interview in research work

Research Interviews: An effective and insightful way of data collection

Research interviews play a pivotal role in collecting data for various academic, scientific, and professional endeavors. They provide researchers with an opportunity to delve deep into the thoughts, experiences, and perspectives of an individual, thus enabling a comprehensive understanding of complex phenomena. It is important for researchers to design an effective and insightful method of data collection on a particular topic. A research interview is typically a two-person meeting conducted to collect information on a certain topic. It is a qualitative data collection method to gain primary information.

The three key features of a research interview are as follows:

Table of Contents

The Significance of Research Interviews in Gathering Primary Data

The role of research interviews in gathering first-hand information is invaluable. Additionally, they allow researchers to interact directly with participants, enabling them to collect unfiltered primary data.

1. Subjective Experience

Research interviews facilitate in-depth exploration of a research topic. Thus, by engaging in one-to-one conversation with participants, researchers can delve into the nuances and complexities of their experiences, perspectives, and opinions. This allows comprehensive understanding of the research subject that may not be possible through other methods. Also, research interviews offer the unique advantage of capturing subjective experiences through personal narratives. Moreover, participants can express their thoughts, feelings, and beliefs, which add depth to the findings.

2. Personal Insights

Research interviews offer an opportunity for participants to share their views and opinions on the objective they are being interviewed for. Furthermore, participants can express their thoughts and experiences, providing rich qualitative data . Consequently, these personal narratives add a human element to the research, thus enhancing the understanding of the topic from the participants’ perspectives. Research interviews offer the opportunity to uncover unanticipated insights or emerging themes. Additionally, open-ended questions and active listening can help the researchers to identify new perspectives, ideas, or patterns that may not have been initially considered. As a result, these factors can lead to new avenues for exploration.

3. Clarification and Validation

Researchers can clarify participants’ responses and validate their understanding during an interview. This ensures accurate data collection and interpretation. Additionally, researchers can probe deeper into participants’ statements and seek clarification on any ambiguity in the information.

4. Contextual Information

Research interviews allow researchers to gather contextual information that offers a comprehensive understanding of the research topic. Additionally, participants can provide insights into the social, cultural, or environmental factors that shape their experiences, behaviors, and beliefs. This contextual information helps researchers place the data in a broader context and facilitates a more nuanced analysis.

5. Non-verbal Cues

In addition to verbal responses, research interviews allow researchers to observe non-verbal cues such as body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. Additionally, non-verbal cues can convey information, such as emotions, attitudes, or levels of comfort. Furthermore, integrating non-verbal cues with verbal responses provides a more holistic understanding of participants’ experiences and enriches the data collection process.

Research interviews offer several advantages, making them a reliable tool for collecting information. However, choosing the right type of research interview is essential for collecting useful data.

Types of Research Interviews

There are several types of research interviews that researchers can use based on their research goals , the nature of their study, and the data they aim to collect. Here are some common types of research interviews:

1. Structured Interviews

Structured interviews are standardized and follow a fixed format.
Therefore, these interviews have a pre-determined set of questions.
All the participants are asked the same set of questions in the same order.
Therefore, this type of interview facilitates standardization and allows easy comparison and quantitative analysis of responses.
As a result, structured interviews are used in surveys or studies which aims for a high level of standardization and comparability.

2. Semi-structured Interviews

Semi-structured interviews offer a flexible framework by combining pre-determined questions.
So, this gives an opportunity for follow-up questions and open-ended discussions.
Researchers have a list of core questions but can adapt the interview depending on the participant’s responses.
Consequently, this allows for in-depth exploration while maintaining some level of consistency across interviews.
As a result, semi-structured interviews are widely used in qualitative research, where content-rich data is desired.

3. Unstructured Interviews

Unstructured interviews provide the greatest flexibility and freedom in the interview process.
This type do not have a pre-determined set of questions.
Thus, the conversation flows naturally based on the participant’s responses and the researcher’s interests.
Moreover, this type of interview allows for open-ended exploration and encourages participants to share their experiences, thoughts, and perspectives freely.
Unstructured interviews useful to explore new or complex research topics, with limited preconceived questions.

4. Group Interviews (Focus Groups)

Group interviews involve multiple participants who engage in a facilitated discussion on a specific topic.
This format allows the interaction and exchange of ideas among participants, generating a group dynamic.
Therefore, group interviews are beneficial for capturing diverse perspectives, and generating collective insights.
They are often used in market research, social sciences, or studies demanding shared experiences.

5. Narrative Interviews

Narrative interviews focus on eliciting participants’ personal stories, views, experiences, and narratives. Researchers aim to look into the individual’s life journey.
As a result, this type of interview allows participants to construct and share their own narratives, providing rich qualitative data.
Qualitative research, oral history, or studies focusing on individual experiences and identities uses narrative interviews.

6. Ethnographic Interviews

Ethnographic interviews are conducted within the context of ethnographic research, where researchers immerse themselves in a specific social or cultural setting.
These interviews aim to understand participants’ experiences, beliefs, and practices within their cultural context, thereby understanding diversity in different ethnic groups.
Furthermore, ethnographic interviews involve building rapport, observing the participants’ daily lives, and engaging in conversations that capture the nuances of the culture under study.

It must be noted that these interview types are not mutually exclusive. Therefore, researchers often employ a combination of approaches to gather the most comprehensive data for their research. The choice of interview type depends on the research objectives and the nature of the research topic.

