writing an essay from an interview

Essay Papers Writing Online

How to write an engaging and informative interview essay that captivates readers.

Are you ready to embark on a journey of words and emotions? Do you yearn to bring real-life stories to life on paper? If so, then the art of conducting an interview essay might just be the path for you. Through a delicate amalgamation of acute observation, introspection, and empathetic listening, you can unravel the intricacies of a person’s life and translate their experiences into a captivating piece of writing. Discover the key steps and techniques that will help you become a master of the interview essay genre.

Imagine yourself as a literary detective, armed with a notepad and pen, delving into the depths of someone’s thoughts and experiences. Your duty is to uncover the hidden layers of a person’s soul and translate them into a narrative that captivates the reader from the very first word. The interview essay offers a unique opportunity to break through the boundaries of traditional storytelling and delve into the realm of intimate conversations. Using skillful questioning and active listening, you can extract stories that will resonate with readers and give them a deeper understanding of the human condition.

Crafting a successful interview essay requires the delicate balance of objective reporting and subjective interpretation. It is a dance between the facts and the emotions, the words spoken and the unspoken truths. As an interviewer, your role extends beyond mere transcription; you are an interpreter, a curator of stories, and a storyteller. By carefully selecting the most powerful quotes, weaving them into a coherent narrative, and providing insightful context, you can create a compelling tapestry of human experiences that will inspire and enlighten your readers.

Overview of Interview Essays

In this section, we will explore the fundamental aspects of conducting and presenting an interview essay. By delving into the art of conversation and storytelling, interview essays provide a unique opportunity to capture the essence of an individual’s experiences and perspectives. These essays allow readers to gain insight into a person’s life journey, accomplishments, and insights on various topics, offering a glimpse into their world.

Interview essays go beyond the realm of traditional journalistic interviews, offering a more personal and in-depth exploration of the interviewee’s thoughts and emotions. Unlike a standard news article or report, interview essays focus on the individual and their unique perspective, providing a platform for their voice to be heard.

Throughout the essay, the interviewer must skillfully navigate the conversation, asking thoughtful and probing questions to elicit meaningful responses. It is crucially important to establish a comfortable and trusting environment, allowing the interviewee to open up and express themselves authentically. The interview process requires active listening and keen observation, ensuring that the essence of the interviewee is accurately portrayed.

The structure of the interview essay typically begins with an engaging introduction that introduces the interviewee and sets the tone for the rest of the piece. Following the introduction, a series of questions and answers, presented in a logical and coherent manner, form the body of the essay. This section should highlight the most compelling and enlightening aspects of the interview, showcasing the interviewee’s unique insights and experiences.

As the interview draws to a close, a well-crafted conclusion synthesizes the main points discussed during the interview, providing a final reflection on the interviewee’s thoughts and perspectives. This section should leave the reader with a lasting impression of the interviewee and their story.

In summary, interview essays offer a captivating and rich exploration of an individual’s life and experiences. Through thoughtful questioning and careful listening, these essays provide a platform for the interviewee’s voice to be heard, shedding light on their unique perspective and contributions to the world.

Choosing an Interviewee

When embarking on the task of conducting an interview essay, one of the most crucial decisions to make is choosing the right interviewee. This individual will be the subject of your essay and plays a significant role in shaping the overall narrative and content. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider several factors when selecting an interviewee.

First and foremost, it is essential to choose an interviewee who possesses expertise or experience in the subject matter you wish to explore. The interviewee should have valuable insights and a deep understanding of the topic, ensuring that the interview will provide meaningful and informative content. Consider professionals, experts, or individuals who have unique perspectives that align with your essay’s theme.

In addition to expertise, it is crucial to select an interviewee who is willing and enthusiastic about participating in the interview. Look for individuals who are open to sharing their thoughts and experiences, and who express genuine interest in engaging in a conversation about the chosen topic. This will ensure that the interview is engaging and that the interviewee is willing to provide detailed and insightful responses.

Another factor to consider when choosing an interviewee is their accessibility. It is important to select someone who is readily available and willing to commit the necessary time for the interview. Consider individuals who have a flexible schedule or who are willing to accommodate your interview request. This will help ensure that you can conduct the interview within your desired timeframe.

Lastly, consider the diversity and representation that the interviewee can bring to your essay. Aim for inclusivity and diversity by selecting individuals from different backgrounds, cultures, or perspectives. This will enrich your essay and provide a broader range of insights and experiences to draw from.

In conclusion, choosing the right interviewee is a critical step in writing a successful interview essay. It requires careful consideration of factors such as expertise, willingness to participate, accessibility, and diversity. By selecting the most suitable interviewee, you can ensure that your essay will be engaging, informative, and provide a unique perspective on the chosen topic.

Tips for selecting the right individual to interview for your article

Choosing the right person to interview for your essay is a crucial step in ensuring that your piece is insightful and engaging. The individual you select should have firsthand knowledge or experience related to your topic, offering unique insights and perspectives. Taking the time to carefully select the right person will not only enhance the quality of your interview essay but also lend credibility to your work.

Firstly, consider the expertise and background of the person you are considering interviewing. Look for individuals who have extensive knowledge and experience in the field you are focusing on. This could be a subject matter expert, a professional in the industry, or someone who has had personal experiences relevant to your topic. These individuals can provide valuable insights and opinions, allowing your essay to delve deeper into the subject matter.

In addition to expertise, it is essential to choose someone who is articulate and can effectively convey their thoughts and experiences. Good communication skills are a vital aspect of a successful interview. Look for individuals who can express themselves clearly and concisely, ensuring that the information they provide is easy to understand and engaging for your readers.

Another important factor to consider when selecting an interviewee is their availability and willingness to participate. Ensure that the person you choose is willing and able to commit the necessary time and effort to the interview process. This could include conducting in-person interviews, phone interviews, or even email correspondence. Being flexible and accommodating to the individual’s schedule is key to obtaining the information you need for a compelling interview essay.

Finally, aim for diversity when selecting an interviewee. Consider individuals from different backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences. This will not only provide a well-rounded view of your topic but also make your essay more relatable and interesting to a wider audience. Including diverse voices and opinions will enrich your work and make it more impactful.

By following these tips and selecting the right person to interview, you can ensure that your essay is informative, engaging, and offers a unique perspective on your chosen topic.

Preparing for the Interview

Getting ready for an interview is a crucial step towards a successful conversation that will leave a lasting impression on the interviewer. Adequate preparation is important as it helps you feel confident and ready to showcase your skills and qualifications. In this section, we will discuss the key steps to take before an interview to ensure you are well-prepared and can present yourself in the best possible light.

• Research the company: Before attending an interview, it is essential to research the company you are interviewing with. This includes understanding their mission, values, products or services they offer, and any recent news or projects. This knowledge will not only demonstrate your interest in the company but also allow you to ask relevant questions during the interview.
• Analyze the job description: Take the time to thoroughly analyze the job description for the position you are applying for. Identify the key skills, qualifications, and responsibilities mentioned in the description. This will help you tailor your answers during the interview and showcase how your experience aligns with the requirements of the role.
• Prepare your answers: It is a good idea to anticipate some of the questions that may be asked during the interview. Practice your answers to common interview questions, such as “Tell me about yourself” or “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” This preparation will help you showcase your skills and qualifications confidently and concisely.
• Prepare questions to ask: In addition to answering questions, you should also prepare some questions to ask the interviewer. This shows your enthusiasm and interest in the role and allows you to gather more information about the company and the position. Consider asking about company culture, team dynamics, or opportunities for growth.
• Dress appropriately: First impressions matter, so it is important to dress professionally for the interview. Research the company’s dress code and aim to dress slightly more formal than what is expected. Ensure that your attire is clean, ironed, and appropriate for the industry.
• Practice good body language: During the interview, your body language can speak volumes. Practice good posture, maintain eye contact, and use confident and friendly gestures. This will help you appear engaged and interested in the conversation.
• Gather necessary documents: Before the interview, gather all necessary documents, such as copies of your resume, cover letter, and any relevant certifications or references. Organize these documents neatly in a folder or portfolio, so they are easily accessible during the interview.
• Plan your route and arrive early: Before the day of the interview, plan your route and ensure you know how to get to the location. Consider traffic or public transport delays, and aim to arrive at least 10-15 minutes early. This will give you time to relax, collect your thoughts, and make a good first impression.

By following these preparation steps, you will increase your chances of success during the interview. Remember to stay calm, be yourself, and let your qualifications and enthusiasm shine!

Steps to take before conducting the interview to ensure its success

Prior to conducting an interview, there are several key steps one should take to ensure its success. By carefully preparing and organizing beforehand, you can maximize the outcome of the interview and gather the most valuable insights and information from your subject.

• Research your subject: Take the time to thoroughly research your subject before the interview. Familiarize yourself with their background, achievements, and any relevant work they may have done. This will not only help you ask informed and insightful questions but also demonstrate your interest and preparedness during the interview.
• Define your goals: Determine what specific information or insights you hope to gain from the interview. Clarify your objectives and the overall purpose of conducting the interview. This will help you structure your questions and guide the conversation in a focused and meaningful direction.
• Prepare a list of questions: Create a list of questions that will prompt your subject to share their experiences, opinions, and expertise. Mix open-ended questions with more specific ones to encourage thoughtful and detailed responses. Consider the flow and order of your questions to ensure a smooth and logical conversation.
• Consider the logistics: Plan and organize the logistics of the interview in advance. Determine the best format for the interview, whether it is in person, over the phone, or through video conferencing. Confirm the date, time, and location if applicable. Additionally, make sure you have all the necessary equipment ready, such as recording devices or notepads.
• Establish rapport: Building a rapport with your subject is crucial for a successful interview. Prior to the interview, introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the interview. Create a comfortable and welcoming atmosphere during the actual interview to allow your subject to feel at ease and open up more naturally.
• Anticipate challenges: Anticipate potential challenges or obstacles that may arise during the interview. Prepare alternative strategies or questions to handle any unexpected circumstances. By being flexible and adaptable, you can ensure the smooth progression of the interview.
• Respect confidentiality: If your interview involves sensitive or confidential information, assure your subject of confidentiality and obtain their consent to share certain details. This will help establish trust and encourage them to share more freely and openly.

By following these steps before conducting an interview, you can set the stage for a successful and valuable exchange of information. Proper preparation and organization will ensure that you extract the most meaningful insights and present a well-rounded and informative interview.

Conducting the Interview

During this phase, you will have the opportunity to engage in a face-to-face conversation with your interviewee. This is a crucial step in gathering valuable information for your interview essay. The interview allows you to unravel the unique perspectives, experiences, and insights of your subject, bringing depth and authenticity to your writing.

Before the interview, it’s important to research your interviewee and become familiar with their background and work. This preparation will enable you to ask informed questions and show respect for their expertise. Showing genuine interest in their work will make them more willing to open up and share their insights during the interview.

When conducting the interview, create a comfortable and relaxed environment for your interviewee. Establishing a friendly rapport will help them feel at ease and encourage thoughtful responses. Begin by asking a few general questions to ease into the conversation and then gradually move into more specific topics of interest. Active listening is key during the interview; pay attention to not only the words spoken but also the tone, body language, and emotions conveyed.

As you progress through the interview, probe deeper into the interviewee’s thoughts and experiences. Ask open-ended questions that invite detailed and reflective responses. Be prepared to adapt your questions based on their responses to keep the conversation flowing naturally. It’s important to strike a balance between guiding the conversation and allowing your interviewee to express themselves freely.

Remember to be respectful and considerate throughout the interview process. Avoid interrupting and allow your interviewee to fully express their thoughts. Take notes during the interview to capture important details and to ensure accuracy in your essay. Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification or additional information if needed.

By conducting a successful interview, you will gather rich material to create a compelling and engaging interview essay. The insights and personal anecdotes shared by your interviewee will add depth and authenticity to your writing, making it a truly captivating piece.

Techniques and strategies for effectively interviewing your subject

When conducting an interview, it is important to have a set of techniques and strategies to ensure a successful and insightful conversation with your subject. By employing these techniques, you can gather valuable information, establish rapport, and make the most out of your interview.

• Prepare: Before the interview, do thorough research on your subject to familiarize yourself with their background, expertise, and accomplishments. This will enable you to ask informed and relevant questions during the interview.
• Establish rapport: Building a connection with your subject is crucial to create a comfortable and open atmosphere during the interview. Begin by introducing yourself, showing genuine interest, and actively listening to their responses.
• Ask open-ended questions: Instead of asking questions that can be answered with a simple “yes” or “no,” focus on open-ended questions that encourage your subject to provide detailed and insightful responses. These questions often start with “how,” “why,” or “tell me about.”
• Active listening: During the interview, give your full attention to your subject and demonstrate active listening. This involves maintaining eye contact, nodding, and providing verbal cues to show that you are fully engaged in the conversation. Avoid interrupting and allow your subject to complete their thoughts.
• Probing and follow-up questions: To dig deeper into a topic or clarify any ambiguous answers, ask probing questions. These questions can help you extract more specific details and provide a more comprehensive understanding of your subject’s perspective.
• Keep it conversational: While it’s important to maintain a professional approach, aim to make the interview feel like a conversation rather than an interrogation. Use a friendly tone, ask follow-up questions, and be empathetic to create an environment where your subject feels comfortable sharing their thoughts and experiences.
• Record or take notes: To fully capture the interview, consider recording the conversation with your subject’s permission. Alternatively, take detailed notes during the interview to ensure accuracy when transcribing and referring back to the interview later.
• Thank your subject: Once the interview is complete, remember to express gratitude to your subject for their time and insights. Sending a follow-up message or a handwritten note as a token of appreciation can leave a positive impression and may result in future interview opportunities.

By utilizing these techniques and strategies during your interview, you can obtain valuable information, establish meaningful connections, and create a successful and insightful interview essay.

Related Post

How to master the art of writing expository essays and captivate your audience, convenient and reliable source to purchase college essays online, step-by-step guide to crafting a powerful literary analysis essay, “unlocking creativity – fresh research paper ideas to explore”, “crafting a comprehensive research paper outline – a guided example”, comprehensive guide to crafting an effective methods section for your research paper, ensure academic integrity with our advanced research paper plagiarism checker.

• PRO Courses Guides New Tech Help Pro Expert Videos About wikiHow Pro Upgrade Sign In
• EDIT Edit this Article
• EXPLORE Tech Help Pro About Us Random Article Quizzes Request a New Article Community Dashboard This Or That Game Popular Categories Arts and Entertainment Artwork Books Movies Computers and Electronics Computers Phone Skills Technology Hacks Health Men's Health Mental Health Women's Health Relationships Dating Love Relationship Issues Hobbies and Crafts Crafts Drawing Games Education & Communication Communication Skills Personal Development Studying Personal Care and Style Fashion Hair Care Personal Hygiene Youth Personal Care School Stuff Dating All Categories Arts and Entertainment Finance and Business Home and Garden Relationship Quizzes Cars & Other Vehicles Food and Entertaining Personal Care and Style Sports and Fitness Computers and Electronics Health Pets and Animals Travel Education & Communication Hobbies and Crafts Philosophy and Religion Work World Family Life Holidays and Traditions Relationships Youth
• Browse Articles
• Learn Something New
• Quizzes Hot
• This Or That Game
• Train Your Brain
• Explore More
• Support wikiHow
• About wikiHow
• Log in / Sign up
• Education and Communications
• College University and Postgraduate
• Academic Writing

How to Write an Interview Essay

Last Updated: March 11, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Diane Stubbs . Diane Stubbs is a Secondary English Teacher with over 22 years of experience teaching all high school grade levels and AP courses. She specializes in secondary education, classroom management, and educational technology. Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware and a Master of Education from Wesley College. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 462,411 times.

An interview essay is designed to give the reader a general impression of the interview subject and to present their thoughts on a select group of topics. It also offers the opportunity to develop deeper insights by analyzing the interviewee's responses within a larger context. Interview essays are a common school assignment, and provide useful skills for those interested in journalism, or just being good writers in general. There are several formats that fit into the category, but a good interview essay of whatever type can make the reader feel as though they were asking the questions.

