Tips for a Succesfull Interview

Interviews are particularly useful for getting the story behind a participant's experiences. The interviewer can pursue in-depth information around a topic. Interviews may be useful as follow-up to certain respondents to questionnaires, e.g., to further investigate their responses. Usually open-ended questions are asked during interviews.
Before you start to design your interview questions and process, clearly articulate to yourself what problem or need is to be addressed using the information to be gathered by the interviews. This helps you keep clear focus on the intent of each questions.

Preparations

• Choose a setting with no distractions; this could will include comfortable sitting, good lighting, good air quality, things that will make you and interviewee comfortable.
• Explain the purpose of the interview; when the interviewee knows the purpose he/she are more likely to answer with the true and not rounds a rounds.
• Indicate how long the interview is going to take; this will get them prepare and will take the anxiety away.
• Ask the interviewee if they have any questions; they may want to ask questions too so reserve time for their questions at the end.
• Don't count in your memory; even though you may have a good memory don't relay in it, have a recorder, paper, or video tape that you can check back later.

During the interview

• Get the responder as involve as possible
• Before asking something controversial or personal, ask about some facts
• Ask questions about the present first, then you can ask about the past and the future
• Last questions may be to allow the responder to add on any other information they may want to share, or to ask questions they may have.

Wording

• Be neutral
• Ask open ended questions
• Be clear on the questions
• Ask one question at the time
• Be careful with the "why" questions, may be interpreted ask accusing.

This are just main tips to have in mind at the time of an interview as journalist you may perform several interviews and on them it depend the future of your successful career.

For more tips check this link http://www.managementhelp.org/evaluatn/intrview.htm