How to ace your next interview with a storyteller

Telling the right story of how you have helped someone can have a huge impact on your fundraising.

It’s a great way to capture the core of what your charity does, and shows potential donors why they should support you.

But that’ll only work if you tell your story authentically. Which is why at DK, we interview people who have been helped by a charity as often as we can.

Over the last year, I’ve taken part in a lot of these interviews, while also volunteering with Mind and taking a course in mental health support. As a result, I’ve learned a lot about having safe and open conversations, often about sensitive subjects.

 So here they are, a few things I’ve picked up over the past year that can help you master the art of the interview:

Make sure the person feels comfortable

It’s human nature to want to protect ourselves, especially when talking about something sensitive. So, before you ask any questions, make sure that the person you’re talking to feels safe and comfortable.

Of course, in the Teams/Zoom era, lots of interviews now take place virtually. But it can be as small as asking them if they’d be more comfortable with cameras off, or if they want to grab a glass of water or a blanket before you begin. When recording a call, make sure to let them know about this in advance, and reassure them about the reasons why.

The truth is, if someone feels uncomfortable, they’re not going to open up to you – no matter what you’re talking about.

Listen to understand, not to respond

We probably all like to think we’re good listeners. But how many times have you noticed yourself jumping ahead in a conversation to think about what you’ll say next?

That’s probably okay when you’re talking about sandwiches or something. In interviews, though, it’s important to be an active listener. Active listening means participating fully in the conversation, and seeking to understand as much as you can.

This all may sound obvious, but it’s something we have to make a conscious effort to do. Taking the focus off ourselves and fully onto the person speaking is an active process.

There are many ways you can show your interviewee that you’re actively listening to them –  such as paraphrasing what they’ve said and reflecting it back to them, asking further questions to check you’ve understood them correctly, or simply validating what they’ve said by reacting appropriately.

Leave natural gaps

The phrase ‘awkward silence’ probably strikes fear into most of our hearts. In usual conversations, we want to contribute as much as we want to listen. But in interviews, we don’t necessarily need to respond all the time.

That’s not to say that as an interviewer, you just sit there in silence and wait for them to talk. But if there are pauses in the conversation sometimes, that’s okay. Resist the urge to fill any gaps with your own waffle, and you may be surprised what comes up.

Maybe your interviewee just needs a minute to think about what they’re going to say next. Maybe they’re trying to decide whether to mention something or not. Maybe they just have connection issues. Sit with it for a moment, and see what happens.

And if you feel the silence is going on for an awfully long time, then you could ask something else – like if they’re okay to continue chatting.

Ask open questions

This one also might seem obvious, but more questions are closed than we think. For instance, questions like ‘Did you feel X about that’ or ‘Have you ever tried Y’ can technically have a yes/no answer, even if the implication is that they’ll tell us more about it.

Open-ended questions mean you’re giving the interviewee the power to lead the conversation to where they want it to go. That way, they should feel more comfortable sharing with you and avoid self-editing their answers.

Not everyone’s great at putting their emotions into words (my dad, for example!). So, if you’re still getting one-word answers, then maybe your question is too massive to answer. Here you might want to suggest something, but you can still leave it open for them to agree or disagree with you.

For instance, instead of saying “How did you feel in that situation?”  you might say something like, “I can’t imagine how I’d react in that situation. Maybe I’d be quite angry. What can you remember from how you reacted?”

Be honest

Since your interviewee has been truthful and honest with you, you can return the favour by doing the same for them.

If you don’t know what to say, for instance – say that. If there’s something you’re not sure you’ve understood correctly, ask them to clarify, and show them you’re actively listening and seeking to understand.

And of course, you can be honest with them about what comes next after the interview. What you will be using the story for (if you know), who will be reading it, and how they can read and feedback on it if they want to.

Enjoy

I feel like I’ve given you a load of strict rules to follow here, but really, this is just a conversation with someone new. So try and enjoy it if you can!

Interviewing people is one of my favourite parts of my job, as it gives me the opportunity to meet so many amazing and interesting people. Even if at the time it feels tough, just do your best and prepare what you can – and you won’t go far wrong.

Chloe Bishop – Copywriter

 

If you want to find out more about how we can help you with developing your approach to giving, then get in touch at SayHi@differentkettle.com