Steps of Conducting a Research Interview

Research interviews offer several benefits, and thus careful planning and execution of the entire process are important to gather in-depth information from the participants. While conducting an interview, it is essential to know the necessary steps to follow for ensuring success. The steps to conduct a research interview are as follows:

Identify the objectives and understand the goals
Select an appropriate interview format
Organize the necessary materials for the interview
Understand the questions to be addressed
Analyze the demographics of interviewees
Select the interviewees
Design the interview questions to gather sufficient information
Schedule the interview
Explain the purpose of the interview
Analyze the interviewee based on his/her responses

Considerations for Research Interviews

Since the flexible nature of research interviews makes them an invaluable tool for data collection, researchers must consider certain factors to make the process effective. They should avoid bias and preconceived notion against the participants. Furthermore, researchers must comply with ethical considerations and respect the cultural differences between them and the participants. Also, they should ensure careful tailoring of the questions to avoid making them offensive or derogatory. The interviewers must respect the privacy of the participants and ensure the confidentiality of their details.

By ensuring due diligence of these considerations associated with research interviews, researchers can maximize the validity and reliability of the collected data, leading to robust and meaningful research outcomes.

Have you ever conducted a research interview? What was your experience? What factors did you consider when conducting a research interview? Share it with researchers worldwide by submitting your thought piece on Enago Academy’s Open Blogging Platform .

Frequently Asked Questions

• Identify the objectives of the interview • State and explain the purpose of the interview • Select an appropriate interview format • Organize the necessary materials for the Interview • Check the demographics of the participants • Select the Interviewees or the participants • Prepare the list of questions to gather maximum useful data from the participants • Schedule the Interview • Analyze the participant based on his/ her Responses

Interviews are important in research as it helps to gather elaborative first-hand information. It helps to draw conclusions from the non-verbal views and personal experiences. It reduces the ambiguity of data through detailed discussions.

The advantages of research interviews are: • It offers first-hand information • Offers detailed assessment which can result in elaborate conclusions • It is easy to conduct • Provides non-verbal cues The disadvantages of research interviews are: • There is a risk of personal bias • It can be time consuming • The outcomes might be unpredictable

The difference between structured and unstructured interview are: • Structured interviews have well-structured questions in a pre-determined order; while unstructured interviews are flexible and do not have a pre-planned set of questions. • Structured interview is more detailed; while unstructured interviews are exploratory in nature. • Structured interview is easier to replicate as compared to unstructured interview.

Focus groups is a group of multiple participants engaging in a facilitated discussion on a specific topic. This format allows for interaction and exchange of ideas among participants.

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Research Methods Guide: Interview Research

Introduction
Research Design & Method
Survey Research
Data Analysis
Resources & Consultation

Tutorial Videos: Interview Method

Interview as a Method for Qualitative Research

Goals of Interview Research

Preferences
They help you explain, better understand, and explore research subjects' opinions, behavior, experiences, phenomenon, etc.
Interview questions are usually open-ended questions so that in-depth information will be collected.

Mode of Data Collection

There are several types of interviews, including:

Face-to-Face
Online (e.g. Skype, Googlehangout, etc)

FAQ: Conducting Interview Research

What are the important steps involved in interviews?

Think about who you will interview
Think about what kind of information you want to obtain from interviews
Think about why you want to pursue in-depth information around your research topic
Introduce yourself and explain the aim of the interview
Devise your questions so interviewees can help answer your research question
Have a sequence to your questions / topics by grouping them in themes
Make sure you can easily move back and forth between questions / topics
Make sure your questions are clear and easy to understand
Do not ask leading questions
Do you want to bring a second interviewer with you?
Do you want to bring a notetaker?
Do you want to record interviews? If so, do you have time to transcribe interview recordings?
Where will you interview people? Where is the setting with the least distraction?
How long will each interview take?
Do you need to address terms of confidentiality?

Do I have to choose either a survey or interviewing method?

No. In fact, many researchers use a mixed method - interviews can be useful as follow-up to certain respondents to surveys, e.g., to further investigate their responses.

Is training an interviewer important?

Yes, since the interviewer can control the quality of the result, training the interviewer becomes crucial. If more than one interviewers are involved in your study, it is important to have every interviewer understand the interviewing procedure and rehearse the interviewing process before beginning the formal study.

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Last Updated: Aug 21, 2023 10:42 AM

Chapter 11. Interviewing

Introduction.

Interviewing people is at the heart of qualitative research. It is not merely a way to collect data but an intrinsically rewarding activity—an interaction between two people that holds the potential for greater understanding and interpersonal development. Unlike many of our daily interactions with others that are fairly shallow and mundane, sitting down with a person for an hour or two and really listening to what they have to say is a profound and deep enterprise, one that can provide not only “data” for you, the interviewer, but also self-understanding and a feeling of being heard for the interviewee. I always approach interviewing with a deep appreciation for the opportunity it gives me to understand how other people experience the world. That said, there is not one kind of interview but many, and some of these are shallower than others. This chapter will provide you with an overview of interview techniques but with a special focus on the in-depth semistructured interview guide approach, which is the approach most widely used in social science research.

An interview can be variously defined as “a conversation with a purpose” ( Lune and Berg 2018 ) and an attempt to understand the world from the point of view of the person being interviewed: “to unfold the meaning of peoples’ experiences, to uncover their lived world prior to scientific explanations” ( Kvale 2007 ). It is a form of active listening in which the interviewer steers the conversation to subjects and topics of interest to their research but also manages to leave enough space for those interviewed to say surprising things. Achieving that balance is a tricky thing, which is why most practitioners believe interviewing is both an art and a science. In my experience as a teacher, there are some students who are “natural” interviewers (often they are introverts), but anyone can learn to conduct interviews, and everyone, even those of us who have been doing this for years, can improve their interviewing skills. This might be a good time to highlight the fact that the interview is a product between interviewer and interviewee and that this product is only as good as the rapport established between the two participants. Active listening is the key to establishing this necessary rapport.

