If you have a date for an interview, you’re probably
so nervous your pores are pouring—water, that is. The nervousness is inevitable for anyone new to the game of interviewing
and I’m not sure it ever goes away.
Of course you’ve read and absorbed the usual
advice: learn about your subject beforehand so you don’t have to waste his time (and yours) asking about date of birth,
location of his childhood exploits, when he first did whatever, and it goes on and on. But here are some questions that might
be handy if things start to slow down:
If you’re interviewing a professional about his
career:
- What’s
the dumbest decision you ever made?
- What
lessons have you learned from a mistake or error in judgment?
- What
inspires you?
- What
motivates you?
- What
traits do you admire in other people?
- What
makes you happy?
- What
personal sacrifices have you made to stay at the top of your profession?
- What
historical figures do you most admire?
- How
do you deal with pressure?
- What
do you hope to accomplish in the next ___ years?
That’s just a few. Now think up some of your
own.
(NCWritertoo is a retired journalist. Write to her
at ncwritertoo@yahoo.com.)