Many organisations have a need for knowledge and skills connected with interviewing in general. In a lot of cases however, organisations consider interviews in isolated cases such as recruitment interviews or knowledge elicitation interviews. There are many types and functions of interviews and there is underpinning knowledge associated with all of them. This work considered the interview in its general sense and does not attempt to prescribe methods for individual interview cases. The work also acknowledges the different styles and personalities of different people that may indeed all be good interviewers but may have quite different approaches.
The general interview has a specific purpose, which is to gather information. There may also be a secondary purpose for the framework that the interview is contained within such as identifying the best of several candidates for a job. This secondary objective for the interview may be the primary purpose or objective for the project or activity.
Interviews are about personal interaction and it is clear that this interaction needs to be considered carefully by a good interviewer. Seeing a situation from the perspective of another person is not easy for everyone but a good interviewer must attempt to do this.
The core theme of this work is knowledge. A Knowledge Structure Map of this area has been created in order to inform and to stimulate debate. If one is to become a better interviewer then one should know what they need to know in order to achieve this. Some of the knowledge items on the map can have a significant effect on an interview although they may not be considered as primary features. Such issues include TRUTH, RISK and TRUST.
This work ends by revisiting the main point, that of how to improve interviewing. Some useful tips and suggestions are made that are claimed may even benefit an individual in their general work and private lives as well as help them to become better interviewers.