by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: May 05, 2009   Last Updated: May 10, 2009

One of the biggest hurdles which face journalists is being able to employ successful interviewing techniques. This allows them access to information, which is the cornerstone upon which any journalistic writing is based. This article covers the different types of approach to interviewing which will be needed by journalists in order to perform effective interviews in whatever field of journalism they choose to work in. The ABC of interviewing is understanding and practicing methods which are long-established and recognized as giving the best results.

*Be informed.
*Have your approach ready.
*Be flexible.
*Arranging the interview.
*Be prepared for the unexpected.
*Dress for the occasion.
*Always be on time.
*Ad lib interviewing techniques.
*Have an effective method of recording data.
*Turning interviews into effective journalistic work.

Be informed.

When approaching anyone with the idea of producing an article, it is essential that you learn about the subject matter you are covering. This helps you to treat your interviewees with respect, and also allows you to be able to ask questions which stimulate answers and which will also be enlightening and helpful to your work. Being informed means knowing a little background, or at least sufficient information to enable you, as a journalist, to have a professional approach. Getting some factual detail concerning an interviewee wrong can change their attitude towards you and give disappointing results. A journalist needs to know their subject, and those who neglect this area of the interviewing skills needed to gain good results, will often fail in their mission.

Have your approach ready.

It is a good idea to formulate the angle which you, as a journalist, are going to use to produce your work. You will, for example, know the kind of publication in which your work will potentially appear, and this helps you to be able to ask the right questions. Approach is vital to the equation. If you have a rough outline of the information you need to complete the assignment, this guides you into the kind of questions you ask, and helps you, as a journalist to glean better results which help you towards your goal.

Be flexible.

Having set in your mind a bit of background information and the manner in which you approach an interview, always bear in mind that during the course of an interview, vital information may result from the talks you have with someone of standing in the given field of your article guidelines. Being flexible

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