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How to Give a Great Interview

By Kelly Margaret Wallace

Chances are if you are getting bored during your interviews, so is the audience and the interviewer.

One of the most common and dreaded (I might add) attachments I am prone to receive as an interviewer, are Questions that either my guest or publicist has diligently typed up thinking that they are being prudent as well as thoughtful of me, the host.

Now don’t get me wrong. I appreciate anything that makes my job easier, a good bio goes a long way, but when it comes to questions, well, I want to ask questions I want to ask!!!. Ones I don’t even KNOW I am going to ask.

You see, I think it’s my job as an interviewer and radio host, to get curious about my guest. I take great pride in reading the books I am sent by authors, and I love to explore the depth of their work, the author behind the book as well as said book might change/help the reader.

I want to ask the question I think my audience wants to know the answers too. I figure that if I am curious and conversational, then my listeners are being entertained as well as educated.

Now Listen UP. There is a big difference between being well prepared for an interview, knowing your material inside out, and just reading answers off a sheet of paper.

The more interviews you do this way, the more you will begin to resent them.

I am often told that my guests had the best time, it was the BEST interview they’ve had so far. What a wonderful host I am, etc.

I believe they feel this way because there is energy in the room. It isn’t the same old same old routine.

Like I said earlier, I have a conversational style that lends itself to opinions, differing points of view, while at the same time, making sure that my guest is the important person in the room and that they are well taken care of. It’s my job to make them look good.

I prefer to engage my guest in a transformational conversation, one that is interesting to all of us, guest, listener and host.

The way I see it, if I am supposed to ask a series of questions that are put in front of me, then I don’t need to listen to the answers. I am just waiting to ask the next question.

I think it’s better for all of us if I Listen to what my guest has to say, and then proceed with curiosity and sincerity to find out more about them.

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