Interviewing for an Essay

• If your essay is to be a factual piece, you'll want to interview someone who has expertise in the subject matter you'll be addressing. If your paper is about a science topic, you'll want to interview a scientist in that field. If your paper is about a period of history, you'll want to interview either a historian or someone who's lived through that period of history.
• If you plan to make your essay an opinion piece, you'll likely want to interview someone who has a strong opinion about the topic covered in your essay. Ideally, you want someone who can express opinions articulately, and who also has credentials in the area you plan to write about.
• If your piece will have a narrow perspective, you'll need to interview only one or two people. If your piece will present a general consensus, you'll need to interview more people, probably with varying expertise and credentials.

• When available, read works about and works written by your subject, both in print and online. At the same time, research the topic associated with your subject. The more you know about both, the more intelligent questions you can ask.
• Look for previous interviews your subject has given, as well. These will give you an idea of what questions the person has been asked before, so you can decide on appropriate subjects for your own questions, including questions that no one else has asked.
• Questions that require "yes" or "no" answers are good for gathering specific factual information; open-ended "how," "why," and "tell me about" questions are great for gathering additional background material not found in your research.
• Draw up a list of the questions you are prepared to ask. Have more questions ready than you will likely use, so that you can make adjustments as the interview takes place. (For instance, your subject may begin focusing on what you thought was a side topic, but turns out to be the key part of your interview.) Rank your questions in order of importance to make sure you ask your best ones, or list them all in the order you'd ask them and color-code the most important ones.

• Choose a quiet place with few distractions for your interview site. A library, restaurant, or campus location if you're doing this for a college writing class would be suitable.
• You may want to get the interviewee's consent to use their comments in your essay in writing, as well as permission to record those comments during the interview. By law, if you are recording an interview conducted over the phone, you must obtain written permission. [4] X Trustworthy Source University of North Carolina Writing Center UNC's on-campus and online instructional service that provides assistance to students, faculty, and others during the writing process Go to source
• It's helpful to have a backup interviewee in case the person you plan to interview can't make it.
• Be on time at the place you've agreed to meet for the interview.

• Using a recording device (with permission) is almost always advisable, as it permits you to save your note-taking for jotting down your insights on contexts, themes, how your subject approaches the questions, his/her comfort level, and so on.
• Be patient and respectful as you ask your questions and wait for responses. Give the interviewee time to reflect, and you will likely be rewarded with more insightful answers. A few deeper responses are usually better than many superficial ones.
• Immediately after the interview, write down your thoughts and impressions about the interview and interviewee. They may help you shape the essay.
• Always end the interview by thanking the person.

Writing the Essay

• Narrative format. This form allows paraphrasing of some information the interviewee says, along with direct quotes for the material you most want to emphasize. This is the most likely format for a class assignment, and offers the most opportunity to add context and analysis.
• Conversational format. This is a looser format than the formal writing style required for most essays. You can address the reader directly and use both first and second person. This format can be suitable for anything from class assignments to magazine articles.
• Question-and-answer format. This form presents your questions to the interviewee, followed by the interviewee's responses. (That is, the text looks something like this: (Your Name): How long have you been in the circus? (Interviewee's Name): About 35 years.) These are always direct quotes, although you may insert explanatory material in parentheses and substitutions, such as a person's name in place of a personal pronoun, in brackets. This format is best suited for essays with only a single interviewee or a closely related group, such as spouses or the core cast of a TV show.
• Informative format. This format usually interweaves the interview with research you've done on the subject, incorporating some of that research in the text to provide background and give it a little more color.

• Read over your interview notes and listen to any audio / video recordings you have. Utilizing both whenever available will allow you to thoroughly consider both the highlights of the interview and the most significant themes to emerge from it. These, in turn, will inform your outline of what information your essay will cover and how it will appear. [9] X Research source
• One possible outline could be an introduction that starts with an anecdote about the interviewee and then presents your thesis statement, several key points that support the main focus, and a conclusion that summarizes the information presented. Traditional school essays often utilize a five paragraph format (introduction, three supporting paragraphs, conclusion), and this can often work with interview essays as well.

• If, however, the purpose of your essay is to use your interviewee's comments to support a position or examine a larger theme, your thesis will probably be a statement of that position or theme, with the interview / interviewee placed within that context. For instance: "John Doe's mixed feelings of pride and betrayal reflect those shared by many Vietnam veterans still with us."
• Regardless of essay format, make your thesis clear and concise, and be sure that the remainder of your essay refers back to it. See How to Write a Thesis Statement for more advice.

• Interviews can sometimes produce a good deal of repetitive answers (even with high-quality questions), so you may need to trim repetitions and unnecessary elements from the body of your essay. Make sure that whatever material you do keep remains true to both the spirit of the interview and the overarching focus of your essay. [10] X Research source
• A handout from the Writing Center at the University of North Carolina (available at http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/oral-history/ ) provides a wealth of valuable materials on interview essays. It includes, for instance, examples of how to utilize the same interview materials in a transcription (question-and-answer format), a presentation of individual experiences (quotations and paraphrases), and the placing of the interview / interviewee in a larger context (paraphrasing and quotations with ample explanation).

• Reading over the essay yourself is a good start, but it is always wise to have another set of eyes look it over as well. Another reader is likely to catch errors, repetitions, and unclear sections that you have glossed over. [12] X Research source
• Go back to your original interview notes, recordings, and transcripts, and make sure that your essay continues to reflect the actual interview. Layers of editing and revising can sometimes cause the essay to drift away from the original source and intent. You may even want to let the interviewee read it over to ensure that it captures their voice. [13] X Research source

• Any materials you used for research, information about the interviewee, or context for the essay itself should be referenced in the approved citation format for your essay.
• Make sure one more time that any direct quotations from your source are placed in quotation marks, and any paraphrasing is done without quotation marks. Don't put words in your subject's mouth, and respect the words that do emerge from it.

What Are The Dos And Don’ts Of a Journalistic Interview?

Expert Q&A

• After the interview, send the interviewee a written thank-you note expressing your appreciation for their time. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• If the person you're interviewing is busy or elderly, you may want to plan for more than one interview session. Observe the interviewee for signs of impatience or fatigue. Conduct multiple, shorter sessions if necessary. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• If you plan to interview someone over the telephone, permission to record the conversation is required by law. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 3

You Might Also Like

• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/oral-history/
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/interviewing/interview-paper
• ↑ http://www.whatkidscando.org/featurestories/2007/maine_students/tip_sheets/FIRST-PERSON%20ESSAYS%20TIP%20SHEET.pdf
• ↑ http://www.brighthubeducation.com/help-with-writing/97515-how-to-write-an-interview-essay/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/proofreading/proofreading_suggestions.html

About This Article

To write an essay from an interview, you’ll first have to decide on the format the essay will take, as this will determine the structure and what you write. The most common form is the narrative format, in which you use direct quotes and paraphrase your subject to add context and detail, or you can write in a more conversational tone, or even in a directly transcribed question-and-answer form. Once you decide on format, plan an outline by forming a central thesis, which will be the central statement your essay is making. Add onto the outline by drafting supporting evidence directly from the interview and from other sources, like books, newspaper articles, other essays, anything else to support your point. Write and finish the essay by combining information from the interview and other sources with your own explanations and words. To learn about how to conduct the interview to get enough information to write about and how to finish the writing process, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

• Send fan mail to authors

Reader Success Stories

Oct 19, 2016

Did this article help you?

Tyler Jordan

Sep 11, 2016

Tawana Moos

Nov 20, 2017

Mar 28, 2016

David Mcaniel

May 23, 2017

Featured Articles

Trending Articles

Watch Articles

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Do Not Sell or Share My Info
• Not Selling Info

wikiHow Tech Help Pro:

Develop the tech skills you need for work and life

Write an A+ Interview Paper Using Our Tips and Examples

06 September, 2021

13 minutes read

Author:  Josh Carlyle

You will quickly find yourself with your back to the wall once your teacher assigns you an interview paper. Studying is often a headache by itself, and now you have to conduct interviews. Worse yet, you probably have no idea how you can do this. Luckily, we will tell you how to write an interview paper step by step in this comprehensive guide. So prepare your favorite drink and learn how to write a top-notch interview paper.

What is an Interview Paper?

An interview paper provides an expert opinion on a specific issue. In essence, it is an interview transcript inserted somewhere between the introduction and conclusion of an academic piece.

How long should it be? It depends on the topic and the length of your interview, but most papers are within the length of 2,000 – 5,000 words. What things should you consider before writing an interview paper in the first place? Let’s check them out below.

General Aspects of Writing an Interview Paper

Academic papers require you to provide arguments based on studies, research pieces, statistics, etc. But an interview paper is different – for this type of essay, you will develop assumptions around an expert’s opinion.

Let’s imagine your essay question reads the following: “Should we ban abortions?” If you write an interview paper, you should ask someone high-powered for their consideration. Let them be an executive director of the American Gynecological & Obstetrical Society.

You would reach them via email or phone or whatever communication channel you prefer and conduct an interview. Afterward, you would put all your findings on paper.

But in practice, writing an interview paper involves many more complexities and challenges, like planning, topic research , drafting, etc.

Let’s speak straight facts: nobody will reschedule their week to meet you because you need to do some homework. You’re one of the millions of students, and the local governor or a famous scientist won’t give you an interview nine times out of ten.

So you would want to target someone less busy, like professors from other faculties of your college or some researchers within your academic environment. Hunting a bigger fish is pointless unless you’re a well-established journalist working for a popular media channel. If you struggle to find someone within your college/university, you can contact people from your circle.

Writing Outline and Structure of an Interview Paper

 As you know, a typical paper consists of three parts:

• Introduction. This part includes background information, the hook, the thesis statement, and the transition.
• Body. It is the longest part of the paper consisting of several paragraphs. It should contain the actual interview.
• Conclusion. The final part summarizes the considerations and insights of your essay.

The question is: ‘where should you put an interview transcript and how do you do this?’

To answer this question, you need to come up with the interview papers format in the first place. There are several of them:

The narrative format implies that you can use either direct or indirect speech when referring to your interviewee. If you choose this path, you can stick to a 5-paragraph essay structure, retell the considerations of your interviewee, and cite their words here and there at your discretion.

You can also choose this format if you contact several people. Check what a narrative interview paper structure looks like when you reach out to several people:

• Introduction.
• Paragraph #1 – the first interviewee’s perspective.
• Paragraph #2 – the second interviewee’s opinion.
• Paragraph #3 – the third interviewee’s thoughts.
• Conclusion.

Alternatively, you can dedicate each paragraph to a particular idea of one person.

“Question and answer” will suit your needs perfectly if you interview one person. It is the simplest format used in online magazines, news reports, and other media. Your interview paper outline will look like this:

• Introduction
• Question #1 – Answer #1
• Question #2 – Answer #2
• Question #3 – Answer #3
• Question #4/5/6/etc. – Answer #4/5/6/etc.
• Interview analysis. You may include your thoughts on the subject matter.

Conversational

Conversational style is informal, and you can use either first-person or second-person narrative and follow a typical 5-paragraph paper structure. But writing interview papers in this lousy style might be perplexing, especially if you deal with this task for the first time.

We advise you to try the Q&A format because it’s the simplest one and takes the least time. Just imagine how much time your paper writing will take if you decide to interview three or five people.

How to Start an Interview Paper?

If you have no idea how to start an interview paper, choose the topic first. Selecting a topic for your interview paper is not a big deal, but you should keep in mind that you may not find appropriate interviewees for it.

Let’s imagine you want to explore whether the government should force people to get vaccines. This topic implies that you need to contact authorities. It might be a local lawyer, governor, or executive director of a local hospital. Well, the chances are these people will politely refuse to give an interview for your homework.

But if you choose to investigate how lockdown impacts intellectual workers, you can contact your friends or family members who work at home. In other words, it’s better to choose topics that reflect the experiences of ordinary people rather than the opinions of untouchable experts.

Asking people for their opinion about well-known facts like the Earth’s shape is a bad idea. You would want to choose high-profile debatable topics you can actually discuss.

Establish the Goal of Your Interview Essay

You have to establish the goal of your essay before researching the topic. For this, ask yourself: “What message should your interview essay deliver?” Sometimes, a topic of your choice might already explain the purpose of your essay.

Conduct Research

Interviewing someone implies that you should ask questions. But you will fail to do so if you know little to nothing about your topic. So read some case studies, news, articles, etc. Once you get the picture of your subject matter, you will come up with dozens of interview questions.

Get to Know Your Interviewee

A good interviewer always refers to the life and experience of their interviewee. If you’re lucky to work with someone you can read about on the Internet, find out as much information about them as possible. If your interviewee publishes any books, articles, or studies, you will better know them as well.

The more you know about the person, the more interview questions you can come up with. You can ask them whether the Internet tells their true story: “Is it true that you, Mr. Interviewee, support flat earthers?”

Draft Your Interview Questions

If you want a person to share their in-depth vision of the topic, you need to ask both open-ended and close-ended (“yes/no”) questions. However, you may struggle to prepare interview questions. Many students get stuck during this stage. To overcome this block, you need to learn some types of interview questions:

• Opinion – What do you think of this topic?
• Behavioral – What would you do in this situation?
• Experience and knowledge – What do you know about the subject?
• Background – How are you connected to the subject? What is your age, occupation, etc?
• Emotional – How do you feel about the subject?
• Sensory – What does the subject taste and feel like?

You can also think of the questions following the interviewee’s “yes” and “no” answers.

Tips for Conducting a Successful Interview

These four tips will help you conduct a productive interview on the first try:

1. Plan Your Meeting

Note that you want to interview a person in a quiet place so that nobody will distract you. This might be some cozy book store or a café. Or, you can arrange an online meeting. Make sure you have at least one hour for the interview.

2. Rehearse a bit

If you will conduct your first-ever interview, you want to practice with your friends/significant other/ family in the first place. This approach will help you identify what stage of your upcoming interview may challenge you the most.

3. Record Your Interview

You will forget about 50% of the information within an hour once you finish the interview. So don’t rely on your memory − bring a recorder instead. Why not take notes? You wouldn’t want to go red while asking your interviewee to repeat what they have just said or wait until you write down their answers.

4. Talk to Your Interviewee for a While Before You Begin

Speaking to someone you don’t know might be uncomfortable. You don’t have to attack them with your interview questions straightaway. Instead, you can exchange some casual phrases or discuss the weather. This will help you relieve stress and get comfortable with each other.

5. Explain Your Interview Protocol

It’s better to explain to your interviewee how you will conduct your interview. Tell them that you will use a recorder and introduce the discussion topic.

Interview Papers Format

In academic writing, you have to explain the purpose of your interview and introduce your interviewee in a specific “scholarly” format. The APA format interview paper has the following requirements:

• Use 12-point Times New Roman.
• Write a title page.
• Use double spacing.
• Introduce your interviewee and provide the background information – explain why this person is suitable for the interview. Mention their name and qualifications.
• Use direct quotes if you cite some facts provided by the interviewee.
• Use block quotes for citations longer than 40 words.

How to Write a Title Page?

The title of your paper must include your name, your institution, department, the course name and number, the teacher’s name, and the assignment date. The rules of writing the title page are the following:

• The title page must be numbered.
• Capitalize all major words in your title and make it bold.
• Place the title of the essay three or four lines down the top of the page.
• There must be one empty line before the student’s name.

Interview Papers Examples

If you’re searching for an interview essay example – check several samples below:

• A narrative interview essay .
• A Q&A interview format paper.
• An interview with a scientist.

Interview Papers Writing Tips

The following writing tips will help you deliver the first-class interview paper:

• Write the introduction at the end. Once you finish your essay, you will likely reconsider some ideas you had before you began. They will help you frame your interview essay with a captivating introduction and conclusion.
• Give yourself a break after finishing your final draft. This will help you look at your paper with a fresh pair of eyes once you start editing.
• Edit one type of error at a time. For example, you can reduce logical errors first and switch to grammatical mistakes afterward.
• Use an active voice. If active voice makes your sentence shorter, use it without hesitation.
• Check for any sample interview paper to decide on the interview questions. Perhaps, some pieces will spark your interest.

