The Pursuit of WOW/Peters 75-76

76 Interviewing tips/tools
-Don't over schedule
-Save the Big Guy/Gal till last.
-Find a comfy setting.
-Try small talk (maybe)
-Prepare. Read everything you can
-"Please give me an example"...most important words in the interviewer's arsenal.
-Most of the purpose of an interview is to gather stories--practical illustrations of precisely how things work (or don't). Measure your effectiveness by the number of "sagas" the interview produces.
-Think small. It's the details your are after. "Walk me through the process, please." "Here, let's sketch it on the chalkboard."
-Get to the front line. The devil is in the details, and the details are usually at the front line.
-Don't measure your interview effectiveness by the seniority of those you've talked with. Measure it by junior-ity.
-Don't stop burrowing until you understand. The best interviewers ask the dumbest questions. Remember, you're being paid to ask stupid questions.
-Forget generalizations.
-Seek out "the way we do things around here".
-Take me through yesterday.
-Don't let notes age
-Practice (and observation) makes better.
-Final word: few things set me off faster than reviewing somebody's interview notes and finding a dearth of evidence--concrete examples and minute details that illustrate the big point.