If you have arranged an interview with a potential supervisor and need background data, simply call back to the secretary and explain who you are and that you have an appointment with the supervisor. Then you state that, in order to prepare yourself for the meeting, you would appreciate it if he or she could just describe the personality and interests of the supervisor to you. Once the secretary begins describing your future interviewer, probably in vague generalities, you can ease into specific questions such as, "Do you know where he went to college?" or "Do you know what her hobbies are?" or "Where did he work before this job?"
The major concern here is to seem genuinely interested in the interviewer and not to appear simply nosy by asking questions that are too personal. The secretary can give you some very basic but very valuable background information. Moreover, the first thing he or she will do upon finishing the conversation with you is to tell the supervisor, your interviewer-to-be, about your call. Assuming your call was handled properly, the effect will be to etch your name more deeply into the interviewer s memory, and both the supervisor and the secretary will be anticipating your appointment with great curiosity. Things are beginning to tilt in your direction already.
The ultimate source for background information on the interviewer is the interviewer in person. Although obtaining advance information on the interviewer’s background is very useful in that it enables you to organize better your portion of the interview, all is not lost if such information is not available beforehand. Back ground data can be obtained firsthand in the interview, although it requires quicker verbal footwork on your part and forgoes the potential advantage of impressing the interviewer by way of the secretary with the fact of your preparation. However, in the interview, more detailed questions can be asked and any pre-interview background data can be exploited. In any event, the ultimate aim is to get the interviewer to talk about himself or herself during the interview. When the interviewer is responding to your questions he or she cannot be asking you tough questions. Also, most people are flattered by unexpected, sincere interest of others and enjoy talking about themselves.
It's the same as when you go to a party and meet someone new. If that person spends most of the time talking about himself, which he usually does, you quickly conclude that he is a crashing bore. On the other hand, if he asks questions about you and what you do, you are firmly convinced that he is a singularly bright and engaging person, one of a rare breed, and worthy of further scrutiny on your part. The same thing applies in interviews; get the interviewers to talk about themselves by expressing sincere interest in their backgrounds. You will learn valuable information, you will help build rapport, and each of you will become less of a stranger to the other.
The quantity and quality of your conversation is important in an interview. Unfortunately, quantity is sometimes more important than quality. Obviously, a person who makes frequent, intelligent conversation will receive the highest rating in an interview. However, it is a documented fact that people who make frequent irrelevant comments are generally more highly rated than those who make infrequent but germane conversation. People who do not talk, or talk very little, in an interview are viewed as being uninterested, not too bright, non leaders, or all of these. Being shy or modest or well informed is not an acceptable excuse. Conversely, people who talk freely are assumed to be interested, intelligent, and dynamic regardless of the quality of their conversation. Depressing, isn't it? In any event, it is vitally important to prepare comprehensive answers to the standard questions asked in interviews and to ask questions yourself about the job and the company, as well as about the interviewer.
