Expert Interviews 1: Starting right

Two businessmen having a discussion at a table.
Image Credit
Yanalya via Freepik

This is the first lesson in the Expert Interviews section. It will help you quickly build rapport and make a great first impression.

Introduction

Read these pieces of advice. Do you typically follow them? 

  1. Know exactly how to start—prepare for the first minute as much or more than the rest of the interview. 
  2. Get straight to the point.
  3. Talk to your interviewee, not to the question list.

1. Know exactly how to start—prepare for the first minute as much or more than the rest of the interview.

Many people make the mistake of not thinking about the very beginning. However, when doing professional things in a second language, it's most important to prepare the very first things you will say.

Why? Preparing for the first minute:

  • Gives you goodwill. If you make any (language) mistakes later, they will be in the context of already having a good rapport.
  • Gives you confidence for the rest of the interview.
  • Gives you momentum by setting the tone correctly. 

The same "prepare the beginning" rule goes for many other things: music, performances, meetings, presentations and speaking tests. First impressions are key.

2. Get straight to the point.

  • Don't waste time on forgettable thank-yous or inappropriate introductions. Try to make an impactful statement at the very beginning. 
  • Do thank the interviewee and introduce yourself, but do so with a clear understanding of why this information matters to them. 

Just remember, "What is the point of this?" The point of the first minute is to set a context and build rapport very quickly. 

3. Talk to your interviewee, not to the question list. 

This is perhaps the hardest one. 

  • The best interviews sound like conversations because the interviewer is speaking with the interviewee, using the same tone and register. 
  • If you sound stiff, then your interviewee's answers will likely be the same. To get fresh insight that others might not uncover, you need to get the right information flowing quickly. 

For example:

NO (STIFF): What. are. the. benefits. of. this. technology? 
YES (NATURAL): So, [person's name], can you tell me about the main benefits of this tech?

Warm Up

A. Prepare

Discuss how you prepare for your expert interview. Do you do the following? 

  • Email the expert well before the interview.
  • Request specific information.
  • Research the expert's background or specialty.
  • Write out the questions.
  • Group the questions by topic.
  • Send the questions to the expert.

B. Perform

Discuss with your teacher how you feel during an interview. Are you confident? Nervous? Why?

A. Prepare

Ask: 

  1. Do you do these? (Always, usually, sometimes, rarely, never) 
  2. Should you do it? (Probably/usually)
  • Email the expert well before the interview.
    • It is important to send an email, if possible. That way the expert can prepare answers and key information. 
  • Request specific information.
    • Pre-interview requests are relatively common. Typically, it's data or other specific info.
  • Research the expert's background or specialty. 
    • Do this! It will help you know which area they might be able to give more info about, and where you should prepare follow-up questions.
  • Write out the questions.
    • Most people do this. Sometimes a team leader or manager will do it, but that's not ideal.
  • Group the questions by topic.
    • This helps you move more smoothly through the interview. 
  • Send the questions to the expert.
    • Some people will even do this for straightforward topics. 

NOTE

  • It is not your job to tell a consultant how to consult. Rather, the purpose of this exercise is to help them think about how to best do their job in English. 
  • Things that people can do on the fly in their native language will be much more difficult in English. Therefore, if time allows, it's a good idea to prepare for edge-cases and responses.

B. Perform

Discuss the following with your student:

Consultants can have a bad reputation.

Say, "I've heard that some people have a negative impression of consultants. Have you heard that?"

  • Some say consultants are cold and impersonal, or at worst, corporate axemen who will "take your watch and tell you what time it is." Meaning, they will do another person's job, at times taking that job away from the person.

It's not true!

Most consultants are lovely—humble, smart, good listeners. But, they need to show it. 

Nervousness can reinforce a bad reputation.

If the consultant is stressed or thinking about the rest of the interview, they may reinforce the cold, impersonal reputation.

Experiment 

Try this with your student: SAME PHRASE, SMILING AND NOT SMILING.

1. Say, "I'm going to say the same phrase twice: once smiling, and once not smiling. Tell me if you can you hear the difference."
2. Turn off your video. 
3. Smile. Say, "Thanks for taking the time to speak with me." 
4. Frown. Say, "Thanks for taking the time to speak with me."
5. Turn on your video. Say, "Could you hear the difference?"

Speaker
Speaker A
Language

A. First impressions matter 

We use a lot of information to make a first impression. Tone, pacing and overall mood are important. Before going forward, discuss this with your teacher.

B. Say thank you

Start by saying, “Thank you.” Practice getting the tone right. In other words, don't rush. Say it as if you mean it.

  • Thanks for taking the time to speak with me. 
  • I appreciate you taking the time for this interview. 
  • I'm sure you're busy—thank you for making time today.
  • [How do you usually say thank you? Use an original phrase.]

C. Beginnings

Beginnings can vary. What would you say in the following situations? 

  1. You've had to reschedule the interview.
  2. You've booked the interview on short notice.
  3. The expert has completed pre-interview requests.
  4. The expert is part of your company, rather than booked through a vendor.

Practice with your teacher. Compare your ideas with theirs.

D. Mirroring

Mirroring is an important tool to build rapport. Use a similar register and tone to the interviewee's. If they speak casually, or formally, or if they are excited, then you can reflect that style. Do not completely imitate them or respond unnaturally. Rather, be the version of yourself that best reflects them.

Try mirroring the interviewee's tone in this exercise:

You will play the part of Person A, and your teacher will be Person B. Based on how Person B responds, what would you say next?