Writing Help by Handmadewriting

An interview paper doesn’t seem that intimidating once you learn how to write it step by step. First, you have to choose the subject that allows you to interview ordinary people rather than hard-to-reach ones. Then, you need to research your topic, conduct an interview, and write a paper.

You can get an A+ for this assignment with enough effort and dedication. But a doable task doesn’t necessarily mean that you must do it by yourself. If you have plenty of other assignments to do, you can ask our essay writers to craft an exemplary interview paper for you. For this, you can place an order on our website, and we will do all the dirty work.

A life lesson in Romeo and Juliet taught by death

Due to human nature, we draw conclusions only when life gives us a lesson since the experience of others is not so effective and powerful. Therefore, when analyzing and sorting out common problems we face, we may trace a parallel with well-known book characters or real historical figures. Moreover, we often compare our situations with […]

Ethical Research Paper Topics

Writing a research paper on ethics is not an easy task, especially if you do not possess excellent writing skills and do not like to contemplate controversial questions. But an ethics course is obligatory in all higher education institutions, and students have to look for a way out and be creative. When you find an […]

Art Research Paper Topics

Students obtaining degrees in fine art and art & design programs most commonly need to write a paper on art topics. However, this subject is becoming more popular in educational institutions for expanding students’ horizons. Thus, both groups of receivers of education: those who are into arts and those who only get acquainted with art […]

How To Write an Interview Essay

The aim of an interview is that through using people rather than books or articles, the writer can obtain a first-person viewpoint on a subject. The interview can be related to experiences in their life or may be related to a field in which they are an expert. Clearly these types of essays require a different form of planning and research. Typically, this includes the following steps:

• Determine the subject on which the person is to be interviewed.
• Identify the target interviewees, contact them, and ask for consent.
• Personal details (name, occupation, or credentials where appropriate, age if relevant, location if relevant)
• Primary question: The main focus of the work and some short main topic questions
• Notes on exploring the respondent’s answers – i.e., reminder questions for the writer such as “why do you feel that way?”, “Can you explain that in more detail?”, “Why do you think some people disagree with you?”
• Analyse the information / answers given by your interviewee.

Once you have followed these stages, you can draft / outline your interview essay in a more standard format:

• Break up the responses into key themes or points that you will make.
• Identify any other sources that you will use in your essay.
• Give an approximate word count to each section.

Note that using closed questions requiring “yes/no” answers are effective for gathering factual information, however, more detailed responses can be achieved with open-ended questions starting, “how”, “why”, “talk to me about…” and similar. Using these questions also encourages you to ask more for more detail that will expand your essay and source information.

Analysing your interviews

When analysing your interview(s), the approach will depend on the focus of your interview. For example, if you have undertaken 2/3 interviews for considering an experience, you may wish to follow the narrative route. However, if you have undertaken only one interview on a specific topic in which your interviewee is an expert, you may look at content analysis. In both cases, however you should, as you look through the interview notes or transcriptions if you have these and ask yourself:

• What reasons/ points/ perspectives did the interviewees give in support or opposition to the main topic
• Are they positive or negative?
• How does their responses compare to existing views?
• How interesting or important are the responses given?
• What is your own perspective of the views/reasons/responses given?

Once you have written down your initial analysis in order to structure your interview essay in a logical format you should then list the points/reasons given in the following way:

• least to most important
• positive first, then negative
• negative, then positive
• those you disagree with, those you agree with
• those which are pretty typical, those which are unusual.

Writing your Interview Essay

Introduction.

Your introduction should commence with an indication of the key question asked. This can either be in the form of a comment from the interviewee or a description of the situation that led to the development of your main question.

In addition, you should clearly state the type of interview undertaken (survey, narrative etc.) so that the reader has a context for your work. The introduction should then provide an overview of the responses given, along with your own perspectives and thoughts on these (your thesis statement) before introducing the body of the essay through linking. For example, “having stated X, the work will now provide a more detailed overview of some of the key comments and their implications in relation to XX”.

The body text should follow the order of your points indicated above. Use only one paragraph per point structured by indicating the point made, why you agree/disagree and any other relevant subpoints made by the interviewee in regard to the first points.

The paragraph should conclude with a link to the next theme which leads to the next paragraph and demonstrates cohesion of thought and logical flow of reporting the interview analysis. Note: you can include quotations from the interview, but do not rely on these, they should only be used to reinforce a point of view, and where possible avoid the inclusion of slang or swearing unless it is vital to the point you are making.

Your conclusion should bring together all the perspectives given by the interviewee. It is, in effect, a synopsis of the work with your own conclusions included. It is useful to refer back to the main question and your thesis statement to indicate how the interviewee answered (or not) your question and what this means for your future views or action in regard to the topic. A strong conclusion is as vital as a strong introduction and should not introduce any new information but should be a precis of the overall essay.

Key Phrases for an Interview Essay

The main subject under discussion was…”

“The interviewee was very clear when discussing…”

“The interviewee was somewhat vague when asked about…”

“This raised the question of…”

“When asked about x, the interviewee stated/asserted/claimed/maintained/declared, believed/thought/.”

“From the perspectives given by the interviewee it seems that…”

You may also like

How to Write an Interview Essay: A Guide

• Kellie Hayden
• Categories : Help with writing assignments paragraphs, essays, outlines & more
• Tags : Homework help & study guides

How to Write An Interview Essay

Interviews can be a great way to get first person information on the life and experiences of your subject. This article will walk you through the steps on how to write an interview essay. Before writing the essay, you have a lot of prep work to do. Decide what you would like to write about and determine an interesting figure you can interview. Do some preliminary research before the interview itself to decide what kind of questions you should ask. During the interview, make sure you take a lot of notes, or best of all, tape record the interview (with your subject’s permission) so you can remain focused on the conversation. If you need more help with the interview portion, read this article .

Organizing the Notes of the Interview

First, you need to know if your teacher wants you to write the essay in a narrative format or in a question answer format. This will affect how you organize your paper. Both essay formats need a strong introduction, an organized body and a solid conclusion. The difference is that the question and answer essay will use direct quotes with your questions. The narrative essay can have paraphrased information from the interview mixed in with direct quotes.

Writing the Informational Interview Essay

Hopefully, you took copious (many) notes during your interview and hopefully you were allowed to record the interview to catch any information that you missed in your notes. Now, you need to organize your information into a logical outline Probably the easiest way to organize all the information is to read through your notes and to listen to the recording of the interview. You need to think about what the reader would like to know about the person you interviewed. Pick three main themes or ideas that you talked about during the interview. These will become body paragraphs for your essay. Once you have wrapped your brain around the three main things you are going to talk about in your essay, you need to write out an outline.

Sample Outline

This outline will help you write a five paragraph essay for a narrative format. However, you can easily organize your question and answer format essay using this outline as well. I. Introduction Start with a humorous or interesting anecdote or fact that the person told you. Thesis statement: A thesis statement is one sentence that tells who was interviewed, his or her title, and why you interviewed the person. Basically, what do you plan to tell your reader about this person? This must be in the introduction, and you must spell the person’s name correctly. Read this article on how to write a thesis statement for more help. II. Body paragraph 1: One big idea you learned III. Body paragraph 2: Second big idea you learned IV. Body paragraph 3: Third big idea you learned V. Conclusion: You need to wrap up your essay by summarizing and writing some concluding remarks about the person.

Write the Interview Essay

Depending on the assigned length of your paper, you can write a paragraph for each Roman numeral on your outline. However, if you need to write a longer essay, you can have several paragraphs for Roman numerals II, III, and IV. You need to make sure that you put quotation marks around words that the person said, and you need to make sure that you body paragraphs support your thesis statement. Once you have a rough draft written, you need someone to peer-edit your paper. Then, you can write a final copy for your teacher. You should now be an expert on how to write an interview essay. You may need to edit and revise your essay to get a top grade, but you should understand the writing process for the interview essay.

This post is part of the series: Interviews and Essays

The following articles will help you to complete an interview and write the interview essay.

• How to Interview Someone for a Paper
• How to Write an Interview Essay

All You Need to Know About Interview Essay Writing

Purpose of Writing an Interview Essay

The writing process is not always smooth sailing. When it comes to the construction of interview papers, you are free to ask about myriads of issues of your interests and get a broad insight from the interview subject. Once you figure out the main thesis statement for your interview essay, you must collect relatable data in question-and-answer format. The gathered information is almost always subjective since the authoritative individuals and qualified experts are your main data providers. Interview essays are constructed based on people's biased opinions rather than books, historical records, and other sources.

Are you looking for answers on how to write an outline for interview essay? We are here to provide you with useful tips on how to write interview APA format essay. 

You might as well find this article helpful since we have prepared essay writing in interview sample at the end of it.

Format for Writing an Interview Essay

Are you on the verge of choosing an appropriate format to write an interview essay? One of the essential steps includes identifying the type of interview paper you are willing to write. The interview essay format is determined based on the style of your paper. There are three basic types of interview papers:

• Narrative Essay Interview - Through this type of paper, you are assigned to research a specific topic based on the conducted interview. The main thing is to accumulate all the information that the interviewed person has provided in a neat and organized manner in the form of a narrative. The story might be written from your perspective or that of the interviewee. In that case, you are free to write in the first and second person.
• Personal Interview - Such type of paper demands you to prepare a list of witty interview questions to ask a specific person who holds a certain type of authority based on their professional occupation. The final product turns out to be an interview in essay format.
• Question-answer Interview - Such interview questions are often asked to job seekers. This is your chance to glance through the common interview questions that the hiring managers will ask you to get a glimpse of your personality and career goals. The questions and answers can be combined in an interview paper. For more information, check out internship interview questions and answers here.

How to Write an Outline for Interview Essay

After you have chosen key points for your interview paper and adjusted its format accordingly, you might wonder, 'should I write an outline for an interview essay ?'. The answer is clear and direct - 'Yes, definitely!'

Good writers always prepare an outline in advance, which is a great tip to lift the burden of the time-consuming paper writing process. The basic structure of interview essay outline includes three major parts:

• Introduction - As you state your paper's thesis statement, you can start writing by introducing the person or the people you interviewed.
• Body Paragraphs - The following paragraphs should contain the subjective points of view that your interviewees provided concerning your major thesis statement.
• Conclusion - In the concluding paragraph of the essay, restate the paper's main goal and summarize the most important points you have made so far.

Writing an Interview Essay Introduction

Once you wrap up the interview essay, outline you are ready to start the writing process. Writing a catchy lead and grabbing a reader's attention right away is not a simple task. However, there are some key elements that make up the best of the introduction part of your interview essay. The primary sentence should briefly contain the main objective behind the chosen topic of the paper. The following sentences should report the importance of your essay topic to your target audience. Finally, you can proceed with the thesis statement, which indicates the basic value of your paper. In other words, try to answer the question of what benefits the reader gets from familiarizing themself with your interview paper.

Do not hesitate to ask us to write an essay for me whether you are assigned to construct an interview essay on writing or any other given subject.

Writing an Interview Essay Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs hold the majority of the essay. Provided paragraphs support the central statement with relatable facts, details, and key points as the answers that an interviewer asks.

Some of the interviewers prefer to use a recording device, while others opt for notes to contain the important data in its entirety. They choose to include parts of the narrative later in the body paragraphs of the essay as they gather the most important and thematic points made throughout the interview process. You might as well include direct quotes or in-text citations as the sources of provided answers. However, always keep in mind to ask for written permission if you plan to paraphrase or directly copy their ideas word by word according to the issue of your interest.

Writing an interview essay can be hard, so if you are looking for further tips on how to write an essay , we can provide you with an interview essay outline example as well as the complete paper itself.

Writing an Interview Essay Conclusion

The classic format for writing an interview essay includes jotting down the main objectives made throughout the paper in a final paragraph, otherwise known as the conclusion. The last paragraph is not any less important compared to the opening one. That is why you should try and restate the crucial points that interviewees have made while answering questions provided by you. That way, you will sound even more persuasive as you provide evident arguments supported by powerful public figures regarded as influential in society.

You are welcome to conclude the essay with a respectful thank you note as well. Express sincere gratification to the reader for taking the time to read your essay and focus on your contribution to them with the source of information contained in the written interview paper.

If you don’t have distinguished skills for writing an outline for college interview essay, our experts have your back! Contact us to write papers for money and enjoy a perfectly-crafted assignment.

Essay Writing Topics in Interview

Looking for inspiration? Researching an interesting topic for the essay can be exhausting sometimes. But we are here to give you a helping hand through tough times. Our experts have gathered some of the most compelling essay writing topics in interview. You are free to take a look at them and choose one that satisfies your curiosity and challenges you to be analyzed in depth.

• Does body language describe our mental state?
• How important is eye contact for establishing genuine connections?
• Are educated and qualified people obliged to give more to others?
• Which job position is the most attractive in the 21st century?
• Do career services help people get to their target job market?
• Does conflict resolution hold an important place in the contemporary world?
• What is love, and where do you feel it or experience it most often?
• How do our family heritage and traditions influence our personalities?
• How many hours of sleep are needed at different stages of life?
• What kind of skills is essential to possess in order to become a good leader?
• Should the tax system be allocated to the rich and poor accordingly?
• Is the two-party system the guarantee of American democracy in the US?
• Should combatting racism be an individual responsibility?
• Should the American people restrict the amount of money spent on the electoral college?
• How do relationships and friendships shape our lives?
• Do your dreams and nightmares reflect real-life events?
• How do you keep yourself from getting sick?
• Does technology make your daily life easier?
• Do you agree or disagree with the idea that opposites attract?
• What does it mean to be a religious and faithful person to you?

We hope those mentioned above, as well as other essay writing topics for interview in google, will fuel your curiosity.

Meanwhile, you can always pay for papers . Our experts are capable of writing an essay for a job interview based on your individual demands that will get you closer to your dream position.

Interview Essay Writing Examples

Here is one of the interview essay writing examples to check out. We hope that the provided example will give you some kind of perspective:

'A LEADER IS ONE WHO KNOWS THE WAY, GOES THE WAY, AND SHOWS THE WAY'

According to the popular idea, leaders are born rather than made. Contrary to this belief, many real-life examples prove that people can grow into a leader type as they grow older if they want to. Any man can be a leader, but it is not an easy thing to do. You need to know yourself to set an example for others, inspire them, and give them a sense of trust to follow your steps. People are inclined toward those who know where they are going, have their own vision, and are educated enough to support their decisions with rational arguments. These traits give leaders the power to be persuasive. They have their goals set and are not afraid to firmly face any challenges that life might throw their way.

To support this statement, we have interviewed a Pakistani female education activist, Malala Yousafzai, who also carries the honor of being the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize laureate. She is a pure example of how one can rise from any kind of social and domestic circumstances if one has a vision and works hard enough to achieve their goals. She realized the value of education from a very young age. The latter was often inaccessible for girls of her nation due to authoritative powers in the head of the government, under which education was banned for almost all the females in the Northern Pakistani region. Malala persistently fought for her truth and raised awareness about the value that educating girls and boys could hold. She began writing articles and her personal insights anonymously to describe the intolerable circumstances that females had to face under the group of dictators, highlighting the purpose of education and its unavailability for girls of Pakistan.

Malala's example is one of a kind. She wants to be remembered as a girl who tries to help others in whatever capacity she can hold. She did everything possible to let the outer world know about the injustice that the government of her nation committed. She never backed down even after the confrontation between her and the representatives of the ruling power at the head of the Pakistani government.

Further Academic Help

We hope you gained some beneficial information throughout this article which will help you craft a top-notch interview essay for your journalism class. In case of further assistance, our expert writers are here to provide you with interview essay examples APA format at our paper service platform.

Before you go, you are welcome to take an essay writing test for interview to check how well you understood the concept of the article and implement gained knowledge into your upcoming assignment.

Frequently asked questions

She was flawless! first time using a website like this, I've ordered article review and i totally adored it! grammar punctuation, content - everything was on point

This writer is my go to, because whenever I need someone who I can trust my task to - I hire Joy. She wrote almost every paper for me for the last 2 years

Term paper done up to a highest standard, no revisions, perfect communication. 10s across the board!!!!!!!

