Interviewing Techniques

Q. What is "interviewing?"
A. Interviewing is asking questions, the purpose of which may be known only to the person conducting the interview.

Q. Who might I interview?
A. Husbands and wives, present and past; relatives and friends and neighbors. Employers and partners and co-workers and pals. Clerks and record keepers. Bartenders and busybodies and street people. And don't forget the mailman.

Q. How will I conduct interviews?
A. In person, by phone, fax, email, or snail mail.

Q. Should I connect with an Information Provider?
A. Perhaps, if doing so will prove a more efficient, economical method of both public and proprietary database records searching.

Interviewer's Qualifications

Decorum, politeness, attentiveness, responsiveness . . . these are qualities seasoned private investigators insist staff investigators exhibit. Friendliness, pleasantness, gregariousness, neighborliness, sociability . . .  The application of these attributes will ensure the success of your inquiries.

A good sense of humor can work best to turn the trick.

Interviewing Techniques

Surly, demanding, overbearing, pushy individuals can expect treatment in kind from your subject's friends, neighbors, co-workers, employers, and landlords - and especially from those who are responsible for keeping and maintaining records.

What you are employing is called "the gentle art of interviewing." Just by the tone of voice you can tell what mode you should shift into to talk with the person to get the information you need. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. You may have to talk to somebody else

Prepare!

Whether you will be interviewing in person or using the phone, be prepared! Learn as much as you can learn about your subject's personality, likes, dislikes, occupation, schooling, relationships, leisure activities, clubs, organizations, and interests.

Whether you are conducting a background check, an assets search, a relationship or a custody investigation, garner and organize all your data, both the important facts, as well as seemingly mundane, trivial details.

During an interview, you may feel yourself in somewhat of a defensive posture, attempting to justify the questions you are asking. The more information you possess, the better-equipped you will be to handle pointed rebuffs and piercing queries.

Apply a little psychology. Consider the sensitivities, attitude, and mind-set of each individual you interview.

When interviewing in person, you'll have the advantage. The person you are interviewing will find it harder to refuse you in person, then. say, on the phone. Turn on the charm. Make eye contact. Project your winning personality. Another good thing: when interviewing "one-on-one" you'll have more time to state your case.

Be aware of your personal appearance and grooming. Dress for the role you intend to play. If you want people to think you are a business person, consider every detail: dress, demeanor, manner of speech. Act like a business person. Be a business person.

One interviewing technique you might use, is the 'erroneous conclusion, to present the wrong information, then allow yourself to be corrected. The person doing the correcting will invariably give you the information you need. You didn't even have to ask for it. Get answers to your questions by playing ignorant, a tactic many people confuse with stupidity.

Example: Say I want to know your middle name. I call you 'Mary Jane.' You immediately correct me: 'No, my middle name isn't Jane, it's Joan.' Oh, okay. I didn't ask you what your middle name was; you told me - because I used the erroneous conclusion. "If I wanted to know where you worked," states PI Peter Crummy," I'd ask, 'Are you still working for IBM?' You'd say, 'No, I'm working for Harris.' 'Oh, right.' I give her the wrong information; she corrects me. If I spell your name wrong, you'll correct the spelling for me. If you don't want me to know your name, however, you'll just let it go by. When a person is shielding information, it will hit you like strobe lights!"

Interviewing Techniques by Phone