How to Conduct an Interview

Recently, I interviewed renowned Professor Todd Gitlin, at Columbia University, on his involvement in the anti-war movement against the Vietnam War. He was key in organizing over 25,000 college students to attend the March on Washington on April 17, 1965. Other significant protest movements were the Moratorium Project in 1969, where around 250,000 people marched to Washington D.C., and the marches against the Cambodian invasion in 1970. Gitlin says that “lobbying against the war in Washington was quite effective in mobilizing congressional support to unplug the war, to cut off funds for the war.” Just as these protests played a role in convincing the government to withdraw from these conflicts, protests today could have a great impact on governmental action and policy during the Trump era.

I conducted this interview for my Culture and Violence in Southeast Asia class as part of a final project consisting of an essay and a podcast on a topic of my choice. I chose the American protests during the Vietnam War. This interview added a higher level of knowledge to my essay and made it easier for me to do research based on the topics we had discussed together.

At some point or another in your career as a student or professional, you will be required to interview someone. Having the skills to make a connection with your subject will help you get more information and make your assignment better. While it can definitely be anxiety-inducing to question somebody else about their lives, a lot can be learned.

Here’s what I would suggest to conduct an interview:

• Do research, and prepare your questions (10-15) beforehand based on the topic of your article/essay/podcast.
• Plan the interview well in advance and follow up the day before to confirm the time and place of your meeting.
• Highlight the questions that are most important for your assignment and what you are trying to prove.
• Ask if you can record the interview! It’s much better to have audio than to completely forget what was discussed. Also, take notes.
• Listen to them and don’t ask a question that they already gave an answer to.
• Begin with overarching, not controversial questions and then move to specific questions. End with any clarifying questions.
• Use buffer questions to ease into getting to know the person before asking your most vital questions.
• After the interview, write down any big takeaways, things you might forget, and important phrases to look up later.