SCHEDULED INTERVIEW

  • Includes all questions and the exact wording for each interviewee
  • No unplanned probing, word changes, or schedule deviation
  • Easy to replicate and conduct; takes less time than nonscheduled/moderately scheduled
  • Sacrifices flexibility for control
  • Probing questions must be planned

INTERVIEW SCHEDULE: HIGHLY SCHEDULED STANDARDIZED INTERVIEW

  • Most thoroughly planned and structured
  • All questions and answer options stated in identical words to every interviewee
  • No straying from the schedule by either party
  • Easiest to conduct, record, tabulate, and replicate
  • Necessary for precision, replicability, and reliability
  • Respondents have no chance to explain, amplify, qualify, or question answer options
  • Example: Which of the following solutions to our energy dependence problem do you feel has the best potential for immediate impact? A. Biofuels B. Wind C. Nuclear energy

REMEMBER: COMBINED SCHEDULES

  • Consider a strategic combination of schedule types
  • Combined schedules enable interviewers to satisfy multiple needs
  • Consider the advantages and disadvantages of schedule types

STRUCTURAL OPTIONS: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES (FIGURE 4.1)

  • Structural options affect breadth and depth of potential information, degree of precision, reproducibility, and reliability
  • They influence interviewer control, required interviewee skill, freedom to adapt, and amount of preinterview preparation
  • Types include: Nonscheduled, Moderately Scheduled, Highly Scheduled, Highly Scheduled Standardized

STEPS TO MAKE A BODY INTERVIEW (RECAP)

  • Decide the Question Sequence
  • Do the interview
  • Make a list of questions

QUESTION SEQUENCE TYPES

  • A sequence is a series of similar questions (open or closed) used to elicit information, attitudes, reactions, and intentions
  • Common in polls, surveys, journalistic interviews, and medical interviews
    1) TUNNEL SEQUENCE
  • Begins with broad, open-ended questions and proceeds to more restricted questions
  • Suitable for motivated interviewees; reduces biasing later responses
    2) FUNNEL SEQUENCE
  • Begins with closed questions and moves to open questions
  • Warms up reluctant interviewees; useful to motivate response when topic is new or interviewee is emotionally involved
    3) INVERTED FUNNEL SEQUENCE
  • Begins with open questions, then moves to closed questions, ends with open questions
  • Narrows focus and then broadens again as warranted
    4) THE HOURGLASS SEQUENCE
  • Begins with open questions, proceeds to one or more closed questions, ends with open questions
  • Allows narrowing then expanding as appropriate
    5) THE DIAMOND SEQUENCE
  • Begins with closed questions, moves to open questions, ends with closed questions
    6) THE QUINTAMENSIONAL SEQUENCE
  • Developed by George Gallup; five-step approach
  • Effective for assessing attitudes and beliefs; often used in opinion polls
  • Can be modified to fit specific situations

OPENING: TIME FOR FIRST IMPRESSIONS

  • The opening is critical; what you say/do sets tone for the rest of the interview
  • It should motivate both parties to participate willingly and communicate openly

CLOSING INTERVIEW

SIGNIFICANCE OF CLOSING

  • The closing is a critical stage; affects the current interview and future interactions
  • Take time and be tactful
  • Closing signals termination of the interview but not the relationship; sets expectations for future contacts
  • Express supportiveness to strengthen the relationship and leave a positive impression

CLOSING GUIDELINES

1) Be sincere and honest; avoid promising what you cannot
2) Do not rush the closing; recall the Law of Recency (people remember the last thing)
3) Leave the door open for future contact; if planned, explain what, where, when, why
4) Do not introduce new topics
5) Avoid false closings when the interview is not truly over
6) Avoid failed departures when meeting again shortly after

VERBAL CLOSING TECHNIQUES

1) Offer to answer questions
2) Use clearinghouse questions to ensure topics covered and concerns addressed
3) Declare completion of the intended purpose
4) Make personal inquiries to end pleasantly and enhance relationships
5) Make professional inquiries (more formal than personal)
6) Signal that time is up tactfully
7) Explain the reason for the closing
8) Express appreciation or satisfaction
9) Arrange for the next meeting
10) Summarize the interview

NONVERBAL CLOSING ACTIONS

  • Examples include: straightening up, leaning forward, standing up or moving away, uncrossing legs, placing hands on knees, breaking eye contact, offering to shake hands, making hand movements, smiling, checking a clock

SUMMARY

  • All three parts of each interview—opening, body, and closing—are vital
  • The opening influences self-perception and mutual perception
  • The body must have a careful, logical sequence guiding questions
  • The closing should summarize and shape future interactions

GROUP TASK (TERIMA KASIH) / POST-SESSION ASSIGNMENTS

  • After the session, groups should:
    • 1) Write down the topics/variables to explore through the interview, specify participants, and justify why these variables are important for the participants studied
    • 2) Create a simple interview guide (guildeline) for the interview