I send him instructions and that's it. my paper was done 10 hours later, no stupid questions, he nailed it.

Sometimes I wonder if Michael is secretly a professor because he literally knows everything. HE DID SO WELL THAT MY PROF SHOWED MY PAPER AS AN EXAMPLE. unbelievable, many thanks

You Might Also Like

New Posts to Your Inbox!

Stay in touch

How to Write an Interview Essay

Post Published On: 26 March, 2018

Within an interview essay, you can present somebody’s thoughts on a certain topic, and this essay type also offers you an opportunity to consider somebody’s ideas in a more general context or analyze them.Interview essays are crucial for those who study journalism or just want to improve writing skills. There are several types of interview essays, but all of them are aimed to create an impression that readers talked to somebody personally.

Now let’s consider interview essays in more detail, so you’ll be able to write a good essay , following simple step-by-step instructions.

• Define the purpose of your paper

The purpose of your essay affects the interviewed person, it determines the chosen method and some features of essay writing.

• If your assignment is about some scientific phenomenon, you’ll interview a scientist. If it’s about some period in history, you’ll interview a historian or a person who participated in these events or lived during these times.
• If your essay is aimed to provide a certain opinion, you’ll want to interview an authoritative person who has a strong opinion and expresses it impressively.
• If your essay is devoted to public opinion, you’ll have to interview many people. On contrary, if it represents a particular view of a random person, you will choose only one person to interview.
• Research the subject of an interview and prepare your questions

To write a good essay , you have to conduct a good interview. In turn, a good interview is impossible without a proper understanding of the subject and preparation. Study your subject, its history,and most important issues. You have to collect enough information to write a list of interesting and relevant questions.

• Read sources devoted to your subject and any available printed materials. The more you know about it, the more interesting and specific questions you can ask.
• Look up some existing interviews about this subject, This will allow you to determine what questions are the most important, as well as figure out what unique questions you can ask and what questions may be too banal.
• Some questions may be answered with either “yes” or “no”. Such questions are good to clarify some crucial and specific details. On the other hand, open questions which imply a detailed answer can help you gather additional data.
• Draft a list of questions that will serve as a blueprint for your interview. We suggest preparing more questions so you’ll be able to select the most appropriate ones during the interview. You don’t know what an interviewed person will be focused on – it may be a topic that you considered a side subject. Sort your questions by importance or in the order that you plan to ask them. Highlight the most important questions.
• Arrange the interview

First of all, you have to contact your interviewee to define a place and time to meet. Don’t forget to get a necessary permission for recording answers or making photos. Always explain who you are and why you’re interested in interviewing this particular person.

• Find a quiet place. It may be a restaurant, a library, or a quiet location, for example, in some park.
• The interviewee must express his or her consent regarding the use of the recorded material. According to the law, you have to get a written permission to record an interview.
• If the person you wanted to interview can’t meet with you or is just not interested in the interview, you must have your plan B that implies another person familiar with the subject.
• Once you’ve arranged the interview, make sure to get there on time.
• Conduct the interview

Even if you record the interview on a phone or a voice recorder, take notes. It will help you remember some points that appear to be especially interesting or important.

• Use a recording device that will help you clarify the context of some noted phrases during the writing process.
• Be respectful and wait for your interviewee’s responses with patience. The interviewed person must have time to think and figure out answers. Create a relaxed environment for the conversation. Remember that it’s better to get a few accurate and meaningful responses than many answers given in a hurry.
• Right after you’ve finished interviewing someone, jot down your fresh impressions and thoughts. You will need these notes while writing an essay.
• At the end of the interview, thank your interviewee.
• Determine the format of your essay

Usually, if you get an essay assigned, you will be given instructions on the essay format. Talk to your instructor to clarify all the necessary details, such as the expected questions or answers, the use of paraphrasing, the context, and the format of quotes. Generally, there are three most common interview types:

• It’s an informal format which allows you to use the first and the second person. It fits a wide range of essays, including magazine articles and college assignments.
• Narrative interview essays are formal, and it’s the most common type of college assignments. Some answers may be paraphrased. This format also allows you to provide background information.
• Question – answer. Essays of this type consist only of direct quotes. It looks like a list of questions and answers written in a form of a dialogue. However, you can add some comments in parentheses. This format fits essays that include only one interviewee or a group of closely related people, such as a cast ofa movie or spouses.
• Draw up an outline

Your outline may vary depending on the essay type. However, it must include an introduction that describes your subject and the purpose of the interview.

• Listen to your recordings and read your notes. You have to consider both the most substantial parts of the interview and themes that you marked as important while talking to a person. This information will help you define what you’re going to write and in what order you should place questions and answers.
• Your outline may be a basis for the introduction. Start it with an anecdote or interesting fact about the interviewee. After that, familiarize your readers with main points and write your thesis statement. You have to support your thesis with several facts, and summarize the presented material in the conclusion. Most of thecollege essays imply a five-paragraph structure (introduction, three body paragraphs, and conclusion), and you can use this structure for your interview essay as well.
• Evolve your thesis statement

If your essay is aimed to only introduce your readers to a person, the thesis statement may be a concise summary of his or her background, qualifications, and achievements.

If the interview is used in your essay to support a certain position or provide an opinion on some broad issue, the thesis statement may formulate this position, mentioning the interviewee in the context of the considered issue.

No matter what format you choose, remember that your thesis statement must be clear and coherent. Make sure that other parts of the essay refer to your thesis statement.

• Complete your essay

The body of the essay must be tied to your thesis statement and cover the interview in details.

• Interviews often contain many repetitive phrases, even if you prepare good questions. You have to polish your essay and remove all unnecessary elements. You have to keep only information that corresponds to the idea of your essay and focuses on the subject.
• You can find many useful materials on interview essays on the internet. Visit websites of prestigious universities and read articles. For example, University of North Carolina Writing Center website contains many tips on how to get rid of similar phrases, and how to use transcriptions. You will also learn how to consider the interview in a global context by using paraphrasing. You can also find some detailed instructions on how to transfer personal experience.
• Proofread your writings

Never forget to revise and proofread your work, regardless of its type.

• Obviously, you must read your essay a few times. But you also have to find somebody else who will look it over. Sometimes you may miss something in your own work, so others will help you by providing a new perspective.
• Return to your notes that you’ve taken right after the interview and look whether your essay still represents the actual interview. While editing, you may change your essay considerably, so make sure that the initial intention remained the same. If you can, meet the interviewee and let him or her read your essay to understand whether it reflects their opinion correctly.
• Specify your sources

Usually, you don’t need to include the specific citation of the entire interview, but you must cite any additional materials used to collect data. We also suggest referring contextual information according to the required citation format.

Remember that all direct quotations must be written in quotation marks, while paraphrasing shouldn’t include them.

Finally, the last and the most important rule is that you shouldn’t present your own thoughts as someone else’s words. Respect interviewee’s opinion, and you’ll write a perfect interview essay !

• Link to facebook
• Link to linkedin
• Link to twitter
• Link to youtube
• Writing Tips

How to Write Up an Interview-Based Article

• 5-minute read
• 26th May 2021

You’ve interviewed someone and had it transcribed. But what happens next? How do you turn a raw interview transcript into an article people will want to read? There are five key steps to writing up an interview-based article:

• Review the transcript and plan what you want to include.
• Decide how you’re going to structure your article.
• Write up the interview, editing for clarity and concision as appropriate.
• Consider whether reorganizing parts of the interview will help it make sense.
• Proofread your finished interview article to ensure it is error free.

For more on how to write up an interview-based article, read on below.

1. Review the Transcript

A transcript is a written, word-for-word copy of what was said in an interview. This provides the starting point for any interview-based article. Before you start writing, then, you will want to review your transcript. This will help you identify:

• What to include and what to leave out when you write up the interview.
• Key details or recurring themes that you want to highlight in your article.
• Any details that need checking with your subject before publication.

It is a good idea to listen to the recorded interview again, too. Hearing the interviewee’s voice will help you capture the tone of their responses. If you haven’t yet transcribed your interview, you can use an audio-to-text transcription tool .

2. Decide How to Structure Your Article

There are two common ways of structuring an interview-based article. One is a literal question-and-answer format, where each question is presented in turn, with the subject’s answers following. For example:

What made you approach writing you latest book in this way? I wanted to play with narrative forms and decided to experiment. To be honest, I was still prepared to scrap the whole idea and start again, though!

Alternatively, you can use a narrative form. This is where you describe what happened during the interview, using quotes to relay what the subject said, but giving extra detail about what they do, the surroundings, and even your own thoughts and feelings as the interviewer (if appropriate):

Taylor shrugs when asked about the writing style of her next, saying she “wanted to play with narrative forms and decided to experiment,” though she “was still prepared to scrap the whole idea and start again” if she had to.

You can even use a hybrid of the two, framing a question-and-answer piece with narrative sections or your own thoughts at the beginning and end.

3. Edit for Clarity and Concision

When we speak, we often use more words than necessary. Sentences become garbled. We use all sorts of linguistic fillers and crutch words . Sometimes we lose confidence in what we say and trail off. And none of this makes for a great read!

As a result, most interview-based articles will be edited for clarity and concision. This might involve making changes along the following lines, for instance:

Original So, um, I was going to start writing…when I started writing the book, I just knuckled down and worked really hard for two months, basically.

Find this useful?

Subscribe to our newsletter and get writing tips from our editors straight to your inbox.

Edited When I started writing the book, I worked really hard for two months.

The second version is much clearer and easier to read, picking out the key parts of the original to communicate the same thought more effectively.

It’s important to be careful when editing a transcript, though. You won’t want to accidentally twist the subject’s words or misrepresent them, so keep changes minimal where possible and make sure to preserve the meaning of the original.

If you need to rephrase something more thoroughly for clarity, moreover, you may want to check that the interviewee is okay with any changes you’ve made.

Always check your style guide or publisher’s instructions, too, as some are quite restrictive regarding the changes you can make. AP style , for example, suggests only making very minor changes to quotations (e.g., cutting out “umms” and “aahs”).

4. Consider Reorganizing Parts of the Transcript

Interviews can go in unexpected directions. The interviewee might go off on tangents. Or the same topic might come up at different points. To make sure your interview article reads smoothly, then, you might need to reorganize slightly.

For example, perhaps your subject speaks about their early years at the start of an interview, but slips in an extra childhood anecdote later on in a context where it doesn’t fit. Or perhaps you are thinking of cutting part of a response but want to keep an insightful statement that would work elsewhere in the article.

In these cases, it is often fine to move things around as long as the change of context doesn’t misrepresent what your subject has said. However, this is another case where you may need to get the interviewee’s approval for any changes.

5. Proofread Your Interview Article

Whether you are publishing an article yourself or submitting it for publication, always proofread your finished interview to make sure it is clear and error free. You should also check you haven’t changed the meaning of anything your subject said.

You could even use a proofreading service at this stage. Our expert editors are always available, so learn more about our article proofreading service and our transcript proofreading service today.

Share this article:

Post A New Comment

Got content that needs a quick turnaround? Let us polish your work. Explore our editorial business services.

9-minute read

How to Use Infographics to Boost Your Presentation

Is your content getting noticed? Capturing and maintaining an audience’s attention is a challenge when...

8-minute read

Why Interactive PDFs Are Better for Engagement

Are you looking to enhance engagement and captivate your audience through your professional documents? Interactive...

7-minute read

Seven Key Strategies for Voice Search Optimization

Voice search optimization is rapidly shaping the digital landscape, requiring content professionals to adapt their...

4-minute read

Five Creative Ways to Showcase Your Digital Portfolio

Are you a creative freelancer looking to make a lasting impression on potential clients or...

How to Ace Slack Messaging for Contractors and Freelancers

Effective professional communication is an important skill for contractors and freelancers navigating remote work environments....

3-minute read

How to Insert a Text Box in a Google Doc

Google Docs is a powerful collaborative tool, and mastering its features can significantly enhance your...

Make sure your writing is the best it can be with our expert English proofreading and editing.

• Trending Now
• Foundational Courses
• Data Science
• Practice Problem
• Machine Learning
• System Design
• DevOps Tutorial

A Guide to Writing an Essay for Job Interviews

• How to Effectively Use Storytelling in Job Interviews
• Top 10 Job Interview Tips For Freshers
• Resources for Job Interviews
• How to be prepared for an interview?
• How to Answer "Why Should We Hire You" in an Interview?
• How to Talk About Your Achievements in an Interview?
• 25 Questions to Ask in An Informational Interview
• How to write an Interview Experience?
• Common Interview Questions and Preparation Guide for 2024
• 10 Best tips to prepare for a Job Interview in 2023
• Top 10 Traditional HR Interview Questions and Answers
• JIO Interview Experience for Graduate Engineer Trainee
• 50 Good Questions to Ask in an Interview
• Xoriant interview experience (On-Campus)
• Nokia Interview Experience for Graduate Engineer Trainee
• Artesian Software Technologies Interview Experience for SDE Intern
• Bank of America Interview Experience (On-Campus)
• Going to an Interview
• Wipro Turbo Hiring Interview Experience ( On Campus )

Writing is a doorway into your mental perspective. Your written work will convey to the reader how you reason, how you debate, and how you support your point of view. This is why essays are integral parts of some job selection processes.

The subjects and topics of these essays mostly revolve around specific current affairs or political events. The more you understand the topic and have information about the event, the better your essay becomes.

Things to remember about Essay Writing

• The essay must be organized and presented so that interviewer can follow it easily. It also needs to be neat and free of any ambiguity. 
• The essay is not only a quiz on your understanding of specific facts. Your imagination, ingenuity, and ability to come up with original ideas will be put to the test. Hence, it must be written in an engaging, readable style. However, it must, most importantly, include your viewpoints on the matter at hand.
• Language proficiency does not develop immediately. It requires perseverance and effort. Your motivation to learn a language will impact how well you can communicate in it.
• In the wrong belief that we can produce a quality piece of work in the test room, many of us make the mistake of accumulating information and facts on the likely topics at the eleventh hour of preparation.
• What we must realize is that organizing information using the proper terminology will be a laborious task, especially under the strain of a deadline
• Improve your abilities by being enthusiastic about reading, taking an interest in expanding your knowledge base, and learning new words.
• The essay as a whole needs to flow naturally from one paragraph to the next so that the interviewer can sense the coherence, orderly flow, and arrangement of your ideas. Transitional words and phrases can be used to tie the paragraphs together.

Suggestions for Writing Effectively

Now let’s discuss some general ideas and tips for writing essays.

• Maintain proper structure: Start the essay with an introduction (or a problem), and then go on to give further information about the problem. The essay body should be between 86 and 90 percent in length, the introduction should be between 5 and 7 percent, and the conclusion should be between 5 and 7 percent.
• Don’t lose track of the subject: Remember the essay prompt. Remain focused on the topic. do not just cite examples or quotations and discuss side-events. Stay rooted in the problem or event you are discussing and then present your take on that very event.
• Practice is the key: Preparation is required before the examination phase to develop the ability to produce a decent essay. Writing is the key to a successful essay because it serves as the primary means of transferring thoughts from your head to paper. So don’t just read, start practicing writing essays before you write them for the real interview.
• Draw the readers’ attention: Your introduction’s opening line should spark the reader’s interest and stimulate their curiosity. When discussing a current affair or a political issue, it might be an intriguing question, a stunning reality, or a statement emphasizing the significance of the topic.
• Explain the background of your subject: The next step is to provide the context of the particular issue of current affairs or politics, so that the interviewer may grasp your argument. This may entail offering background information, providing an overview of the significance of discussions on the subject, and defining complex words. Don’t go into too much depth in the opening; you can go into more detail in your essay’s body.
• Be resourceful with your knowledge : In order to write a good article about current topics, you must understand that knowledge comes first. You need to know what is going on around you. Be precise when presenting your current affairs knowledge. Be precise in how you think about these incidents.

Mistakes to avoid in the Essays

You’ve probably got a clear idea about how to write an essay this far. That’s great! But you also need to be aware of the errors to keep away from. Your essays will be of much better quality if you can figure out how to avoid the following errors.

