Questions ask interview biographical examples

Tips for crafting thoughtful life story interview questions 

Suppose you want to write a life story about someone, whether a loved one or someone who inspires you. You aim to capture their life experiences and convey a message through their story. But you might find that you need help figuring out where to start. Using the right questions is a great way. Here’s a comprehensive guide to assist you in crafting life story interview questions that will help you capture their essence and create a captivating story.

Research their background.

Before crafting life story interview questions, thoroughly research the background of the person you’re interviewing. Here are the areas you should look into:

Upbringing:

Learn about their childhood environment, including:

• Family dynamics
• Cultural background
• Early life experiences.

Education:

Explore their educational journey, noting any significant achievements, areas of study, or challenges

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Types of questions to ask in a biographical interview

There’s the basics: open and closed-ended questions… then there’s more specific types of questions, each with their own purpose. Let’s take a look at the funnel approach, statements, rhetorical, narrative, explanatory and verification questions.

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In my article Interviewing for biography: interrogation, conversation, and the in-between, I wrote about different approaches to biographical interviews. The approach you choose may influence the types of questions you choose to ask. In addition, what you choose to ask will be influenced by your objectives and the research you’ve conducted previously. 

It’s important to prepare a list of questions that you might start with or refer to throughout the interview. Be prepared: oral historian Donald Ritchie says that “it is safer to have too many questions than too few… Some interviewees talk at great length in response to a single question… others answer briefly and need several

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Biographical Interview

What It is and What You Can do to Best Prepare for One

With the IT job market as hot as it is, chances are good that you, as an industry professional, are in the market for or are at least open to the idea of a new position.  Perhaps you have the perfect resume, you’ve sent it off to several companies, and you’ve even been contacted a couple of times to set up an första interview.  So now what?  In today’s corporate environment, it is likely that your first meeting with a company will consist of a biographical interview which encompasses a very traditional style based largely on the contents of your resume.  So what is the goal of a biographical interview, and what can you do to best prepare for one in the future?    

The Purpose of a Biographical Interview
In most cases, a biographical interview is conducted by an HR or office manager and consists of them reading through your resume and asking questions abo