Interview Techniques

It is no secret that interviews when conducted cannot go according to plan. There are a number of things that can go wrong with the interviewee and it is down to the interviewer to proceed with the interview to the best of his or her abilities. The following are a few selected examples of interview complications and how best I as an interviewer would react to them.
If an interviewee is very passionate about his beliefs in such a way that it renders him un able to stick to the topic at hand, there are a number of ways one can conduct the interview without seeming unpleasant and still extracting as much information as possible. For example John Snow was told to conduct an interview with a Russian patriot named Vitaly Milanov. The interview was centred around the laws that the Russian government has put in play regarding homosexuality. Milanov didn't like the fact that his country was being slandered so he defended his country by talking over snow and diverting from the topic at hand. Snow being a professional did his best to keep the interview in line. He continued to ask open questions about the topic, this will give Milanov a platform on which to express him self, and at the same time allow him to stick to the topic at hand. He showed an understanding of the topic, even as Milanov steered the conversation, Snow was able to counter his argument because he was aware of the points that Milanov was trying to make, he showed a clear understanding of the topic. Use of suggestive questions, to allow his interviewee to correct or prove himself about the point he is making that is to say Snow would inadvertently put words in Milanovs mouth and get him to confirm whether his opinion is just. Snow is a very confident interviewer, despite the persistence of the interviewee to steer the conversation Milanov spoke over him until he was out of air time.