• Synthesis Writing, Not Analytical Essay Writing: If you’re writing about a current event, providing some background information can help to frame the subject. However, the majority of your essay should focus on your analysis. Don’t just summarise what happened.
• Too many arguments: The interviewer always expects you to provide solid justification for your thesis. Some people take this literally, and as a result, they write as many facts, figures, and quotations as they can. To make the thesis statement more credible, avoid adding unnecessary complexity to the article by making unrelated citings. Stick to the topic and state your case logically without factitively.
• Don’t sound contradictory: Be clear from the very first about your take on the event you are discussing. You may discuss different and relevant aspects of the issue you are discussing but don’t sound contradictory in the process. Don’t hold extremist opinions. Your essay should demonstrate how well-balanced, holistic, and analytical you are.

Useful Resources to learn about Current Events

Now, if you are wondering where and how to find the current events or relevant political issues that may be the potential topics of your essay, here are some cues for you.

• Consistency is necessary for the GA segment; daily newspaper reading is required.
• Keep concise records of significant news. The notes should be revised on a regular basis.
• Another way to stay up to date on current events is to subscribe to news networks or current affairs YouTube channels.
• You can read monthly magazines that are offered by different institutions if you don’t have time to read everyday current affairs. These periodicals can be found online and in PDF format.

So, these are everything you need to know about writing an essay on current and political issues; following the DOs and DONTs mentioned here you can create an excellent piece. But always keep in mind that before writing comes knowledge. There is no such thing as perfect writing but the more you are aware of your surroundings the easier it is for you to pen it down. Hence, keep reading, and stay updated to excel in your essay on such topics.  

Please Login to comment...

Similar reads, improve your coding skills with practice.

What kind of Experience do you want to share?

Student Interview Essay Example (Tips for a Successful Interview)

A student interview essay is a type of academic assignment where students are required to conduct an interview with someone and then write an essay based on the insights gained from the interview. This type of essay allows students to delve into a particular topic or subject by gathering firsthand information from someone with expertise or experience in that area.

Student interview essays can be a valuable tool for learning, as they provide an opportunity for students to engage with real-life experiences and perspectives. By conducting an interview and writing an essay, students can develop critical thinking skills, improve their writing abilities, and gain a deeper understanding of the subject matter.

How to Conduct a Successful Interview

Conducting a successful interview is crucial for obtaining the information needed to write a compelling essay. Here are some tips to help you conduct a successful interview:

• Do your research: Before conducting the interview, research the topic or subject matter extensively. This will help you ask informed and relevant questions.
• Prepare a list of questions: Create a list of questions that will guide the interview and cover all the important aspects of the topic. Make sure to include open-ended questions that encourage the interviewee to provide detailed responses.
• Choose an appropriate setting: Select a quiet and comfortable location for the interview to ensure that both you and the interviewee can focus and communicate effectively.
• Be professional and respectful: Treat the interviewee with respect and professionalism. Maintain proper etiquette throughout the interview and actively listen to their responses.
• Take accurate notes: Take detailed notes during the interview to capture the interviewee’s responses accurately. This will help you when writing the essay later.

The Structure of a Student Interview Essay

A student interview essay typically follows a similar structure to other types of essays. It should include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Here is a breakdown of each section:

1. Introduction

The introduction should provide background information about the interviewee and the topic being discussed. It should also include a thesis statement that presents the main argument or purpose of the essay.

2. Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs should present the information gathered from the interview in a logical and organized manner. Each paragraph should focus on a specific point or topic related to the interview.

• Example: Provide a specific example or anecdote from the interview that supports the main argument or point being discussed.
• Analysis: Analyze the information provided by the interviewee and discuss its significance or relevance to the topic.
• Supporting evidence: Use additional research or examples to support the points made in the interview.

3. Conclusion

The conclusion should summarize the main points discussed in the essay and restate the thesis statement in a concise manner. It should also provide a closing thought or reflection on the insights gained from the interview.

Common Mistakes to Avoid in a Student Interview Essay

When writing a student interview essay, there are some common mistakes that you should avoid to ensure the quality and effectiveness of your essay:

• Lack of preparation: Failing to adequately prepare for the interview can result in a lack of focus and relevant questions.
• Biased or leading questions: Avoid asking questions that steer the interviewee towards a specific answer or express your own biases.
• Failure to actively listen: Actively listen to the interviewee’s responses and engage in the conversation. This will help you gather more meaningful information.
• Inaccurate or incomplete notes: Take accurate and detailed notes during the interview to ensure the information is properly represented in your essay.

Top Interview Tips for Students

Preparing for an interview can be nerve-wracking, especially for students who are new to the process. Here are some top interview tips to help you succeed:

• Research the company or organization: Familiarize yourself with the company’s mission, values, and recent news. This will demonstrate your interest and preparation during the interview.
• Practice common interview questions: Prepare answers to common interview questions such as “Tell me about yourself” or “Why are you interested in this position?” Practicing your responses will help you feel more confident during the actual interview.
• Dress appropriately: Dress professionally and appropriately for the interview. This will show that you take the opportunity seriously and respect the interviewer’s time.
• Arrive early: Aim to arrive at least 10-15 minutes early for the interview. This will give you time to compose yourself and gather your thoughts before the interview starts.
• Ask insightful questions: Prepare a list of thoughtful questions to ask the interviewer. This demonstrates your interest in the position and your desire to learn more about the company or organization.
• Follow up with a thank-you note: After the interview, send a thank-you note or email to the interviewer to express your gratitude for the opportunity. This small gesture can leave a positive impression.

A student interview essay can be a valuable learning experience that allows you to gather firsthand information and develop critical thinking skills. By following the tips and guidelines provided in this article, you can conduct a successful interview and write an engaging essay that showcases your understanding of the subject matter. Remember to be well-prepared, professional, and respectful during the interview process, and avoid common mistakes that can diminish the quality of your essay. Good luck with your student interview essay!

Related Posts:

• Technical Writing Interview Questions: Everything You Need to Know Are you preparing for a technical writing interview? Do you want to make sure you are fully prepared for any question that may come your…
• Academic Coach Interview Questions: How to Prepare and Succeed Preparing for an interview as an academic coach can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. With the increasing demand for academic coaching services, it is essential…
• Aritzia Interview Questions: How to Prepare and Succeed When it comes to preparing for a job interview, it's important to do your research and anticipate the questions that may come your way. This…
• Peloton Interview Questions: Tips and Advice for Success Are you preparing for an interview with Peloton, the popular fitness company known for its innovative exercise equipment and virtual workout classes? Landing a job…
• Mastering the Art of Rubric Interview Questions: A Comprehensive Guide Interviews are an essential part of the hiring process, allowing employers to gauge a candidate's suitability for a role. However, traditional interview questions often fail…

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Interview Essay

Interview essay generator.

Essay writing is different for everyone. Some people choose to go to the library and search for facts on a given subject, while others like to focus on gathering information through personal statements .

During this interview process, interviewers typically ask a series of interview questionnaire  that their readers may want to know about. These details are either recorded or jotted down by the interviewee. With what has been gathered, an individual may then write a complete essay regarding the exchange.

Interview Essay Sample

• Google Docs

Size: 168 KB

Personal Interview Essay Template

Size: 136 KB

Nursing Interview Essay Template

Size: 123 KB

Leadership Interview Essay Template

Size: 154 KB

Teacher Interview Essay Template

Size: 150 KB

Job Interview Essay Sample

Narrative Interview

Size: 70 KB

Career Interview Essay

Size: 29 KB

What Is an Interview Essay?

Interview essays are typically based on research gathered from personal testimonies. This could be based on one’s personal experiences or their own input on a given matter. It may be informative essay , descriptive essay , or even persuasive essays , depending on the questions asked by the interviewer.

The content of the essay may include direct quotes from the interview or it may come in a written narrative form. Through this, we are able to gain additional information from a particular perspective.

What to Include in an Interview Essay

For every essay, a thesis statement is needed to help your readers understand the subject being tackled in your work. For an interview short essay , you would need to talk about your interviewee. Any information that will create a credible image for your interviewee will be necessary.

Next, it’s necessary to include the significant ideas that you have acquired from your interview. Ideally, you should pick three of these ideas, elaborate what has been said, and present it in paragraphs. Be sure to emphasize these points in a detailed and concise manner, a lengthy explanation might be too redundant. You may also see sample essay outlines .

Leadership Essay

Size: 24 KB

Nursing Interview Example

Size: 146 KB

Personal Interview

Size: 18 KB

Parent Interview Sample

Size: 15 KB

Guidelines for an Interview Essay

When writing an interview essay, it would be best to create an outline first.

Organize the information you have gathered from your interviewee and structure it in a logical order. This could be from one’s personal information to the most compelling details gathered. Be reminded of the standard parts of an essay and be sure to apply it to your own work.

Even when most, if not all, of your essay’s content is based on what you have gathered from your interviewee, you would still need to create a good starting of essay  and end to your essay.

Additionally, do not forget to put quotation marks around the exact words used by your interviewee. It would also be best to proofread your work and make sure that there is a smooth transition for each thought. You may also like personal essay examples & samples.

How to Conclude an Interview Essay?

You can end your interview essay how ever you wish to do so. It could be about your learning from the interview, a call to action, or a brief summary writing from what has been expressed in the essay.

But keep in mind, this would depend on your purpose for writing the essay. For instance, if you interviewed a biologist to spread awareness about mother nature, then it would be best to conclude your essay with a call to action. Knowing this, it’s important to end your essay well enough for it to be memorable.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

Write an Interview Essay on a local community leader.

Discuss the career journey of a teacher in your Interview Essay.

How to Write an Interview Essay Introduction

If you’re looking for freelance essay writers for hire , you’ll want to know what a good interview essay introduction looks like so you can judge the quality of their work. An essay introduction can be tricky to get right, but if it’s written well, it can really pull the reader in and help set the tone for the rest of the essay. 

But before we dive into how to do it right, let’s briefly touch upon what an interview essay really is.

What Is an Interview Essay?

At its core, an interview essay is an essay that explores different perspectives of people on a given topic. Unlike other types of essays, such as argumentative or persuasive essays, an interview essay doesn’t try to win over the reader to one particular point of view. Instead, it allows the reader to better understand the views of those who are interviewed by providing first-hand accounts of their experiences.

When contemplating what makes an essay good , writing an effective essay introduction is of the utmost importance–so let’s take a look at what to include in your introduction.

What Should I Include in an Interview Essay Introduction?

There are a few key elements that should ideally be included in any good interview essay introduction. First, you’ll want to introduce the person or people you interviewed. This can be done by providing a brief overview of who they are and why you decided to interview them. Next, you’ll want to include a thesis statement. This is a sentence or two that sums up the main point of your essay. It should be clear and concise, and it should give the reader an idea of what they can expect to learn from reading your essay.

Finally, you’ll want to conclude your introduction with a brief sentence or two that will leave the reader wanting more. This can be done by providing some of the information you’ll be discussing in the body of the essay, or by asking a question that will pique the reader’s curiosity. There are a few things you can do to spice up your interview essay introduction, which is what we’ll discuss next.

How to Make Your Interview Essay Introduction More Interesting

Start with a bang.

This means starting with something that will immediately grab the reader’s attention and make them want to keep reading. One way to do this is to start with a shocking statistic or fact related to your topic. For example, if you’re writing an interview essay about poverty in America, you could start with the fact that a certain number of Americans live in poverty–this would certainly get the reader’s attention and make them want to learn more about what you have to say.

Use a Quote

Another great way to start an essay is with a quote from someone who is knowledgeable about your topic. This could be an expert on the subject or even someone who has first-hand experience with it. Either way, their words will carry a lot of weight and help set the tone for your essay.

Ask a Question

Asking a question in your introduction can be a great way to get the reader thinking about your topic. This will help engage them and get them invested in what you have to say.

Use Humor 

If used correctly, humor can be a great way to engage the reader and get them interested in your essay. Just be careful not to overdo it, as too much humor can be a turn-off for some readers.

A Solid Interview Essay Introduction

Now that we’ve discussed what to include in your introduction, let’s take a look at an example of a good interview essay introduction:

“In today’s society, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. We’re all so busy working and taking care of our families that we often don’t have time for ourselves. This can lead to feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and even angry. But what if there was a way to reduce the amount of stress in our lives?

That’s where yoga comes in. Yoga is an ancient practice that has been shown to provide numerous health benefits, including reducing stress levels. In fact, a recent study found that yoga can be just as effective as medication in treating anxiety and depression.

To determine whether yoga can really help reduce stress in our lives, I decided to interview yoga instructor Jenny Miller. Jenny has been teaching yoga for more than ten years and has helped countless people find relief from stress and anxiety. She was kind enough to agree to answer a few questions about her experience with yoga and how it can help reduce stress.”

From interview essay writers to MetaTrader programmers , Guru has the expert you need for your projects.

What Makes an Essay Good?

Why Drupal Is Better Than WordPress

Related posts, what are the roles of support personnel, what is remote customer service, what does a customer support agent do, write a comment cancel reply.

Save my name & email for next time.

• How Guru Works
• Work Agreements

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

More From Forbes

Master These 4 Talking Points To Ace Your Job Interview

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

It doesn’t matter if you’ve done it hundreds of times before, job interviews will always be nerve-wracking. There are a lot of variables to consider — from the way you look to whether or not you arrived on time to the stories you tell.

But what’s even more crucial is to ensure that your conversation with the interviewer flows naturally. Because not everyone is a natural conversationalist, it’s still better to practice ahead of time and have a good idea of what you want to say to ensure a positive impression.

It’s worth noting that no two interviewers will be the same. While many will stick to the prescribed questions, others may test your ability to think on your feet by asking curveball questions. But if you can master these four talking points, then you should be well-equipped to ace just about every job interview.

Most people treat small talk as a mere formality, a way to fill the awkward silence before diving into a real conversation. As a result, they try to skip this part of the interaction to get to the “real” discussion faster, viewing small talk as unnecessary and superficial.

While there might be some truth to that sentiment, it’s far better to know how to engage in small talk than not. This is especially true with job interviews, where small talk can help you establish rapport and leave a lasting good impression.

Finally, The Internet Found ‘The Backrooms’

Nsa warns iphone and android users to turn it off and on again, will trump go to prison here s what happens now that he s been found guilty in hush money case.

Engaging in small talk is excellent at establishing rapport because it helps to create a sense of familiarity and ease between the interviewer and the candidate. With the job market being this tough , you may likely be competing with hundreds (if not thousands) of applicants, so you want to be as memorable as possible.

Make it a point to give more than one-word answers to even the simplest questions, and try to incorporate elements of your personality or interests into the conversation. For example, if your interviewer asks you how you’re doing, avoid giving a noncommittal “I’m good.” Instead, you can say that you feel energized after your morning run or excited to know more about the company!

The ability to do small talk is a good sign that someone possesses excellent people skills. As a former recruiter myself, I can confidently say that between two candidates of similar skills and experience, the one who was more engaging in interviews is most likely to get the role.

Past Experiences

It’s customary for a recruiter to go over your past experience during your interview since it’s their best way of knowing what you’ve done before and what you can bring to the table.

A lot of people in these situations wing it by answering questions on the spot but if you really want to stand out, it’s best to craft those experiences into stories that put you in the best light. How do you do this? I’ll explain.

All good stories start with a problem, which is why you were hired. Maybe the company was having an image problem, which is why they hired a marketing professional with crisis management skills. Or perhaps they needed to increase revenue to meet certain projections, so they hired a business strategist. Make sure you make this part clear, as this will help make your story more compelling.

After the conflict comes resolution, so once you’ve shared the problem, it’s time to share how you contributed to a quantifiably positive outcome . For example, maybe you spearheaded a public relations campaign that improved customer sentiment by 30%. If you were applying for the sales position, you could share how you consistently hit 20% above quota for six months straight.

Anything you can share where you come out as someone who positively contributed to the betterment of your former employer will help you score points with your interviewer.