Patton ( 2002 ) makes the argument that we use interviews because there are certain things that are not observable. In particular, “we cannot observe feelings, thoughts, and intentions. We cannot observe behaviors that took place at some previous point in time. We cannot observe situations that preclude the presence of an observer. We cannot observe how people have organized the world and the meanings they attach to what goes on in the world. We have to ask people questions about those things” ( 341 ).

Types of Interviews

There are several distinct types of interviews. Imagine a continuum (figure 11.1). On one side are unstructured conversations—the kind you have with your friends. No one is in control of those conversations, and what you talk about is often random—whatever pops into your head. There is no secret, underlying purpose to your talking—if anything, the purpose is to talk to and engage with each other, and the words you use and the things you talk about are a little beside the point. An unstructured interview is a little like this informal conversation, except that one of the parties to the conversation (you, the researcher) does have an underlying purpose, and that is to understand the other person. You are not friends speaking for no purpose, but it might feel just as unstructured to the “interviewee” in this scenario. That is one side of the continuum. On the other side are fully structured and standardized survey-type questions asked face-to-face. Here it is very clear who is asking the questions and who is answering them. This doesn’t feel like a conversation at all! A lot of people new to interviewing have this ( erroneously !) in mind when they think about interviews as data collection. Somewhere in the middle of these two extreme cases is the “ semistructured” interview , in which the researcher uses an “interview guide” to gently move the conversation to certain topics and issues. This is the primary form of interviewing for qualitative social scientists and will be what I refer to as interviewing for the rest of this chapter, unless otherwise specified.

Types of Interviewing Questions: Unstructured conversations, Semi-structured interview, Structured interview, Survey questions

Informal (unstructured conversations). This is the most “open-ended” approach to interviewing. It is particularly useful in conjunction with observational methods (see chapters 13 and 14). There are no predetermined questions. Each interview will be different. Imagine you are researching the Oregon Country Fair, an annual event in Veneta, Oregon, that includes live music, artisan craft booths, face painting, and a lot of people walking through forest paths. It’s unlikely that you will be able to get a person to sit down with you and talk intensely about a set of questions for an hour and a half. But you might be able to sidle up to several people and engage with them about their experiences at the fair. You might have a general interest in what attracts people to these events, so you could start a conversation by asking strangers why they are here or why they come back every year. That’s it. Then you have a conversation that may lead you anywhere. Maybe one person tells a long story about how their parents brought them here when they were a kid. A second person talks about how this is better than Burning Man. A third person shares their favorite traveling band. And yet another enthuses about the public library in the woods. During your conversations, you also talk about a lot of other things—the weather, the utilikilts for sale, the fact that a favorite food booth has disappeared. It’s all good. You may not be able to record these conversations. Instead, you might jot down notes on the spot and then, when you have the time, write down as much as you can remember about the conversations in long fieldnotes. Later, you will have to sit down with these fieldnotes and try to make sense of all the information (see chapters 18 and 19).

Interview guide ( semistructured interview ). This is the primary type employed by social science qualitative researchers. The researcher creates an “interview guide” in advance, which she uses in every interview. In theory, every person interviewed is asked the same questions. In practice, every person interviewed is asked mostly the same topics but not always the same questions, as the whole point of a “guide” is that it guides the direction of the conversation but does not command it. The guide is typically between five and ten questions or question areas, sometimes with suggested follow-ups or prompts . For example, one question might be “What was it like growing up in Eastern Oregon?” with prompts such as “Did you live in a rural area? What kind of high school did you attend?” to help the conversation develop. These interviews generally take place in a quiet place (not a busy walkway during a festival) and are recorded. The recordings are transcribed, and those transcriptions then become the “data” that is analyzed (see chapters 18 and 19). The conventional length of one of these types of interviews is between one hour and two hours, optimally ninety minutes. Less than one hour doesn’t allow for much development of questions and thoughts, and two hours (or more) is a lot of time to ask someone to sit still and answer questions. If you have a lot of ground to cover, and the person is willing, I highly recommend two separate interview sessions, with the second session being slightly shorter than the first (e.g., ninety minutes the first day, sixty minutes the second). There are lots of good reasons for this, but the most compelling one is that this allows you to listen to the first day’s recording and catch anything interesting you might have missed in the moment and so develop follow-up questions that can probe further. This also allows the person being interviewed to have some time to think about the issues raised in the interview and go a little deeper with their answers.

Standardized questionnaire with open responses ( structured interview ). This is the type of interview a lot of people have in mind when they hear “interview”: a researcher comes to your door with a clipboard and proceeds to ask you a series of questions. These questions are all the same whoever answers the door; they are “standardized.” Both the wording and the exact order are important, as people’s responses may vary depending on how and when a question is asked. These are qualitative only in that the questions allow for “open-ended responses”: people can say whatever they want rather than select from a predetermined menu of responses. For example, a survey I collaborated on included this open-ended response question: “How does class affect one’s career success in sociology?” Some of the answers were simply one word long (e.g., “debt”), and others were long statements with stories and personal anecdotes. It is possible to be surprised by the responses. Although it’s a stretch to call this kind of questioning a conversation, it does allow the person answering the question some degree of freedom in how they answer.