  1. Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
    Person B: No worries! I've always got time for one of these interviews.
    Person A: _____
     
  2. Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
    Person B: Yes, fine.
    Person A: _____
     
  3. Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling.  
    Person B: All in a day's work. No dramas on my end.
    Person A: _____
     
  4. Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling  
    Person B: (Sigh) Yea, well, you could have told me earlier.
    Person A: _____
     
  5. Person A: I know you are busy, I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes. 
    Person B: Okay. Noted. 
    Person A: ____
     
  6. Person A: I know you are busy—I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes. 
    Person B: That sounds fine. I'm in a taxi now and I'm still about a half-hour away, so take your time.
    Person A: ____

A. First impressions matter

A consultant needs to create an atmosphere of respect and cooperation right from the beginning. Tone and pacing are extremely important for this—sounding stiff or cold will not set the right mood. So this section emphasises not just the right words, but also the right intonation.

B. Say thank you

Have the student shadow each phrase with strong, confident intonation. Use word stress: stretch the key vowel, and use rise-fall or fall-rise intonation. Basically, they need to actually sound thankful!

  • Thanks for taking the time to speak with me. 
  • I appreciate you taking the time for this interview. 
  • I'm sure you're busy—thank you for making time today.
  • Many thanks for sharing your expertise.

Tips:

  • DO have tonal variation (high-low or low-high).
  • DO stress key syllables.
  • DON'T raise your voice. Too much volume will sound intimidating to the interviewee.

C. Beginnings

Beginnings can vary. Present the following situations to the student and ask how they would begin the interview.

In the first two, you can use a "Sorry, but thanks" style. 

  1. You've had to reschedule the interview.
    • "Sorry that we had to change the time,
      • but thanks so much for rescheduling."
  2. You've booked the interview on short notice.
    • "Sorry to take you by surprise,
      • but thanks for taking this interview at such short notice."
  3. You want to thank them for answering pre-interview requests.
    • "Thanks for taking care of those requests/spreadsheets/etc..."
  4. The expert is part of your company, for instance, the managing partner of another branch.
    Be super thankful. They are very busy and they aren't specifically getting paid for this. 
    • "I know you are busy—I really appreciate your time today."

Note: Two common types of expert interviews:

1. Through a vendor. The interviewee gets paid a lot of money to give information. They have likely never met the consultant before, and they may not even have the slightest clue about the direction the interview will take.  

2. With an expert at your company. The interviewee is likely a partner at a foreign branch of the company. They may take the call while they are in a taxi or squeeze it in between meetings, as they are likely to be incredibly busy. They are not making money from this interview, so be more thankful.

The interviewee will also go back to work as soon as the interview is done, so be quick.

D. Mirroring

Mirroring is super important! Ask:

  • Would you wear a suit and tie at the beach? [NO]
  • Would you wear a t-shirt to a board meeting? [NO]

Language is the same—you need to use the appropriate language for each situation. Always make the best choice based on context, not your own comfort level. 

That doesn't mean being exactly like the interviewee. It means making them feel comfortable being themself.

Mirroring exercise

The student will play the part of Person A, and you will be Person B. Based on how you respond, the student will decide what to say next.

Teacher responses (with suggested follow-ups for Person A):

  1. Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
    Person B: [Positive, casual tone] No worries! I've always got time for one of these interviews.
    Person A: Great! / Glad to hear it. / Sounds good to me.
     
  2. Person A: Thank you for making the time for this interview.
    Person B: [Business-like, serious] Yes, fine.
    Person A: Right. Let's get down to business. / So, here's what the project is about...
     
  3. Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling.  
    Person B: [Positive, neutral] All in a day's work. No dramas on my end.
    Person A: Great. / Appreciated. 
     
  4. Person A: Sorry that we had to change the time, but thanks so much for rescheduling  
    Person B: [Negative, casual] *Sigh* Yea, well, you could have told me earlier.
    Person A: [Respond more formally] I'm really very sorry. / Thanks again for being accommodating. / Shall we get started?

    Note: Respond more formally to show you take the issue seriously. 
     

  5. Person A: I know you are busy, I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes. 
    Person B: [Neutral/negative] Okay. Noted. 
    Person A: Right. Let's get down to business. / So, here's what I'd like to ask about...
     
  6. Person A: I know you are busy, I really appreciate your time today. This should only take about 20 minutes. 
    Person B: [Positive] That sounds fine. I'm in a taxi now and I'm still about a half-hour away, so take your time.
    Person A: Great, thanks. / Excellent, I really appreciate that. 

Notes on mirroring 

  • Poor mirroring can destroy rapport, so don't over-do it. Be yourself, but adjust a little. 
  • FOR MORE ADVANCED STUDENTS: If possible, mirror body language. Note open or closed, forward or back, hand placement, etc. Just remember to mirror, NOT mimic! (You may need to explain the difference.)
Practice

How would you begin the following interviews? 

  1. You've rescheduled the interview at the last minute. The expert's email response seemed curt and annoyed. 
  2. You requested two spreadsheets of data before the interview. The expert has sent one of them. 
  3. You've organised a last-minute interview with the managing partner of your company's Brussels office, who has generously given you 30 minutes of their time between meetings. 
  4. You sent a pre-interview email 3 days ago but haven't received a response.
  5. You requested some specific information and the expert responded with not only that information, but also another spreadsheet of relevant information.