One thing worth mentioning here is that many recruiters will also ask why you left, especially if you were doing so well. It’s fine to be completely honest here, but within reason. For example, refrain from mentioning real names or discussing potentially proprietary information. And whatever you do, never air out dirty laundry against your previous employer. Some things are just better left unsaid.

Interests and Career Goals

During the interview, you may be asked about your interests and what you’re looking for in your ideal role. This allows the interviewer to gauge how good a fit you’ll be for the position and the organization as a whole.

To ensure a good outcome, make sure that you’re able to portray yourself as someone genuinely excited to grow in this role and industry. A good way to do this is to look at the job description for clues on what they’re looking for and incorporate that in your response.

For example, if the job description mentions community involvement, then it’s a good idea to mention the summer you spent volunteering at a local shelter. If the role calls for leadership, don’t forget to mention the recent project you spearheaded while your boss was on maternity leave.

Another common but equally important talking point is your career goals, which hiring managers use to determine whether you’re likely to stay for the long term. If you’re unlikely to fulfill these career goals in the company, then the hiring manager may think that you’re not in for the long haul, leading to higher turnover rates and additional costs for recruiting and training .

To remedy this, make sure that you align your career goals with the company’s expectations. Let them know that you intend to contribute to the company’s success while also pursuing professional growth. This way, you can assure your hiring manager that they won’t have to spend valuable resources again to replace you in a few months.

Questions At the End

Asking good questions at the end is also a crucial talking point, even though it’s something that a lot of people skip during interviews. Thoughtful questions are particularly excellent at demonstrating your interest in the role because they show that you did your research prior to the interview.

The kind of questions that you can ask will vary depending on what comes up during your research. However, a good place to start is by asking about the specific team or department that you might work with should you get the role. The answer to this will help you learn about the dynamics of the team you’ll be joining, while also demonstrating your eagerness to work.

Another important question to ask about are the opportunities for growth and development . This question serves you in two ways: it lets you get a sneak peek at the company’s policies on upskilling while also signaling to the recruiter that you’re in it for the long haul — which, as I mentioned earlier, can only help you.

The reasons I laid out here for asking good questions are helpful to show your interest in the role. However, perhaps the best reason to do so is to gauge whether or not you really want to work with them and if the company is the right fit for you. After all, job interviews are not just about the employer evaluating you; they are also an opportunity for you to assess the employer. Rooting for you in your next interview!

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

• Newsletters
• Account Activating this button will toggle the display of additional content Account Sign out

The Donald Trump I Saw on The Apprentice

For 20 years, i couldn’t say what i watched the former president do on the set of the show that changed everything. now i can..

On Jan. 8, 2004, just more than 20 years ago, the first episode of The Apprentice aired. It was called “Meet the Billionaire,” and 18 million people watched. The episodes that followed climbed to roughly 20 million each week. A staggering 28 million viewers tuned in to watch the first season finale. The series won an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Reality-Competition Program, and the Television Critics Association called it one of the best TV shows of the year, alongside The Sopranos and Arrested Development . The series—alongside its bawdy sibling, The Celebrity Apprentice —appeared on NBC in coveted prime-time slots for more than a decade.

The Apprentice was an instant success in another way too. It elevated Donald J. Trump from sleazy New York tabloid hustler to respectable household name. In the show, he appeared to demonstrate impeccable business instincts and unparalleled wealth, even though his businesses had barely survived multiple bankruptcies and faced yet another when he was cast. By carefully misleading viewers about Trump—his wealth, his stature, his character, and his intent—the competition reality show set about an American fraud that would balloon beyond its creators’ wildest imaginations.

I should know. I was one of four producers involved in the first two seasons. During that time, I signed an expansive nondisclosure agreement that promised a fine of $5 million and even jail time if I were to ever divulge what actually happened. It expired this year.

No one involved in The Apprentice —from the production company or the network, to the cast and crew—was involved in a con with malicious intent. It was a TV show , and it was made for entertainment . I still believe that. But we played fast and loose with the facts, particularly regarding Trump, and if you were one of the 28 million who tuned in, chances are you were conned.

As Trump answers for another of his alleged deception schemes in New York and gears up to try to persuade Americans to elect him again, in part thanks to the myth we created, I can finally tell you what making Trump into what he is today looked like from my side. Most days were revealing. Some still haunt me, two decades later.

Nearly everything I ever learned about deception I learned from my friend Apollo Robbins. He’s been called a professional pickpocket, but he’s actually a “perceptions expert.” Apollo has spent his life studying the psychology of how we distort other people’s perceptions of reality and has done so by picking pockets onstage for the entertainment of others. He is a master of deception, a skill that made him, back in the day, the so-called best-kept secret in Las Vegas. After “fanning” his marks with casual, unobtrusive touch designed to make them feel safe or at ease, Apollo determines where the items reside—the wallet inside a breast pocket, the Rolex fastened to a wrist—and he removes these items without detection. He’ll even tell you what he intends to steal before he does it. He does this not to hurt people or bewilder them with a puzzle but to challenge their maps of reality. The results are marvelous. A lot of magic is designed to appeal to people visually, but what he’s trying to affect is your mind, your moods, your perceptions.

As a producer working in unscripted, or “reality,” television, I have the same goal. Like Apollo, I want to entertain, make people joyful, maybe even challenge their ways of thinking. But because I often lack the cinematic power of a movie, with its visual pyrotechnics or rehearsed dialogue, I rely on shaping the perceptions of viewers, manipulating their maps of reality toward something I want them to think or feel.

The presumption is that reality TV is scripted. What actually happens is the illusion of reality by staging situations against an authentic backdrop. The more authentic it is to, say, have a 40-foot wave bearing down on a crab boat in the Bering Sea for Deadliest Catch , the more we can trick you into thinking a malevolent Russian trawler is out there messing with the crabber’s bait. There is a trick to it, and when it works, you feel as if you’re watching a scripted show. Although very few programs are out-and-out fake, there is deception at play in every single reality program. The producers and editors are ostensibly con artists, distracting you with grand notions while we steal from you your precious time.

But the real con that drove The Apprentice is far older than television. The “pig in the poke” comes from an idiom dating to 1555: “I’ll never buy a pig in a poke / There’s many a foul pig in a fair cloak.” It refers to the time-honored scam of selling a suckling pig at market but handing over a bag (the poke) to the purchaser, who never looks inside it. Eventually, he discovers he’s purchased something quite different.

Our show became a 21 st -century version. It’s a long con played out over a decade of watching Trump dominate prime time by shouting orders, appearing to lead, and confidently firing some of the most capable people on television, all before awarding one eligible person a job. Audiences responded to Trump’s arrogance, his perceived abilities and prescience, but mostly his confidence . The centerpiece to any confidence game is precisely that— confidence .

As I walk into my interview for The Apprentice , I inadvertently learn how important it is for every one of us involved to demonstrate confidence above all else.

I sit down with Jay Bienstock, the showrunner, who has one last producer position to fill and needs somebody capable and hardworking. His office is sparse, and the desk is strategically placed directly across from the couch, with a noticeable angle downward from his desk to whomever is seated across from him. (I’m recalling all of the quoted conversations here to the best of my ability; they are not verbatim.)

He is smiling and even laughing throughout the interview, but from the steep angle at which he gazes down on me, there is no mistaking who is in charge. He seems to like what he hears and offers to follow up with my agent. “But I have to check your references before I can hire you,” he says. “You’d be crazy not to,” I reply. He laughs, claps his hands together, and grins. “ THAT’S what I’m talking about,” he says. “That’s the confidence this show needs!”

I sit there, several inches below eyeline, and ponder what just happened. What, I wonder, is so “confident” about suggesting he’d be crazy to not check my references? Then it dawns on me. He thinks I meant “You’d be crazy not to hire me.” The signal to noise begins.

Listen to Bill Pruitt discuss this story on What Next , Slate’s daily news podcast:

Before I leave, I have to ask: Why Trump? Bienstock discovers that we both lived in New York for a time. Knowing what we know about Trump, selling the idea that intelligent people would compete to land a job working for him will be a challenge.

“The idea is to have a new and different billionaire every season—just like there’s a new and different island on Survivor . We reached out to Spielberg, Katzenberg, Geffen, among others,” he says. “Trump is the only one who agreed to sign on.” (Bienstock didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

“We’ll make it work,” Bienstock says confidently. I rise, shake his hand, and leave, and head over to Dutton’s bookstore to pick up a used copy of Trump’s The Art of the Deal . It is filled with takeaways about branding and strategizing but conveniently omits Trump bluffing his way through meetings with contractors, stiffing them when it is convenient to do so, and betraying his most trusted colleagues to get what he wants. (The book’s ghostwriter, Tony Schwartz, has since tried to get the bestseller recategorized in the Library of Congress as a work of fiction.)

Another show of confidence is the budget the series commands. It’s not as expensive as a scripted series, but for a reality show, the price is high. Never have I worked on a series with this level of funding, but the cost is justified. This needs to feel real.

New York City is the perfect—though expensive—backdrop. Trump’s actual offices are, however, less than telegenic. They are cramped, and a lot of the wood furniture is chipped or peeling. None of it is suitable to appear on camera. We need what grifters call the Big Store: a fake but authentic-looking establishment in which the con goes down. Trump Tower, at the time, is mostly condos and some offices situated in the high-rise. The mezzanine comprises vacant and overpriced retail space, all of it unfinished. Trump offers the space to the production—at a premium, naturally—and it is inside this location that we create our own “reception area” with doors leading to a fake, dimly lit, and appropriately ominous-feeling “boardroom.”

Next door, there’s the “suite” where the contestants will live, which is made to look like a trendy loft-style apartment they all share. The lodgings are made up of partitions surrounding tiny, hard bunks upon which the candidates sleep; the illusion comes from elegantly appointed common areas, where most of the interplay will go down.

During a tour of the set, I have my first encounter with Trump. I leave the suite and enter the gear room, the only vacant retail space that will remain unfinished. It is filled with equipment and crew members milling about. In walks a trio of men. In the middle is Trump, in a navy blue suit and scarlet tie. He’s surprisingly tall, and not just because of the hair. He is flanked by two even taller men. Bienstock makes introductions, and I watch as Trump shakes hands with everyone. I’d been told he would never do this, something about fearing unwanted germs. When it is my turn, I decide on the convivial two-hander and place my right hand into his and my left onto his wrist as we shake. His eye contact is limited but thorough. He is sizing me up. He looks like a wolf about to rip my throat out before turning away, offering me my first glimpse at the superstructure—his hairstyle—buttressed atop his head with what must be gallons of Aqua Net.

I watch as Trump saunters around the room, snatches up a fistful of M&Ms from the craft service table set aside for the crew, and shoves them into his mouth. Then he is gone, ushered away toward some important meeting he must attend, as if to say, to one and all present, This is unimportant .

Eventually, it’s time to roll cameras. When Trump is called to perform, we are filming the first scene of the first episode on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, and he is about to deliver the first task. Filming inside this beacon of capitalism and wealth gives the series the legitimacy it needs. A con artist would call staging the scam inside a legitimate institution “playing a man against the wall.”

From the balcony overlooking the famed trading room floor, Trump will set up the entire premise of the show on camera and engage in a little banter with the other participants. This includes introducing his advisers, George Ross, an older, grouchy attorney devoted to Trump’s legal affairs, and Carolyn Kepcher, a perpetual skeptic who runs his hospitality units and one of his golf clubs. (They might be called “the shills,” others in on the con who will act as Trump’s eyes and ears.)

The contestants are there, lined up and zeroed in on by camera operators getting reaction shots to whatever it is Trump says. Although they mostly just stand and wait, they patiently go along with the proceedings. They are not in on the con. They act as “the little blind mice,” who, in fraudster terms, convey a sense of authenticity by reacting to the goings-on, like lab rats caught in a maze.

Nothing is scripted—except for what Trump needs to say. Cue cards are present, but mostly it is Bienstock running up, coaching Trump, tossing out suggestions from the script he has written for the man. The feeling is that while doing a fair job of repeating the necessary words verbatim, Trump also appears to be inadvertently shouting at the contestants. His hands shuttle back and forth as if holding an invisible accordion, a gesture now famous in memes .

Each episode is filmed over three days. For the first episode, the two teams of contestants, divided by gender, take to the streets to carry out the initial task of trying to sell lemonade for the most money. The women pulverize the men.

Having won, the women are invited upstairs for a direct look at Trump’s very own apartment in Trump Tower, a reward designed specifically to introduce viewers to the gaudy but elevated world of Donald Trump at home. The men, who lost, go back to the loft to await their fate at the hands of Trump. He will be sending one of them home.

Inside the now-empty boardroom set, a meeting with the producers is called for the first briefing of Trump before the anticipated firing. With Trump are his cronies, Ross and Kepcher. Trump is “too busy,” so they have each observed both teams in the field and make an assessment of who prevailed and who fell behind.

Now, this is important. The Apprentice is a game show regulated by the Federal Communications Commission. In the 1950s, scandals arose when producers of quiz shows fed answers to likable, ratings-generating contestants while withholding those answers from unlikable but truly knowledgeable players. Any of us involved in The Apprentice swinging the outcome of prize money by telling Trump whom to fire is forbidden.

Considering this, Bienstock wisely chooses to record these off-camera briefings in case the FCC ever rolls up on us. Rather than blurt out who they think should get canned, the two producers of that week’s episode—each following one team—are coached to equitably share with Trump the virtues and deficiencies of each member of the losing team. This renders a balanced depiction of how and why they lost. There are obvious choices of whom to fire, but we want it to be something of a horse race, to sustain the drama and keep people watching.

Satisfied he has what he needs, Trump dismisses the prefiring discussion with the wave of a hand, claiming he has places to be, let’s get on with it, etc. We proceed to set up for what will be our first boardroom.

The producers retreat to the adjacent control room to watch the event unfold. Per the show’s format, the losing team is summoned in anticipation of one of its members being sent home. Leaving their luggage in the reception area, the men walk into the boardroom, where Trump is flanked by Ross and Kepcher, waiting for them solemnly. Trump just frowns from a gigantic red leather chair, his eyeline noticeably well above those sitting across from him.

The men proceed to verbally go after one another like gladiators jousting before the emperor. Trump takes the conversation into potentially dangerous terrain, asking one contestant, who is Jewish, whether he believes in “the genetic pool.” The contestant’s retort is swift and resolute: He tells Trump that he does, in fact, have the genes, “just like you got from your father, Fred Trump, and your mother, Mary Trump.” It pours out of him. It is dramatic. It is good reality TV.

The project manager must then choose two of the men to come back to the boardroom with him while everyone else is dismissed. An off-camera prefiring consultation with Trump takes place (and is recorded), right before the three men are brought back for the eventual firing. We film Trump, Ross, and Kepcher deliberating and giving the pluses and minuses of each, remarking on how risky it was for one of the contestants to stand up for himself the way that he did. Trump turns back and forth to each, listening. His cronies stick to their stories and give added deferential treatment toward Trump, with Ross strategically reminding him, “You’ve been taking risks your entire life.”

Trump summons the three men back into the boardroom for final judging. Trump grills one and says, “I will let you stay.” ( Wow! we think. A benevolent leader. ) When he turns his attention to the other man—the one he asked about genetics—it looks clear. He is doomed. So much so that the man stands when Trump tells him, “It seems unanimous.” Trump then offhandedly tells him to sit down, calling him “a wild card,” echoing Ross’ earlier observation of the boss, Trump.

After this comes an unwieldy moment when, at the behest of Bienstock, Trump fumbles through a given line. “We have an elevator,” he says to the remaining contestant, named David, “that goes up to the suite and an elevator that goes down”—he pauses to recall the exact wording—“to the street. And, David, I’m going to ask you to take the down elevator.”

The men react and awkwardly rise. It is an unsatisfactory conclusion, given all the preceding drama.

From the control room, we all watch as the three men depart the boardroom. A quick huddle takes place between the producers and the executive from NBC. We bolt from the control room out into the boardroom and confer with Trump, telling him we will need him to say something more direct to conclude the moment when David is let go.

“Well, I’d probably just fire him,” Trump says. “Why not just say that?” Bienstock asks. “Fine,” Trump says.