Survey questionnaire with closed responses (not an interview!). Standardized survey questions with specific answer options (e.g., closed responses) are not really interviews at all, and they do not generate qualitative data. For example, if we included five options for the question “How does class affect one’s career success in sociology?”—(1) debt, (2) social networks, (3) alienation, (4) family doesn’t understand, (5) type of grad program—we leave no room for surprises at all. Instead, we would most likely look at patterns around these responses, thinking quantitatively rather than qualitatively (e.g., using regression analysis techniques, we might find that working-class sociologists were twice as likely to bring up alienation). It can sometimes be confusing for new students because the very same survey can include both closed-ended and open-ended questions. The key is to think about how these will be analyzed and to what level surprises are possible. If your plan is to turn all responses into a number and make predictions about correlations and relationships, you are no longer conducting qualitative research. This is true even if you are conducting this survey face-to-face with a real live human. Closed-response questions are not conversations of any kind, purposeful or not.

In summary, the semistructured interview guide approach is the predominant form of interviewing for social science qualitative researchers because it allows a high degree of freedom of responses from those interviewed (thus allowing for novel discoveries) while still maintaining some connection to a research question area or topic of interest. The rest of the chapter assumes the employment of this form.

Creating an Interview Guide

Your interview guide is the instrument used to bridge your research question(s) and what the people you are interviewing want to tell you. Unlike a standardized questionnaire, the questions actually asked do not need to be exactly what you have written down in your guide. The guide is meant to create space for those you are interviewing to talk about the phenomenon of interest, but sometimes you are not even sure what that phenomenon is until you start asking questions. A priority in creating an interview guide is to ensure it offers space. One of the worst mistakes is to create questions that are so specific that the person answering them will not stray. Relatedly, questions that sound “academic” will shut down a lot of respondents. A good interview guide invites respondents to talk about what is important to them, not feel like they are performing or being evaluated by you.

Good interview questions should not sound like your “research question” at all. For example, let’s say your research question is “How do patriarchal assumptions influence men’s understanding of climate change and responses to climate change?” It would be worse than unhelpful to ask a respondent, “How do your assumptions about the role of men affect your understanding of climate change?” You need to unpack this into manageable nuggets that pull your respondent into the area of interest without leading him anywhere. You could start by asking him what he thinks about climate change in general. Or, even better, whether he has any concerns about heatwaves or increased tornadoes or polar icecaps melting. Once he starts talking about that, you can ask follow-up questions that bring in issues around gendered roles, perhaps asking if he is married (to a woman) and whether his wife shares his thoughts and, if not, how they negotiate that difference. The fact is, you won’t really know the right questions to ask until he starts talking.

There are several distinct types of questions that can be used in your interview guide, either as main questions or as follow-up probes. If you remember that the point is to leave space for the respondent, you will craft a much more effective interview guide! You will also want to think about the place of time in both the questions themselves (past, present, future orientations) and the sequencing of the questions.

Researcher Note

Suggestion : As you read the next three sections (types of questions, temporality, question sequence), have in mind a particular research question, and try to draft questions and sequence them in a way that opens space for a discussion that helps you answer your research question.

Type of Questions

Experience and behavior questions ask about what a respondent does regularly (their behavior) or has done (their experience). These are relatively easy questions for people to answer because they appear more “factual” and less subjective. This makes them good opening questions. For the study on climate change above, you might ask, “Have you ever experienced an unusual weather event? What happened?” Or “You said you work outside? What is a typical summer workday like for you? How do you protect yourself from the heat?”

Opinion and values questions , in contrast, ask questions that get inside the minds of those you are interviewing. “Do you think climate change is real? Who or what is responsible for it?” are two such questions. Note that you don’t have to literally ask, “What is your opinion of X?” but you can find a way to ask the specific question relevant to the conversation you are having. These questions are a bit trickier to ask because the answers you get may depend in part on how your respondent perceives you and whether they want to please you or not. We’ve talked a fair amount about being reflective. Here is another place where this comes into play. You need to be aware of the effect your presence might have on the answers you are receiving and adjust accordingly. If you are a woman who is perceived as liberal asking a man who identifies as conservative about climate change, there is a lot of subtext that can be going on in the interview. There is no one right way to resolve this, but you must at least be aware of it.

Feeling questions are questions that ask respondents to draw on their emotional responses. It’s pretty common for academic researchers to forget that we have bodies and emotions, but people’s understandings of the world often operate at this affective level, sometimes unconsciously or barely consciously. It is a good idea to include questions that leave space for respondents to remember, imagine, or relive emotional responses to particular phenomena. “What was it like when you heard your cousin’s house burned down in that wildfire?” doesn’t explicitly use any emotion words, but it allows your respondent to remember what was probably a pretty emotional day. And if they respond emotionally neutral, that is pretty interesting data too. Note that asking someone “How do you feel about X” is not always going to evoke an emotional response, as they might simply turn around and respond with “I think that…” It is better to craft a question that actually pushes the respondent into the affective category. This might be a specific follow-up to an experience and behavior question —for example, “You just told me about your daily routine during the summer heat. Do you worry it is going to get worse?” or “Have you ever been afraid it will be too hot to get your work accomplished?”

Knowledge questions ask respondents what they actually know about something factual. We have to be careful when we ask these types of questions so that respondents do not feel like we are evaluating them (which would shut them down), but, for example, it is helpful to know when you are having a conversation about climate change that your respondent does in fact know that unusual weather events have increased and that these have been attributed to climate change! Asking these questions can set the stage for deeper questions and can ensure that the conversation makes the same kind of sense to both participants. For example, a conversation about political polarization can be put back on track once you realize that the respondent doesn’t really have a clear understanding that there are two parties in the US. Instead of asking a series of questions about Republicans and Democrats, you might shift your questions to talk more generally about political disagreements (e.g., “people against abortion”). And sometimes what you do want to know is the level of knowledge about a particular program or event (e.g., “Are you aware you can discharge your student loans through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program?”).

