Giving an interview

Avoid asking illegal questions: Labor laws vary by nation, but questions about age, race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, and marital status are generally off limits.
Test their problem solving skills with situations related to the job. Once you’ve covered their general experience, pose a few hypothetical situations that the candidate might run into on the job. You can also present situational examples and ask the candidate to explain how they’ve solved similar problems at a prior position.

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  Suppose you run a restaurant and are interviewing a server. You could ask, “How would you deal with a customer who complains about their meal?” and “Can you give me an example of how you worked with a team to overcome a stressful situation?”
  
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  If you feel like the candidate is bending the truth or just telling you what you want to hear, keep in mind you can double check information with their references.
  

Ask the candidate if they have any questions. To wrap up the interview, invite the candidate to ask about topics including training, duties, advancement, and the next stages of the application process. Plan on taking at least 5 minutes to field their questions.

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  Use their questions to get a feel for their knowledge of your company and industry at large. For instance, a strong candidate might ask about the rendering software you use to develop plans for the products you design.
  
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  A good applicant always brings a few questions to an interview. It’s a major red flag if they don’t have any questions or just ask about things like salary or where to grab lunch.
  

Plan out the interview’s structure and goals. A good interview is conversational, but you still need to map it out so you don’t lose focus. Decide what your specific topic is, what you need to find out, and how to order your questions.

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  Suppose you’re interviewing a politician who’s running for mayor, and your aim is to learn more about their plan to balance the city’s budget. Research their budget and the city’s finances, and come up with questions that probe the specific details of their plan.
  
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  Conducting thorough research before the interview is essential. Learn as much as you can about the interview’s topic and the person you’re interviewing.
  

Introduce yourself and state the purpose of your interview. Exchange pleasantries, identify yourself as a journalist, and mention where your piece will be published. If you haven't already, let them know why you're interested in interviewing them and which topics you'll cover.

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  A polite introduction will help put the interviewee at ease.