The other day we talked about the pros and cons of an email interview :”Email Interviews vs Phone Interviews.” Many of the issues that apply to email interviews also apply to phone interviews. The main thing is to consider which interview is going to give you the best outcome for your article. Phone Interview Pros Quick and convenient. Like its electronic counterpart, phone interviews are easy on both parties. All you need is a phone line and an agreed upon call time and you’re set. No need for anyone to dress up or travel. Personality shines through. It can be [Read more…]

Scoring an interview with a source is often a practice in the art of seduction. When you see the perfect source – knowledgeable, great credentials and possibly a star in whatever world your article focuses on, your heart skips a beat. You rejoice in finding ‘the one’, but at the same time you worry that you won’t have what it takes to woo your prey. Your source may be reluctant or even hostile to your advances. They may have a reputation for being a tough interview, a tough ‘get,’ or media shy. A writer has to figure out how to [Read more…]

By Terreece M. Clarke Hot on the blog today is Deb’s post on “Eight Reasons Why You’re Not Getting The High Paying Freelance” Jobs of which #5 is about your reputation and James Chartrand’s “Are You Creating Your Own Bad Reputation?” So I thought I’d round it out with how your reputation matters in interviews. Imagine the worst interview you’ve given. You were late, you hadn’t really researched the person or subject, you fumbled around for a pen, you asked pretty lame questions and followed it up with injecting personal info into the conversation. Scary huh? Now imagine the interview [Read more…]