Sensory questions call on all senses of the respondent to capture deeper responses. These are particularly helpful in sparking memory. “Think back to your childhood in Eastern Oregon. Describe the smells, the sounds…” Or you could use these questions to help a person access the full experience of a setting they customarily inhabit: “When you walk through the doors to your office building, what do you see? Hear? Smell?” As with feeling questions , these questions often supplement experience and behavior questions . They are another way of allowing your respondent to report fully and deeply rather than remain on the surface.

Creative questions employ illustrative examples, suggested scenarios, or simulations to get respondents to think more deeply about an issue, topic, or experience. There are many options here. In The Trouble with Passion , Erin Cech ( 2021 ) provides a scenario in which “Joe” is trying to decide whether to stay at his decent but boring computer job or follow his passion by opening a restaurant. She asks respondents, “What should Joe do?” Their answers illuminate the attraction of “passion” in job selection. In my own work, I have used a news story about an upwardly mobile young man who no longer has time to see his mother and sisters to probe respondents’ feelings about the costs of social mobility. Jessi Streib and Betsy Leondar-Wright have used single-page cartoon “scenes” to elicit evaluations of potential racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and classism. Barbara Sutton ( 2010 ) has employed lists of words (“strong,” “mother,” “victim”) on notecards she fans out and asks her female respondents to select and discuss.

Background/Demographic Questions

You most definitely will want to know more about the person you are interviewing in terms of conventional demographic information, such as age, race, gender identity, occupation, and educational attainment. These are not questions that normally open up inquiry. [1] For this reason, my practice has been to include a separate “demographic questionnaire” sheet that I ask each respondent to fill out at the conclusion of the interview. Only include those aspects that are relevant to your study. For example, if you are not exploring religion or religious affiliation, do not include questions about a person’s religion on the demographic sheet. See the example provided at the end of this chapter.

Temporality

Any type of question can have a past, present, or future orientation. For example, if you are asking a behavior question about workplace routine, you might ask the respondent to talk about past work, present work, and ideal (future) work. Similarly, if you want to understand how people cope with natural disasters, you might ask your respondent how they felt then during the wildfire and now in retrospect and whether and to what extent they have concerns for future wildfire disasters. It’s a relatively simple suggestion—don’t forget to ask about past, present, and future—but it can have a big impact on the quality of the responses you receive.

Question Sequence

Having a list of good questions or good question areas is not enough to make a good interview guide. You will want to pay attention to the order in which you ask your questions. Even though any one respondent can derail this order (perhaps by jumping to answer a question you haven’t yet asked), a good advance plan is always helpful. When thinking about sequence, remember that your goal is to get your respondent to open up to you and to say things that might surprise you. To establish rapport, it is best to start with nonthreatening questions. Asking about the present is often the safest place to begin, followed by the past (they have to know you a little bit to get there), and lastly, the future (talking about hopes and fears requires the most rapport). To allow for surprises, it is best to move from very general questions to more particular questions only later in the interview. This ensures that respondents have the freedom to bring up the topics that are relevant to them rather than feel like they are constrained to answer you narrowly. For example, refrain from asking about particular emotions until these have come up previously—don’t lead with them. Often, your more particular questions will emerge only during the course of the interview, tailored to what is emerging in conversation.

Once you have a set of questions, read through them aloud and imagine you are being asked the same questions. Does the set of questions have a natural flow? Would you be willing to answer the very first question to a total stranger? Does your sequence establish facts and experiences before moving on to opinions and values? Did you include prefatory statements, where necessary; transitions; and other announcements? These can be as simple as “Hey, we talked a lot about your experiences as a barista while in college.… Now I am turning to something completely different: how you managed friendships in college.” That is an abrupt transition, but it has been softened by your acknowledgment of that.

Probes and Flexibility

Once you have the interview guide, you will also want to leave room for probes and follow-up questions. As in the sample probe included here, you can write out the obvious probes and follow-up questions in advance. You might not need them, as your respondent might anticipate them and include full responses to the original question. Or you might need to tailor them to how your respondent answered the question. Some common probes and follow-up questions include asking for more details (When did that happen? Who else was there?), asking for elaboration (Could you say more about that?), asking for clarification (Does that mean what I think it means or something else? I understand what you mean, but someone else reading the transcript might not), and asking for contrast or comparison (How did this experience compare with last year’s event?). “Probing is a skill that comes from knowing what to look for in the interview, listening carefully to what is being said and what is not said, and being sensitive to the feedback needs of the person being interviewed” ( Patton 2002:374 ). It takes work! And energy. I and many other interviewers I know report feeling emotionally and even physically drained after conducting an interview. You are tasked with active listening and rearranging your interview guide as needed on the fly. If you only ask the questions written down in your interview guide with no deviations, you are doing it wrong. [2]

The Final Question

Every interview guide should include a very open-ended final question that allows for the respondent to say whatever it is they have been dying to tell you but you’ve forgotten to ask. About half the time they are tired too and will tell you they have nothing else to say. But incredibly, some of the most honest and complete responses take place here, at the end of a long interview. You have to realize that the person being interviewed is often discovering things about themselves as they talk to you and that this process of discovery can lead to new insights for them. Making space at the end is therefore crucial. Be sure you convey that you actually do want them to tell you more, that the offer of “anything else?” is not read as an empty convention where the polite response is no. Here is where you can pull from that active listening and tailor the final question to the particular person. For example, “I’ve asked you a lot of questions about what it was like to live through that wildfire. I’m wondering if there is anything I’ve forgotten to ask, especially because I haven’t had that experience myself” is a much more inviting final question than “Great. Anything you want to add?” It’s also helpful to convey to the person that you have the time to listen to their full answer, even if the allotted time is at the end. After all, there are no more questions to ask, so the respondent knows exactly how much time is left. Do them the courtesy of listening to them!