We return to the control room. The three men from the losing team are brought back into the boardroom, and Trump repeats his line about the elevator, then turns to David, who already knows his fate, and adds, “David, you’re fired.”

The line insertion happened in a perilously scripted way, but it is deemed satisfactory. “You’re fired” becomes the expression we will stick with. It works. Trump comes off as decisive and to the point.

Later, Trump will try to trademark “You’re fired.” He is not successful.

Trump’s appearances make up so little of our shooting schedule that whenever he shows up to film, it isn’t just the wild-card on-camera moments we both hope for and are terrified of that put everyone on edge. It is the way he, the star (and half owner) of the show, targets people on the crew with the gaze of a hungry lion.

While leering at a female camera assistant or assessing the physical attributes of a female contestant for whoever is listening, he orders a female camera operator off an elevator on which she is about to film him. “She’s too heavy,” I hear him say.

Another female camera operator, who happens to have blond hair and blue eyes, draws from Trump comparisons to his own Ivanka Trump. “There’s a beautiful woman behind that camera,” he says toward a line of 10 different operators set up in the foyer of Trump Tower one day. “That’s all I want to look at.”

Trump corners a female producer and asks her whom he should fire. She demurs, saying something about how one of the contestants blamed another for their team losing. Trump then raises his hands, cupping them to his chest: “You mean the one with the …?” He doesn’t know the contestant’s name. Trump eventually fires her.

(In response to detailed questions about this and other incidents reported in this article, Steven Cheung, a spokesman for the Trump 2024 campaign, wrote, “This is a completely fabricated and bullshit story that was already peddled in 2016.” He said that it is surfacing now because Democrats are “desperate.”)

Trump goes about knocking off every one of the contestants in the boardroom until only two remain. The finalists are Kwame Jackson, a Black broker from Goldman Sachs, and Bill Rancic, a white entrepreneur from Chicago who runs his own cigar business. Trump assigns them each a task devoted to one of his crown-jewel properties. Jackson will oversee a Jessica Simpson benefit concert at Trump Taj Mahal Casino in Atlantic City, while Rancic will oversee a celebrity golf tournament at Trump National Golf Club in Briarcliff Manor, New York.

Viewers need to believe that whatever Trump touches turns to gold. These properties that bear his name are supposed to glitter and gleam. All thanks to him.

Reality is another matter altogether. The lights in the casino’s sign are out. Hong Kong investors actually own the place—Trump merely lends his name. The carpet stinks, and the surroundings for Simpson’s concert are ramshackle at best. We shoot around all that.

Both Rancic and Jackson do a round-robin recruitment of former contestants, and Jackson makes the fateful decision to team up with the notorious Omarosa, among others, to help him carry out his final challenge.

With her tenure on the series nearly over, Omarosa launches several simultaneous attacks on her fellow teammates in support of her “brother” Kwame. For the fame-seeking beauty queen, it is a do-or-die play for some much-coveted screen time. As on previous tasks, Ross and Kepcher will observe both events.

Over at Trump National Golf Club, where I am stationed, it is sunny and bright, set against luscious fall colors. I am driven up to the golf club from Manhattan to scout. With me are the other producers, all of whom are men. We meet Trump at one of the homes he keeps for himself on the grounds of the club.

“Melania doesn’t even know about this place,” he says out loud to us, snickering, implying that the home’s function is as his personal lair for his sexual exploits, all of which are unknown to his then-fiancée Melania Knauss.

We are taken around the rest of the club’s property and told what to feature on camera and what to stay away from. The clubhouse is a particularly necessary inclusion, and it is inside these luxurious confines where I have the privilege of meeting the architect. Finding myself alone with him, I make a point of commending him for what I feel is a remarkable building. The place is genuinely spectacular. He thanks me.

“It’s bittersweet,” he tells me. “I’m very proud of this place, but …” He hesitates. “I wasn’t paid what was promised,” he says. I just listen. “Trump pays half upfront,” he says, “but he’ll stiff you for the rest once the project is completed.”

“He stiffed you?”

“If I tried to sue, the legal bills would be more than what I was owed. He knew that. He basically said Take what I’m offering ,” and I see how heavy this is for the man, all these years later. “So, we sent the invoice. He didn’t even pay that,” he says. None of this will be in the show. Not Trump’s suggested infidelities, nor his aversion toward paying those who work for him.

When the tasks are over, we are back in the boardroom, having our conference with Trump about how the two finalists compare—a conversation that I know to be recorded. We huddle around him and set up the last moments of the candidates, Jackson and Rancic.

Trump will make his decision live on camera months later, so what we are about to film is the setup to that reveal. The race between Jackson and Rancic should seem close, and that’s how we’ll edit the footage. Since we don’t know who’ll be chosen, it must appear close, even if it’s not.

We lay out the virtues and deficiencies of each finalist to Trump in a fair and balanced way, but sensing the moment at hand, Kepcher sort of comes out of herself. She expresses how she observed Jackson at the casino overcoming more obstacles than Rancic, particularly with the way he managed the troublesome Omarosa. Jackson, Kepcher maintains, handled the calamity with grace.

“I think Kwame would be a great addition to the organization,” Kepcher says to Trump, who winces while his head bobs around in reaction to what he is hearing and clearly resisting.

“Why didn’t he just fire her?” Trump asks, referring to Omarosa. It’s a reasonable question. Given that this the first time we’ve ever been in this situation, none of this is something we expected.

“That’s not his job,” Bienstock says to Trump. “That’s yours.” Trump’s head continues to bob.

“I don’t think he knew he had the ability to do that,” Kepcher says. Trump winces again.

“Yeah,” he says to no one in particular, “but, I mean, would America buy a n— winning?”

Kepcher’s pale skin goes bright red. I turn my gaze toward Trump. He continues to wince. He is serious, and he is adamant about not hiring Jackson.

Bienstock does a half cough, half laugh, and swiftly changes the topic or throws to Ross for his assessment. What happens next I don’t entirely recall. I am still processing what I have just heard. We all are. Only Bienstock knows well enough to keep the train moving. None of us thinks to walk out the door and never return. I still wish I had. (Bienstock and Kepcher didn’t respond to requests for comment.)

Afterward, we film the final meeting in the boardroom, where Jackson and Rancic are scrutinized by Trump, who, we already know, favors Rancic. Then we wrap production, pack up, and head home. There is no discussion about what Trump said in the boardroom, about how the damning evidence was caught on tape. Nothing happens.

We go home and face the next phase of our assignment, the editing. In stitching the footage together, the swindle we are now involved in ascends to new levels.

Editing in a reality TV show is what script writing is to a narrative series. A lot of effort goes into the storytelling because, basically, in every single unscripted series—whether it’s a daytime talk show, an adventure documentary, or a shiny floor dance-off—there are three versions: There’s what happens, there’s what gets filmed, and there’s what gets cut down into 43 minutes squeezed between commercial breaks. Especially for a competition series, it’s important that the third version represent the first as much as possible. A defeated contestant could show up in the press and cry foul if they’re misrepresented. Best to let people fail of their own accord. That said, we look after our prized possessions in how we edit the series, and some people fare better than others.

We attend to our thesis that only the best and brightest deserve a job working for Donald Trump. Luckily, the winner, Bill Rancic, and his rival, Kwame Jackson, come off as capable and confident throughout the season. If for some reason they had not, we would have conveniently left their shortcomings on the cutting room floor. In actuality, both men did deserve to win.

Without a doubt, the hardest decisions we faced in postproduction were how to edit together sequences involving Trump. We needed him to sound sharp, dignified, and clear on what he was looking for and not as if he was yelling at people. You see him today: When he reads from a teleprompter, he comes off as loud and stoic. Go to one of his rallies and he’s the off-the-cuff rambler rousing his followers into a frenzy. While filming, he struggled to convey even the most basic items. But as he became more comfortable with filming, Trump made raucous comments he found funny or amusing—some of them misogynistic as well as racist. We cut those comments. Go to one of his rallies today and you can hear many of them.

If you listen carefully, especially to that first episode, you will notice clearly altered dialogue from Trump in both the task delivery and the boardroom. Trump was overwhelmed with remembering the contestants’ names, the way they would ride the elevator back upstairs or down to the street, the mechanics of what he needed to convey. Bienstock instigated additional dialogue recording that came late in the edit phase. We set Trump up in the soundproof boardroom set and fed him lines he would read into a microphone with Bienstock on the phone, directing from L.A. And suddenly Trump knows the names of every one of the contestants and says them while the camera cuts to each of their faces. Wow , you think, how does he remember everyone’s name? While on location, he could barely put a sentence together regarding how a task would work. Listen now, and he speaks directly to what needs to happen while the camera conveniently cuts away to the contestants, who are listening and nodding. He sounds articulate and concise through some editing sleight of hand.

Then comes the note from NBC about the fact that after Trump delivers the task assignment to the contestants, he disappears from the episode after the first act and doesn’t show up again until the next-to-last. That’s too long for the (high-priced) star of the show to be absent.

There is a convenient solution. At the top of the second act, right after the task has been assigned but right before the teams embark on their assignment, we insert a sequence with Trump, seated inside his gilded apartment, dispensing a carefully crafted bit of wisdom. He speaks to whatever the theme of each episode is—why someone gets fired or what would lead to a win. The net effect is not only that Trump appears once more in each episode but that he also now seems prophetic in how he just knows the way things will go right or wrong with each individual task. He comes off as all-seeing and all-knowing. We are led to believe that Donald Trump is a natural-born leader.

Through the editorial nudge we provide him, Trump prevails. So much so that NBC asks for more time in the boardroom to appear at the end of all the remaining episodes. (NBC declined to comment for this article.)

When it comes to the long con, the cherry on top is the prologue to the premiere. It’s a five-minute-long soliloquy delivered by Trump at the beginning of the first episode, the one titled “Meet the Billionaire.” Over a rousing score, it features Trump pulling out all the stops, calling New York “ my city” and confessing to crawling out from under “billions of dollars in debt.” There’s Trump in the back of limousines. Trump arriving before throngs of cheering crowds outside Trump Tower. Trump in his very own helicopter as it banks over midtown—the same helicopter with the Trump logo that, just like the airplane, is actually for sale to the highest bidder. The truth is, almost nothing was how we made it seem.

So, we scammed. We swindled. Nobody heard the racist and misogynistic comments or saw the alleged cheating, the bluffing, or his hair taking off in the wind. Those tapes, I’ve come to believe, will never be found.

No one lost their retirement fund or fell on hard times from watching The Apprentice . But Trump rose in stature to the point where he could finally eye a run for the White House, something he had intended to do all the way back in 1998. Along the way, he could now feed his appetite for defrauding the public with various shady practices.

In 2005 thousands of students enrolled in what was called Trump University, hoping to gain insight from the Donald and his “handpicked” professors. Each paid as much as $35,000 to listen to some huckster trade on Trump’s name. In a sworn affidavit, salesman Ronald Schnackenberg testified that Trump University was “fraudulent.” The scam swiftly went from online videoconferencing courses to live events held by high-pressure sales professionals whose only job was to persuade attendees to sign up for the course. The sales were for the course “tuition” and had nothing whatsoever to do with real estate investments. A class action suit was filed against Trump.

That same year, Trump was caught bragging to Access Hollywood co-host Billy Bush that he likes to grab married women “by the pussy,” adding, “When you’re a star, they let you do it.” He later tried to recruit porn actor Stormy Daniels for The Apprentice despite her profession and, according to Daniels, had sex with her right after his last son was born. (His alleged attempt to pay off Daniels is, of course, the subject of his recent trial.)

In October 2016—a month before the election—the Access Hollywood tapes were released and written off as “locker room banter.” Trump paid Daniels to keep silent about their alleged affair. He paid $25 million to settle the Trump University lawsuit and make it go away.

He went on to become the first elected president to possess neither public service nor military experience. And although he lost the popular vote, Trump beat out Hillary Clinton in the Electoral College, winning in the Rust Belt by just 80,000 votes.

Trump has been called the “reality TV president,” and not just because of The Apprentice . The Situation Room, where top advisers gathered, became a place for photo-ops, a bigger, better boardroom. Trump swaggered and cajoled, just as he had on the show. Whom would he listen to? Whom would he fire? Stay tuned. Trump even has his own spinoff, called the House of Representatives, where women hurl racist taunts and body-shame one another with impunity. The State of the Union is basically a cage fight. The demands of public office now include blowhard buffoonery.

I reached out to Apollo, the Vegas perceptions expert, to discuss all of this. He reminded me how if a person wants to manipulate the signal, they simply turn up the noise. “In a world that is so uncertain,” he said, “a confidence man comes along and fills in the blanks. The more confident they are, the more we’re inclined to go along with what they suggest.”

A reality TV show gave rise to an avaricious hustler, and a deal was made: Subvert the facts, look past the deficiencies, deceive where necessary, and prevail in the name of television ratings and good, clean fun.

Trump is making another run at the White House and is leading in certain polls. People I know enthusiastically support him and expect he’ll return to office. It’s not just hats, sneakers, a fragrance, or Bibles. Donald Trump is selling his vision of the world, and people are buying it.

Knowing all they know, how could these people still think he’s capable of being president of the United States?

Perhaps they watched our show and were conned by the pig in the poke.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Interview highlights

Stephen king's new story took him 45 years to write.

Mary Louise Kelly

Courtney Dorning

Stephen King says finishing one of his stories decades after he started it felt like "calling into a canyon of time." Francois Mori/AP hide caption

Stephen King says finishing one of his stories decades after he started it felt like "calling into a canyon of time."

Stephen King is out with a new collection of short stories.

As you might expect from the reigning King of Horror, some are terrifying. Some are creepy. Others are laugh-out-loud funny. And one of them took him 45 years to write.

The book is a collection of 12 stories, called You Like it Darker .

Stephen King's legacy of horror

Over the course of his decades-long career as a writer, King has learned there's no taking a story too far.

"I found out – to sort of my delight and sort of my horror – that you can't really gross out the American public," King told NPR.

He spoke with All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly about the book, destiny and getting older.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

Mary Louise Kelly: I want to start by asking you about the story, The Answer Man . You began it when you were 30. You finished it when you were 75. What the heck happened?

Stephen King: Well, I lost it. What happens with me is I will write stories and they don't always get done. And the ones that don't get done go in a drawer and I forget all about them. And about five years ago, these people started to collect all the stuff that was finished and all this stuff that was unfinished and put it in an archive. They were going through everything – desk drawers, wastebaskets underneath the desk, every place. I'm not exactly a very organized person. My nephew John Leonard found this particular story, which was written in the U.N. Plaza Hotel back in the '70s, I think. And he said, "You know, this is pretty good. You really ought to finish this." And I read it and I said, "You know, I think I know how to finish it now." So I did.

Kelly: Well give people a taste. The first six or so pages that you had written back in the hotel, it becomes a 50-page story. What was it that you decided was worth returning to?

King: Well, I like the concept: This young man is driving along, and he's trying to figure out whether or not he should join his parents' white shoe law firm in Boston, or whether he should strike out on his own. And he finds this man on the road who calls himself the Answer Man. And he says, "I will answer three of your questions for $25, and you have 5 minutes to ask these questions." So I thought to myself, I'm going to write this story in three acts. One while the questioner is young, and one when he's middle aged, and one when he's old. The question that I ask myself is: "Do you want to know what happens in the future or not?"

Kelly: This story, like many of your stories, is about destiny – whether some things are meant to happen no matter what we do, no matter what choices we make. Do you believe that's true?

King: The answer is I don't know. When I write stories, I write to find out what I really think. And I don't think there's any real answer to that question.

Books You Love

'carrie' turns 50 here are the best stephen king novels — chosen by you.

Kelly: You do describe in the afterword of the book that going back in your seventies to complete a story you had begun as a young man gave you, and I'll quote your words, "The oddest sense of calling into a canyon of time." Can you explain what that means?

King: Well, you listen for the echo to come back. When I was a young man, I had a young man's ideas about The Answer Man . But now, as a man who has reached, let us say, a certain age, I'm forced to write from experience and just an idea of what it might be like to be an old man. So yeah, it felt to me like yelling and then waiting for the echo to come back all these years later.

