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Hints
Several authors have compiled some helpful hints for achieving greater success in
interviewing. Sussman and Krivonos (1979) offer the following suggestions:
Regardless of the specific purpose of the interview there are general guidelines we
can offer which should improve your performance, the performance of the interviewee, and
the general climate of the interviewing session.
1. Plan the interview carefully.
2. Establish a climate of comfort and rapport with the person you are interviewing.
3. Conduct the interview in a comfortable environment.
4. Keep distractions in the situation at a minimum.
5. Be prepared to listen.
6. Try to be as objective as possible.
7. Keep the purpose of your interview in mind.
8. Frame your questions so that you get adequate responses from the person you are
interviewing
9. Decide whether open or closed questions will give you the information you want.
10. Avoid directed (leading or loaded) questions, unless they serve your specific purpose.
11. Choose language that the interviewee understands, but do not "talk down" to him or
her. Be clear but not condescending.
12. Provide some kind of a summary of what was decided, discussed, and/or considered in
the interview.
13. Provide the interviewee with a statement of what future action is expected from him or
her based on the interview and what is expected from you based on the interview.
Latham and Wexley summarize the findings on what characteristics and likely to
make a performance apprasail interview succesful:
1. High levels of subordinate participation in the performance appraisal result in
employees' being satisfied with both the appraisal process and the supervisor who
conducted it. The importance of this statement is that subordinate participation in the
appraisal interview appears to increase acceptance of the supervisor's observations.
2. Employee acceptance of the appraisal and satisfaction with the supervisor increases to
the extent that the supervisor is supportive of the employee.
3. The setting of specific goals to be achieved by the subordinate results in up to twice as
much improvement in performance than does a discussion of general goals.
4. Discussing problems that may be hampering the subordinate's current job performance
and working toward solutions has an immediate effect on productivity.
5. The number of criticisms in an appraisal interview correlates positively with the number
of defensive reactions shown by the employee. Those areas of job performance that are
most criticized are least likely to show an improvement. There appears to be a chain
reaction between criticisms made by the supervisor and defensive reactions shown by
the subordinate with little or no change in the subordinate's behavior.
6. The more subordinates are allowed to voice opinions during the appraisal, the more
satisfied they will feel with the appraisal.

1. Prepare thoroughly for the interview. First, you will need to know somethingabout the
organization. There are several sources available that will give you vital information.
Standard and Poor's Corporation Records, and Fortune's review of the top 500