Conducting the Interview

Once you have your interview guide, you are on your way to conducting your first interview. I always practice my interview guide with a friend or family member. I do this even when the questions don’t make perfect sense for them, as it still helps me realize which questions make no sense, are poorly worded (too academic), or don’t follow sequentially. I also practice the routine I will use for interviewing, which goes something like this:

Introduce myself and reintroduce the study
Provide consent form and ask them to sign and retain/return copy
Ask if they have any questions about the study before we begin
Ask if I can begin recording
Ask questions (from interview guide)
Turn off the recording device
Ask if they are willing to fill out my demographic questionnaire
Collect questionnaire and, without looking at the answers, place in same folder as signed consent form
Thank them and depart

A note on remote interviewing: Interviews have traditionally been conducted face-to-face in a private or quiet public setting. You don’t want a lot of background noise, as this will make transcriptions difficult. During the recent global pandemic, many interviewers, myself included, learned the benefits of interviewing remotely. Although face-to-face is still preferable for many reasons, Zoom interviewing is not a bad alternative, and it does allow more interviews across great distances. Zoom also includes automatic transcription, which significantly cuts down on the time it normally takes to convert our conversations into “data” to be analyzed. These automatic transcriptions are not perfect, however, and you will still need to listen to the recording and clarify and clean up the transcription. Nor do automatic transcriptions include notations of body language or change of tone, which you may want to include. When interviewing remotely, you will want to collect the consent form before you meet: ask them to read, sign, and return it as an email attachment. I think it is better to ask for the demographic questionnaire after the interview, but because some respondents may never return it then, it is probably best to ask for this at the same time as the consent form, in advance of the interview.

What should you bring to the interview? I would recommend bringing two copies of the consent form (one for you and one for the respondent), a demographic questionnaire, a manila folder in which to place the signed consent form and filled-out demographic questionnaire, a printed copy of your interview guide (I print with three-inch right margins so I can jot down notes on the page next to relevant questions), a pen, a recording device, and water.

After the interview, you will want to secure the signed consent form in a locked filing cabinet (if in print) or a password-protected folder on your computer. Using Excel or a similar program that allows tables/spreadsheets, create an identifying number for your interview that links to the consent form without using the name of your respondent. For example, let’s say that I conduct interviews with US politicians, and the first person I meet with is George W. Bush. I will assign the transcription the number “INT#001” and add it to the signed consent form. [3] The signed consent form goes into a locked filing cabinet, and I never use the name “George W. Bush” again. I take the information from the demographic sheet, open my Excel spreadsheet, and add the relevant information in separate columns for the row INT#001: White, male, Republican. When I interview Bill Clinton as my second interview, I include a second row: INT#002: White, male, Democrat. And so on. The only link to the actual name of the respondent and this information is the fact that the consent form (unavailable to anyone but me) has stamped on it the interview number.

Many students get very nervous before their first interview. Actually, many of us are always nervous before the interview! But do not worry—this is normal, and it does pass. Chances are, you will be pleasantly surprised at how comfortable it begins to feel. These “purposeful conversations” are often a delight for both participants. This is not to say that sometimes things go wrong. I often have my students practice several “bad scenarios” (e.g., a respondent that you cannot get to open up; a respondent who is too talkative and dominates the conversation, steering it away from the topics you are interested in; emotions that completely take over; or shocking disclosures you are ill-prepared to handle), but most of the time, things go quite well. Be prepared for the unexpected, but know that the reason interviews are so popular as a technique of data collection is that they are usually richly rewarding for both participants.

One thing that I stress to my methods students and remind myself about is that interviews are still conversations between people. If there’s something you might feel uncomfortable asking someone about in a “normal” conversation, you will likely also feel a bit of discomfort asking it in an interview. Maybe more importantly, your respondent may feel uncomfortable. Social research—especially about inequality—can be uncomfortable. And it’s easy to slip into an abstract, intellectualized, or removed perspective as an interviewer. This is one reason trying out interview questions is important. Another is that sometimes the question sounds good in your head but doesn’t work as well out loud in practice. I learned this the hard way when a respondent asked me how I would answer the question I had just posed, and I realized that not only did I not really know how I would answer it, but I also wasn’t quite as sure I knew what I was asking as I had thought.

—Elizabeth M. Lee, Associate Professor of Sociology at Saint Joseph’s University, author of Class and Campus Life , and co-author of Geographies of Campus Inequality

How Many Interviews?

Your research design has included a targeted number of interviews and a recruitment plan (see chapter 5). Follow your plan, but remember that “ saturation ” is your goal. You interview as many people as you can until you reach a point at which you are no longer surprised by what they tell you. This means not that no one after your first twenty interviews will have surprising, interesting stories to tell you but rather that the picture you are forming about the phenomenon of interest to you from a research perspective has come into focus, and none of the interviews are substantially refocusing that picture. That is when you should stop collecting interviews. Note that to know when you have reached this, you will need to read your transcripts as you go. More about this in chapters 18 and 19.

