HOW TO GET THE BEST INTERVEW

I learned early on in my career that if you want to get the maximum information out of an interview, it pays to do them in person.  Besides listening to the answers, you can also see the interviewee’s body language as they respond to the questions.  You can’t see that in a telephone interview.  Plus, just like Detective Columbo from the old TV show, when something pops into your head as your going out the door, you can ask "Just one more question."  It’s hard to do that after you’ve hung up the phone.  It’s also important not to leap into the interview right away.  Try to find some common link that can break down the investigator/interviewee formality and make it a person to person talk. Comment on the flower garden, the military picture on the mantel frame or the caged parrot in the living room.  Try to get the prospective interviewee to talk about something that interests them.  I’ll talk for 10 minutes or more on something interesting in the interviewee’s house or office before I begin the interview.  I’ve had bricklayers show me how to lay brick, former high school football players show me the proper 3 point football stance, and little old ladies show me how to tame a parrot.  Everybody likes to feel important, and by letting them talk about something that interests them, you are building a bond.  Once you segue into the interview, they're already relaxed and comfortable with you.  The conversation will just flow, and so will the information.