Planning and Conducting a Successful Interview
Before the Interview
Step 1: Contact the person with whom you would like to talk to and schedule a convienent date,time, and place for an interview. You can email, phone, or write a letter to the person you want to interview.
Helpful Techniques
Examples & Tips
Introduce yourself, including who you are associated with and the purpose of your call My name is Ann Talker and I am a grade 10 student at Right-Way School. 
Identify the purpose of your interview clearly and how you will use the information from the interview Our class is currently investigating different careers people in community have and I would like to see if you would be willing to be interviewed. I will be sharing the information you give me with others in the class so they can learn about your job too.
Step 2: Prepare for the interview. Sketch a plan for the interview including having an idea of some of the questions you might like to ask. You should also decide how you are going to document the interview.
Helpful Techniques 
Examples & Tips
Prepare yourself for the interview by doing some background research on the career you choose. use the career counsellor or access some Internet sites.

Locate a matching career profile on Saskatchewan Job Futures

Information on careers is also available from school counsellor
 Plan how you want to document the interview. If you want to video or audio record the interview, ask the person you are interviewing as they may prefer not to be recorded.

Make sure that you know how to use the equipment before you go. Access "how to" information for audio and video production.

Videotaping an Interview

Take the time to watch professionals interview people on television talk shows. Note how they word the questions they ask and how they make the interview flow.
Preplan the interview and outline some of the general topics that you want to discuss.  You may want to write down the questions but asking the questions one after another does not make the basis of a good interview. Instead let the interview flow more like an ordinary conversation. (tips side - some things to make an interview flow)

Practice your interview with someone before you go.

Check this list of questions for ideas for your interview.
Conducting the Interview
Step 1: When you arrive introduce yourself and start your conversation with some introductory comments, like the weather. This breaks the ice and makes your interviewee more comfortable. The initial converstion will also give you time to set up any recording equipment that your might be using.
Step 2: Start the interview by reviewing the purpose of the interview and how the information you get from the interview will be used.
Helpful Techniques
Examples and Tips
Create a relaxed atmosphere for the interview. Let the interviewee do most of the talking.

Interject positive comments at key points in the conversation. Phrases such as "Good point" or "That's interesting" help do this.

Body actions, such as nodding, smiling, also make the interviewee feel that they are saying the right thing.

The interview should flow like a conversation, and not take the repetitive form of question followed by an answer.

Avoid reading directly from your question list.

Phrase follow-up questions based on the answers provided by the interviewee.

Pay attention to the interviewee and what they are saying making sure that you understand their answers. Use paraphrasing techniques to summarize statements and clarify points. Jot down important points in a note pad. Avoid having a question list with boxes. Note phrases and important ideas as the interview progresses. Don't try to write down everything the person says.
After the Interview

Step 1: After you have completed the interview and put together the report, it is common courtesy to share what you have written with the person you interviewed. A nice touch is to send a thank you card or note expressing your appreciation to the interviewee along with a copy of your report or article.