Your Final Product: The Ideal Interview Transcript

A good interview transcript will demonstrate a subtly controlled conversation by the skillful interviewer. In general, you want to see replies that are about one paragraph long, not short sentences and not running on for several pages. Although it is sometimes necessary to follow respondents down tangents, it is also often necessary to pull them back to the questions that form the basis of your research study. This is not really a free conversation, although it may feel like that to the person you are interviewing.

Final Tips from an Interview Master

Annette Lareau is arguably one of the masters of the trade. In Listening to People , she provides several guidelines for good interviews and then offers a detailed example of an interview gone wrong and how it could be addressed (please see the “Further Readings” at the end of this chapter). Here is an abbreviated version of her set of guidelines: (1) interview respondents who are experts on the subjects of most interest to you (as a corollary, don’t ask people about things they don’t know); (2) listen carefully and talk as little as possible; (3) keep in mind what you want to know and why you want to know it; (4) be a proactive interviewer (subtly guide the conversation); (5) assure respondents that there aren’t any right or wrong answers; (6) use the respondent’s own words to probe further (this both allows you to accurately identify what you heard and pushes the respondent to explain further); (7) reuse effective probes (don’t reinvent the wheel as you go—if repeating the words back works, do it again and again); (8) focus on learning the subjective meanings that events or experiences have for a respondent; (9) don’t be afraid to ask a question that draws on your own knowledge (unlike trial lawyers who are trained never to ask a question for which they don’t already know the answer, sometimes it’s worth it to ask risky questions based on your hypotheses or just plain hunches); (10) keep thinking while you are listening (so difficult…and important); (11) return to a theme raised by a respondent if you want further information; (12) be mindful of power inequalities (and never ever coerce a respondent to continue the interview if they want out); (13) take control with overly talkative respondents; (14) expect overly succinct responses, and develop strategies for probing further; (15) balance digging deep and moving on; (16) develop a plan to deflect questions (e.g., let them know you are happy to answer any questions at the end of the interview, but you don’t want to take time away from them now); and at the end, (17) check to see whether you have asked all your questions. You don’t always have to ask everyone the same set of questions, but if there is a big area you have forgotten to cover, now is the time to recover ( Lareau 2021:93–103 ).

Sample: Demographic Questionnaire

ASA Taskforce on First-Generation and Working-Class Persons in Sociology – Class Effects on Career Success

Supplementary Demographic Questionnaire

Thank you for your participation in this interview project. We would like to collect a few pieces of key demographic information from you to supplement our analyses. Your answers to these questions will be kept confidential and stored by ID number. All of your responses here are entirely voluntary!

What best captures your race/ethnicity? (please check any/all that apply)

White (Non Hispanic/Latina/o/x)
Black or African American
Hispanic, Latino/a/x of Spanish
Asian or Asian American
American Indian or Alaska Native
Middle Eastern or North African
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Other : (Please write in: ________________)

What is your current position?

Grad Student
Full Professor

Please check any and all of the following that apply to you:

I identify as a working-class academic
I was the first in my family to graduate from college
I grew up poor

What best reflects your gender?

Transgender female/Transgender woman
Transgender male/Transgender man
Gender queer/ Gender nonconforming

Anything else you would like us to know about you?

Example: Interview Guide

In this example, follow-up prompts are italicized. Note the sequence of questions. That second question often elicits an entire life history , answering several later questions in advance.

Introduction Script/Question

Thank you for participating in our survey of ASA members who identify as first-generation or working-class. As you may have heard, ASA has sponsored a taskforce on first-generation and working-class persons in sociology and we are interested in hearing from those who so identify. Your participation in this interview will help advance our knowledge in this area.

The first thing we would like to as you is why you have volunteered to be part of this study? What does it mean to you be first-gen or working class? Why were you willing to be interviewed?
How did you decide to become a sociologist?
Can you tell me a little bit about where you grew up? ( prompts: what did your parent(s) do for a living? What kind of high school did you attend?)
Has this identity been salient to your experience? (how? How much?)
How welcoming was your grad program? Your first academic employer?
Why did you decide to pursue sociology at the graduate level?
Did you experience culture shock in college? In graduate school?
Has your FGWC status shaped how you’ve thought about where you went to school? debt? etc?
Were you mentored? How did this work (not work)? How might it?
What did you consider when deciding where to go to grad school? Where to apply for your first position?
What, to you, is a mark of career success? Have you achieved that success? What has helped or hindered your pursuit of success?
Do you think sociology, as a field, cares about prestige?
Let’s talk a little bit about intersectionality. How does being first-gen/working class work alongside other identities that are important to you?
What do your friends and family think about your career? Have you had any difficulty relating to family members or past friends since becoming highly educated?
Do you have any debt from college/grad school? Are you concerned about this? Could you explain more about how you paid for college/grad school? (here, include assistance from family, fellowships, scholarships, etc.)
(You’ve mentioned issues or obstacles you had because of your background.) What could have helped? Or, who or what did? Can you think of fortuitous moments in your career?
Do you have any regrets about the path you took?
Is there anything else you would like to add? Anything that the Taskforce should take note of, that we did not ask you about here?

Commonly asked questions in academic interviews

Be prepared to answer the sort of questions in this list (which will be tailored to your research area) in addition to general interview questions. It is a good idea to prepare and even rehearse your answers. If you are confident in answering all of these you will be well-prepared.

