You Talkin’ to Me?

Successful interviewing entails listening, not just asking. I was reminded of this simple fact recently when I interviewed Graham Fenton, starring as Frankie Valli in the national touring company of "Jersey Boys," which is coming to Orlando in May.

I asked him about the nerve-wracking audition process he endured (including singing for Frankie Valli himself) and he started off by saying he first heard of the auditions in Miami when he was living in Orlando. Viola! Instant local connection. I made sure I followed up on that tidbit and that connection became my lede paragraph.

Moral of the story? If I had been so myopically focused on my next question that nifty little nugget likely would have escaped my radar.

5 Tips I’ve Learned for Successful Interviewing

List your questions -- and then some. Make sure you have "backup" questions in case the interviewee's responses are curt, shrinking your half hour interview session to 20 minutes. That's a lot of time to fill.

Prepare. Bring extra batteries and tapes for the recorder. Have pens and a pad on hand to take notes.

Observe. If the interview takes place in the person's office or home, jot down your impressions of the surroundings. It'll give you insight into their character, perspective, motivation.

Clarify. If something is unclear, don't be afraid to ask for clarification, spelling, context, definition, whatever.

Give thanks. Be sure to follow up your interview with a simple thank you, no more than two days afterward. You'll shine as thorough and professional -- and they'll appreciate it.