RECAP AND TAKEAWAYS FROM ALEX CRAWFORD

THE BIG THREE

LISTEN

BE NATURAL, CURIOUS, AND TRULY INTERESTED

TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS

• Build a rapport with a person 
• Keep an open mind, talk to all kinds of people 
• Treat them as if you are trying to get to know them – what makes them tick
• You must be interested in them and they must feel that so they wIll open up
• Don't stick to a list of questions, but know what you wish to achieve.
•  Ask follow-up questions – respond to their answers.
• What happened?  Is a good question – sometimes the short questions are the good questions.  
• Make them feel comfortable, be interested in their story.
• Show some sort of knowledge of who you are talking to and how they might be feeling.
• Trust your instincts – listen to that nagging feeling.  What they are saying doesn’t ring true. Use evidence.
• Being a little nervous helps you be on top of your game 
• Sometimes  you must tease answers out of them because what happens in their life must be so common they don’t think it’s a big deal
• Make them trust you – don’t go in with an agenda – your questions can reveal what your feelings are you must be unbiased – no preconceived ideas when you walk in
• Figure out why people are doing things or thinking things. what’s the problem
• Strategies to get people to talk:  
• Persuade by reassuring the person you are interviewing - don’t you think your story is important for the world to know.  
• Be observant
• You have to be truly interested in people-care about them
• Formal or casual – depends on who you are talking to
• Be honest, be natural
• Don't lose eye contact - focus on what you are doing 
• Record the conversation
• How do you stay calm during an emotional interview – hard – we are human.  STAY HUMAN you need to be able to feel stuff.
• No yes or no answers.