Kelly: Are there subjects you shy away from, where you think about it and think, "You know what, that might be one step too creepy, too weird?"

King: I had one novel called Pet Cemetery that I wrote and put in a drawer because I thought, "Nobody will want to read this. This is just too awful." I wanted to write it to see what would happen, but I didn't think I would publish it. And I got into a contractual bind, and I needed to do a book with my old company. And so I did. And I found out – sort of to my delight and sort of to my horror – that you can't really gross out the American public. You can't go too far.

Kelly: It was a huge bestseller, as I recall.

King: Yeah, it's a bestseller and it was a movie. And yeah, the same thing is true with It , about the killer clown who preys on children

Kelly: Who still haunts my nightmares, I have to tell you. You've written how many books at this point?

King: I don't know.

King: Really? In our recent coverage of you, we've said everything from 50 to 70.

King: I think it's probably around 70, but I don't keep any count. I remember thinking as a kid that it would be a really fine lifetime to be able to write 100 novels.

Kelly: Oh my gosh. Well you sound like you're still having a lot of fun, so I hope you have quite a few more novels for us to come.

King: That'd be good.

• Stephen King
• Short stories

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Guest Essay

Jamie Raskin: How to Force Justices Alito and Thomas to Recuse Themselves in the Jan. 6 Cases

By Jamie Raskin

Mr. Raskin represents Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He taught constitutional law for more than 25 years and was the lead prosecutor in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

Many people have gloomily accepted the conventional wisdom that because there is no binding Supreme Court ethics code, there is no way to force Associate Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas to recuse themselves from the Jan. 6 cases that are before the court.

Justices Alito and Thomas are probably making the same assumption.

But all of them are wrong.

It seems unfathomable that the two justices could get away with deciding for themselves whether they can be impartial in ruling on cases affecting Donald Trump’s liability for crimes he is accused of committing on Jan. 6. Justice Thomas’s wife, Ginni Thomas, was deeply involved in the Jan. 6 “stop the steal” movement. Above the Virginia home of Justice Alito and his wife, Martha-Ann Alito, flew an upside-down American flag — a strong political statement among the people who stormed the Capitol. Above the Alitos’ beach home in New Jersey flew another flag that has been adopted by groups opposed to President Biden.

Justices Alito and Thomas face a groundswell of appeals beseeching them not to participate in Trump v. United States , the case that will decide whether Mr. Trump enjoys absolute immunity from criminal prosecution, and Fischer v. United States , which will decide whether Jan. 6 insurrectionists — and Mr. Trump — can be charged under a statute that criminalizes “corruptly” obstructing an official proceeding. (Justice Alito said on Wednesday that he would not recuse himself from Jan. 6-related cases.)

Everyone assumes that nothing can be done about the recusal situation because the highest court in the land has the lowest ethical standards — no binding ethics code or process outside of personal reflection. Each justice decides for him- or herself whether he or she can be impartial.

Of course, Justices Alito and Thomas could choose to recuse themselves — wouldn’t that be nice? But begging them to do the right thing misses a far more effective course of action.

The U.S. Department of Justice — including the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, an appointed U.S. special counsel and the solicitor general, all of whom were involved in different ways in the criminal prosecutions underlying these cases and are opposing Mr. Trump’s constitutional and statutory claims — can petition the other seven justices to require Justices Alito and Thomas to recuse themselves not as a matter of grace but as a matter of law.

The Justice Department and Attorney General Merrick Garland can invoke two powerful textual authorities for this motion: the Constitution of the United States, specifically the due process clause, and the federal statute mandating judicial disqualification for questionable impartiality, 28 U.S.C. Section 455. The Constitution has come into play in several recent Supreme Court decisions striking down rulings by stubborn judges in lower courts whose political impartiality has been reasonably questioned but who threw caution to the wind to hear a case anyway. This statute requires potentially biased judges throughout the federal system to recuse themselves at the start of the process to avoid judicial unfairness and embarrassing controversies and reversals.

The constitutional and statutory standards apply to Supreme Court justices. The Constitution, and the federal laws under it, is the “ supreme law of the land ,” and the recusal statute explicitly treats Supreme Court justices like other judges: “Any justice, judge or magistrate judge of the United States shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” The only justices in the federal judiciary are the ones on the Supreme Court.

This recusal statute, if triggered, is not a friendly suggestion. It is Congress’s command, binding on the justices, just as the due process clause is. The Supreme Court cannot disregard this law just because it directly affects one or two of its justices. Ignoring it would trespass on the constitutional separation of powers because the justices would essentially be saying that they have the power to override a congressional command.

When the arguments are properly before the court, Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan, Brett Kavanaugh and Sonia Sotomayor will have both a constitutional obligation and a statutory obligation to enforce recusal standards.

Indeed, there is even a compelling argument based on case law that Chief Justice Roberts and the other, unaffected justices should raise the matter of recusal on their own (or sua sponte). Numerous circuit courts have agreed with the Eighth Circuit that this is the right course of action when members of an appellate court are aware of “ overt acts ” of a judge reflecting personal bias. Cases like this stand for the idea that appellate jurists who see something should say something instead of placing all the burden on parties in a case who would have to risk angering a judge by bringing up the awkward matter of potential bias and favoritism on the bench.

But even if no member of the court raises the issue of recusal, the urgent need to deal with it persists. Once it is raised, the court would almost surely have to find that the due process clause and Section 455 compel Justices Alito and Thomas to recuse themselves. To arrive at that substantive conclusion, the justices need only read their court’s own recusal decisions.

In one key 5-to-3 Supreme Court case from 2016, Williams v. Pennsylvania, Justice Anthony Kennedy explained why judicial bias is a defect of constitutional magnitude and offered specific objective standards for identifying it. Significantly, Justices Alito and Thomas dissented from the majority’s ruling.

The case concerned the bias of the chief justice of Pennsylvania, who had been involved as a prosecutor on the state’s side in an appellate death penalty case that was before him. Justice Kennedy found that the judge’s refusal to recuse himself when asked to do so violated due process. Justice Kennedy’s authoritative opinion on recusal illuminates three critical aspects of the current controversy.

First, Justice Kennedy found that the standard for recusal must be objective because it is impossible to rely on the affected judge’s introspection and subjective interpretations. The court’s objective standard requires recusal when the likelihood of bias on the part of the judge “is too high to be constitutionally tolerable,” citing an earlier case. “This objective risk of bias,” according to Justice Kennedy, “is reflected in the due process maxim that ‘no man can be a judge in his own case.’” A judge or justice can be convinced of his or her own impartiality but also completely missing what other people are seeing.

Second, the Williams majority endorsed the American Bar Association’s Model Code of Judicial Conduct as an appropriate articulation of the Madisonian standard that “no man can be a judge in his own cause.” Model Code Rule 2.11 on judicial disqualification says that a judge “shall disqualify himself or herself in any proceeding in which the judge’s impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” This includes, illustratively, cases in which the judge “has a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party,” a married judge knows that “the judge’s spouse” is “a person who has more than a de minimis interest that could be substantially affected by the proceeding” or the judge “has made a public statement, other than in a court proceeding, judicial decision or opinion, that commits or appears to commit the judge to reach a particular result.” These model code illustrations ring a lot of bells at this moment.

Third and most important, Justice Kennedy found for the court that the failure of an objectively biased judge to recuse him- or herself is not “harmless error” just because the biased judge’s vote is not apparently determinative in the vote of a panel of judges. A biased judge contaminates the proceeding not just by the casting and tabulation of his or her own vote but by participating in the body’s collective deliberations and affecting, even subtly, other judges’ perceptions of the case.

Justice Kennedy was emphatic on this point : “It does not matter whether the disqualified judge’s vote was necessary to the disposition of the case. The fact that the interested judge’s vote was not dispositive may mean only that the judge was successful in persuading most members of the court to accept his or her position — an outcome that does not lessen the unfairness to the affected party.”

Courts generally have found that any reasonable doubts about a judge’s partiality must be resolved in favor of recusal. A judge “shall disqualify himself in any proceeding in which his impartiality might reasonably be questioned.” While recognizing that the “challenged judge enjoys a margin of discretion,” the courts have repeatedly held that “doubts ordinarily ought to be resolved in favor of recusal.” After all, the reputation of the whole tribunal and public confidence in the judiciary are both on the line.

Judge David Tatel of the D.C. Circuit emphasized this fundamental principle in 2019 when his court issued a writ of mandamus to force recusal of a military judge who blithely ignored at least the appearance of a glaring conflict of interest. He stated : “Impartial adjudicators are the cornerstone of any system of justice worthy of the label. And because ‘deference to the judgments and rulings of courts depends upon public confidence in the integrity and independence of judges,’ jurists must avoid even the appearance of partiality.” He reminded us that to perform its high function in the best way, as Justice Felix Frankfurter stated, “justice must satisfy the appearance of justice.”

The Supreme Court has been especially disposed to favor recusal when partisan politics appear to be a prejudicial factor even when the judge’s impartiality has not been questioned. In Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Co. , from 2009, the court held that a state supreme court justice was constitutionally disqualified from a case in which the president of a corporation appearing before him had helped to get him elected by spending $3 million promoting his campaign. The court, through Justice Kennedy, asked whether, quoting a 1975 decision, “under a realistic appraisal of psychological tendencies and human weakness,” the judge’s obvious political alignment with a party in a case “poses such a risk of actual bias or prejudgment that the practice must be forbidden if the guarantee of due process is to be adequately implemented.”

The federal statute on disqualification, Section 455(b) , also makes recusal analysis directly applicable to bias imputed to a spouse’s interest in the case. Ms. Thomas and Mrs. Alito (who, according to Justice Alito, is the one who put up the inverted flag outside their home) meet this standard. A judge must recuse him- or herself when a spouse “is known by the judge to have an interest in a case that could be substantially affected by the outcome of the proceeding.”

At his Senate confirmation hearing, Chief Justice Roberts assured America that “Judges are like umpires.”

But professional baseball would never allow an umpire to continue to officiate the World Series after learning that the pennant of one of the two teams competing was flying in the front yard of the umpire’s home. Nor would an umpire be allowed to call balls and strikes in a World Series game after the umpire’s wife tried to get the official score of a prior game in the series overthrown and canceled out to benefit the losing team. If judges are like umpires, then they should be treated like umpires, not team owners, team fans or players.

Justice Barrett has said she wants to convince people “that this court is not comprised of a bunch of partisan hacks.” Justice Alito himself declared the importance of judicial objectivity in his opinion for the majority in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision overruling Roe v. Wade — a bit of self-praise that now rings especially hollow.

But the Constitution and Congress’s recusal statute provide the objective framework of analysis and remedy for cases of judicial bias that are apparent to the world, even if they may be invisible to the judges involved. This is not really optional for the justices.

I look forward to seeing seven members of the court act to defend the reputation and integrity of the institution.

Jamie Raskin, a Democrat, represents Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He taught constitutional law for more than 25 years and was the lead prosecutor in the second impeachment trial of Donald Trump.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

China’s answer to OpenAI is a Xi Jinping chatbot

Good morning. Clay Chandler here, writing from Hong Kong. Last week I noted that the world’s two big AI superpowers seem to be running the global AI arms race in opposite directions . U.S. lawmakers have balked at imposing even the most minimal restrictions on fast-moving new technologies. China, meanwhile, has established a dense regulatory framework for AI designed to eliminate all possible risks. 

Those differences become even more starkly apparent this week.  

In the U.S., of course, everyone is aghast at Scarlett Johansson’s allegation that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman used a voice “eerily” similar to hers  for Sky, the chatbot mode featured in OpenAI’s latest ChatGPT upgrade. Few are buying Altman’s insistence that he “never intended” the chatbot to resemble her. The details of the case—that Altman approached Johansson with a request to license her voice, that she declined, that he persisted using a Johansson-like voice anyway—have fanned Hollywood’s worst fears about arrogant tech bros using AI to rip off creators.  

In China, the week’s big AI story is that the nation’s internet regulator is rolling out a chatbot of its own, this one based on the thoughts of President Xi Jinping. The Financial Times reports that a research center reporting to the powerful Cyberspace Administration of China is developing a large language model trained on the Chinese leaders’ political philosophy, known as “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.” The Wall Street Journal says the chatbot will also be trained on six professional databases about technology.  

It’s unclear whether the CAC’s chatbot—which both papers have dubbed “Chat Xi PT”—is meant to be used, or even whether it will be released to the public. But it’s not difficult to imagine how such a model might be employed as a tool for enforcing ideological orthodoxy.  

Neither of these approaches to governing AI seems sustainable to me. At some point, U.S. voters are going to stop swallowing AI developers’ claims that the only way the U.S. can hope to compete with China, save democracy, and preserve the American way of life is to let giant tech companies use AI in whatever way they want. And surely Chinese officials eventually will figure out that too much state control over AI will slow the pace of innovation and leave China less secure not more. Or will they? For now, the technology keeps getting smarter faster than the people creating and using it.   

More news below

Clay Chandler [email protected] Follow on LinkedIn

Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company, is aiming for net-zero emissions while continuing to pump fossil fuels. Ahmad Al-Khowaiter, executive vice president for technology and innovation, says Aramco devotes 60% of its $800 million R&D budget to “sustainability.” But the company isn’t going to give up oil any time soon: “We need all sources of energy to meet the growth in demand, which is just tremendous in the developing world,” he says. Fortune

An even bigger Boeing cash burn

Boeing CFO Brian West warned investors that the planemaker is unlikely to generate any cash this year and will burn billions of dollars more than anticipated. The company is producing planes more slowly as it tries to uncover safety and production issues. Boeing shares fell over 7% on Thursday. Wall Street Journal

Back to the office

More banks are ordering more of their U.S.-based staff to be in the office five days a week, due to new regulations that make remote work more difficult. HSBC, Citigroup and Barclays are asking remote workers to come in for the whole work week. Banking executives say that ensuring off-site workers comply with regulations will be too difficult and too costly as the industry’s watchdog returns to pre-COVID norms for monitoring staff and inspecting workplaces. Bloomberg

AROUND THE WATERCOOLER

Ralph Lauren’s longtime CFO on preparing her successor—and what’s next after her COO tenure by Sheryl Estrada

5 telltale signs a CEO is a narcissist. Study finds LinkedIn profiles offer clues by Lila Maclellan 

OpenAI’s week of chaos has reopened a festering wound at the $80 billion startup that was supposed to have healed by Sharon Goldman

Book excerpt: Gen Z ignores brand messaging by default. Here’s how to win their attention—and loyalty by Mitch Duckler

More than two-thirds of bosses are ‘accidental managers’—and their requests for proper training are being ignored by Eleanor Pringle

Venice’s ‘tourist tax’ is being labeled a ‘miserable failure’—and the project might not break even this year by Ryan Hogg

T his edition of CEO Daily was curated by Nicholas Gordon. 

Latest in Newsletters

Donald Trump’s history with women proves to be his downfall once again after guilty verdict in Stormy Daniels hush money case

This is the year to invest in women’s health. Here’s why

Great CEOs don’t just know how to make their companies more valuable—they know when it’s time to move on

How Micron’s disability ERG improved accessibility for the entire company

Shein’s long-awaited IPO could be one of the biggest in years—if it can just figure out where U.S. and Chinese regulators will let it debut 

AI companies are competing for talent with more than pay packages and GPU access. Their position on AI safety may be starting to matter too

Most popular.

A 35-year-old Chinese man has been tagged as the alleged mastermind behind a gargantuan botnet used to steal billions from zombie computers

Reality star Judge Judy says Gen Zers are difficult to work with because they got too many trophies: ‘When I grew up, you ran a race, you came in first, you got a trophy’

American Airlines CEO fired top exec after controversial ‘modern retailing’ strategy infuriated corporate clients

COVID can cause new health problems to appear years after infection, according to a study of more than 130,000 patients

Billionaire Bill Ackman: Trump’s guilty verdict was the result of a political agenda and a kangaroo court

Amazon, Walmart, and Target finally realize their colossal pricing mistake—now they’re slashing costs to win back customers