Art of interviewing — advice from Larry Grobel
Grobel, Lawrence – from online interview 2010
GROBEL: What I learned is that to talk to people, especially people you are meeting for the first time, you need to be prepared and you need to have confidence. You need to know how to open a conversation. How to carry it forward. How to lead. How to ad lib. How to listen. How to be a chameleon and submerge your ego. How to make people comfortable. How to act and to react to situations. How to be in control. How to keep things positive. How to stay on top of current events. How to ask off-beat questions. How to close.
Q: How do you overcome the jitters before an interview?
GROBEL: I find that the more prepared I am the calmer I feel. Preparation begets confidence. And confidence emanates outward. I’m most nervous when I’m least prepared…and I don’t like that feeling, so I always try to be prepared. Nonetheless, jitters are healthy, it shows you care, draw from it; let your adrenaline put intensity behind your questions; let your subject know you want to do a good job. If you’re too jittery, then try to meditate before you ring the doorbell. Take some deep breaths. And keep in mind that the person you’re about to see is probably feeling the same way you are.
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