Interviewing Skills

How Using the “Platinum Rule” will Help You Be A Better Interviewer

What We Will Cover

• What is an Interview

• Anatomy of an Interview

• How to do an Interview

Defining It

• French root– See each other

• Conversation with a purpose

• Able to answer this question:– “What is the point of the interview”?

Be SMART

• Specific

• Measurable

• Attainable

• Realistic

• Time based

Example Objective Statement

The objective of each interview I conduct will be to gather enough information from the defendant [REALISTIC] to show the defendant how s/he can pay in full today or at minimum make a down payment today. [SPECIFIC] During the course of the interview [TIME BASED] I will ask for payment in full and if refused require a down payment be made in lieu of payment in full. [ATTAINABLE] I will do this at least three times during the interview [MEASURABLE] before accepting the defendant’s refusal and negotiating a payment plan.

Definition of a Good Interview

One in which the interviewer (CI) talks only 25% of the time.

Quiz Time

• Skills for Successful Interviews

Anatomy of an Interview

• Prepare

• Build Rapport

• Gather Information

• Conclude the Interview

Anatomy of an Interview-Prepare

• Make the interview easy & enjoyable• Review your objectives• Have answers ready for typical excuses• Know your resources• Schedule follow-up• Be persistent• Rehearse your opening lines to build

confidence

Anatomy of an Interview-Prepare

• Major Points to Cover at Beginning of the Interview

– Information about yourself & your court

– Your objectives

– How much time you’ll be together

– Method for meeting your objectives

Anatomy of an Interview-Prepare

• Remember the following– Eye contact

– Power of silence

– Listen, listen, listen

– Respect & Curiosity

– Breath

Anatomy of an Interview-Prepare

The beginning of the interview is the most important part. It’s where you’ll make the process either long and uncomfortable or efficient and pleasant. In the first few seconds people make decisions about you, your court and their ability to work with you. If you create comfort and gain commitment to participate in the first few seconds you’ll be able to move forward with your plan. You do this by knowing the person you’re interviewing and that person’s communication style and therefore how you’ll begin in a way that makes him/her comfortable.

Anatomy of an Interview-Rapport Building

• First few minutes of the interview are the most critical

• Need to establish rapport before interviewing

• Use an ice breaker

• Small Talk

• Comprehensive Introduction Questions

Example Comprehensive Introduction Question

We believe that the more information we can obtain about your financial circumstances, the better able we will be to find a solution that meets everyone’s need. I would therefore, like to have you tell me why you feel you can’t pay in full today?

Anatomy of an Interview-Gathering Information

• Use open-ended questions– Rephrasing– Laundry list

• Positive Reinforcement– Positively phrasing questions

• Assume consent– Assume the defendant is willing to respond to

all of your questions

Anatomy of an Interview-Concluded the Interview

Major Points to Cover

• Let the defendant know what will happen with the information after the interview

• Make sure each side knows their responsibilities

• Gain commitment from the defendant for what he/she will do next

“Platinum Rule”

Technique to use when learning how to interview

“Platinum Rule”

What is it

“Do unto others as they would have

you do unto them”.

“Platinum Rule”

• Three things to know to use it

1. Your own way of communications

2. Quickly recognizing others’ way of communication

3. How to modify your own communications to adapt to others communications

Discover Your Communication Style

• This brief assay will help you determine your most comfortable way of communicating

How the 4 styles are derived

• Assertiveness– A measure of the degree

to which a person influences other people by what he or she says. At one end of the axis is Tell Assertive: these people tell what they think. At the other end is Ask Assertive: these people ask others’ thoughts before telling their own thoughts.

• Responsiveness– A measure of the degree to

which a person responds to other people’s comments. At one end of the axis is Control Responsive: these people use factual, precise words, their body language is reserved and their facial expressions stay the same no matter the topic. At the other end is Emote Responsive: these people convey what they think with facial expressions, colorful words with lots of adjectives and very open body language.

How the 4 styles are derived

Driver Attributes

• Focus on one thing at a time and talk about one point at a time

• Make use of schedules, agendas, “to-do” lists

• Thinks in the immediate present

• Uses primarily nouns & verbs

• Can appear rude, hard, cold

• Rarely speaks about personal things

Expressive Attributes

• Jump from thought to thought

• Appears to never finish anything or any topic

• Uses lots of adjectives & adverbs

• Makes wide arm movements

• Welcomes your participation in their thinking & problem-solving process

Amiable Attributes

• Uses descriptive sentences

• Speaks very calmly & slowly

• Asks lots of questions about what other people think or how they did things

• Takes a long time to make decisions

• Faces of amiables are very expressive

• Has a hard time saying no

Analytical Attributes

• Uses precise, specific words and facts, figures, reason & logic

• Likes lots of information• Wants to make a perfect

decision• Has a hard time with things

that are new or changes• Asks for lots of information• Rarely speaks about personal

matters• Speaks deliberately, obviously

choosing their words carefully• Appears calm in any interview• Rarely shows outward

enthusiasm

Recognizing Styles

• Can you recognize which communication style is being used from these phrases we’ve all heard before.

Wrap-Up

• Defined an Interview

• Looked at the anatomy of an Interview

• Learned the “Platinum Rule” as a guide on how to Interview