Interview tip: be charming

One of the problems that first time interviewers have is feeling awkward. Interviews are both a natural situation – it’s just like a conversation – but also a highly unusual one: you want someone to tell you their secrets. The first step to overcoming nerves is following the old scout motto: be prepared. But Chris Frost also has some other sage advice: be charming. As he notes this does not come without practice:

Start by being polite. Remember people do not have to be interviewed – they can easily tell you to push off. Only courtesy and charm is likely to change their minds and so you need to practise these. The only person that can improve on this is you. Practice being charming to people (it’s a skill after all) even if it’s just your friends…Watch guests on chat shows and copy those you thought charming and witty. It’s perfectly possible to pick this up as an act until it becomes automatic everyday behaviour. (Frost, Reporting For Journalists)

He should have added watch the chat show hosts – they are the real masters of charm. Andrew Denton has a way of making his guest feel totally comfortable. Oprah is great at it too but in a very American way.