About your research General research questions About you and your capabilities About your ability to gain funding About your proposed research About your role as supervisor/teacher About your ‘fit’ with the department

About your research

What is innovative about your research ?
How is your work distinct from your supervisor’s/principal investigator’s? How intellectually independent are you?
What influences have you been exposed to? Do you think you have enough breadth of experience?
Who has influenced you the most?
What has been your role so far in developing research ideas and carrying them forward?
What do you think are your most significant research accomplishments?
What do you consider to be your best paper/work and why? What did it change about the way people approach the field?
What are your most important publications?
What has been the impact of your research?
What papers do you have coming through in the next year?
If we gave you the position what might go wrong? How will you manage the risks

General research questions

What do you see yourself doing in ten years' time? What are your professional goals in the next five, and ten years?
How will this job help you achieve your long term career plans?
What would you do on the first day of the job?
What are the big issues in your research area?
Who are the key researchers in your area? How does your work compare with theirs?
Who are your main competitors? What are they doing? How will you compete with them?
Why would someone come to work for you and not for your competitors?
How does your work align with contemporary trends or funding priorities?
How would you bridge the gap from your research to research users?
The university is keen to serve the wider community and economy. Does your planned research have any potential in these areas?
How do you feel about translating your research into innovation or spin-outs? Can you give an example of when you have been enterprising?
Describe in layman’s terms why your research project is interesting in two minutes.

About you and your capabilities

How have you managed your research project?
How do you balance your time? If several challenges came up at the same time (grant deadline, pastoral care for a student, teaching commitments) how would you prioritise?
If you were starting your project again today, what would you do differently?
Describe a research problem you have faced. What did you learn?
What has been the most productive period in your research career and why?
Why do you think you are ready for this position?
If you get this position how will you run your research project?
Why do you think you are the right person for this position?

About your ability to gain funding

What experience do you have of attracting funding?
Previously, you have only brought in small amounts of funding: how can you convince us you will be able to bring in larger amounts?
Where will you apply for grants? If your funding applications are unsuccessful, what alternatives do you have in mind? (looking for knowledge of the funding infrastructure)
How would you convince a funding body that they should fund your research rather than one of the other hundreds of proposals they receive?
Who are you currently funded by, and why do you think they were interested in funding your project?

About your proposed research

What will be your major focus as an independent researcher?
In one sentence, what is the most important question you want to address?
How does the work you propose follow on from what you are already doing?
What will you focus on and what gives you a competitive edge in this area?
What is the overall importance of this project? How do you see this work impacting the field?
What will you do if your hypothesis is proved wrong? Can you see any of your research proposal failing?
Why is the technique you have chosen more likely to succeed than other approaches?
Have you already done anything to test the feasibility of your project?
If you could only do one aspect of this project, which one do you think is key?
If we gave you unlimited resources, what would you do with them?
If we gave you X amount of money, what would you do with it?
What resources will you need?
How would you deal with the more limited resources or facilities compared to what you anticipate for the project?
How do you plan to manage this project on a day-to-day level?

About your role as supervisor/ teacher

Describe your teaching experience. How do you feel about teaching? What is your teaching philosophy?
Do you have any experience in curriculum development?
Have you supervised doctoral candidates, and how did you find this experience? How did you manage them?
What advice would you give to a new researcher about supervising undergraduate or masters students?
How would you go about interviewing a prospective postgraduate researcher?
How would you induce a new doctoral candidate into their research project?
How would you go about motivating a researcher who is going through a low point?
How would you deal with a weak researcher?
How would you deal with any conflict/disagreement within the research group? Do you have an example of when you have had to deal with a disagreement?
Do you anticipate building a research group? How many people would you like for it to be optimal?

About your ‘fit’ with the department

Why do you want to come here?
What will you bring to the institution?
We are keen to develop collaborations between departments. What opportunities for multi-disciplinary work does your research offer?
How would you fit with the existing activities in the department? Who do would you expect to collaborate with in the institution? Why do you want to collaborate with them?
What committee work have you done and what challenges has it presented?
In what ways, other than research and teaching could you contribute to this department?

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J Basic Clin Pharm
v.5(4); September 2014-November 2014

Qualitative research method-interviewing and observation

Shazia jamshed.

Department of Pharmacy Practice, Kulliyyah of Pharmacy, International Islamic University Malaysia, Kuantan Campus, Pahang, Malaysia

Buckley and Chiang define research methodology as “a strategy or architectural design by which the researcher maps out an approach to problem-finding or problem-solving.”[ 1 ] According to Crotty, research methodology is a comprehensive strategy ‘that silhouettes our choice and use of specific methods relating them to the anticipated outcomes,[ 2 ] but the choice of research methodology is based upon the type and features of the research problem.[ 3 ] According to Johnson et al . mixed method research is “a class of research where the researcher mixes or combines quantitative and qualitative research techniques, methods, approaches, theories and or language into a single study.[ 4 ] In order to have diverse opinions and views, qualitative findings need to be supplemented with quantitative results.[ 5 ] Therefore, these research methodologies are considered to be complementary to each other rather than incompatible to each other.[ 6 ]

Qualitative research methodology is considered to be suitable when the researcher or the investigator either investigates new field of study or intends to ascertain and theorize prominent issues.[ 6 , 7 ] There are many qualitative methods which are developed to have an in depth and extensive understanding of the issues by means of their textual interpretation and the most common types are interviewing and observation.[ 7 ]

Interviewing

This is the most common format of data collection in qualitative research. According to Oakley, qualitative interview is a type of framework in which the practices and standards be not only recorded, but also achieved, challenged and as well as reinforced.[ 8 ] As no research interview lacks structure[ 9 ] most of the qualitative research interviews are either semi-structured, lightly structured or in-depth.[ 9 ] Unstructured interviews are generally suggested in conducting long-term field work and allow respondents to let them express in their own ways and pace, with minimal hold on respondents’ responses.[ 10 ]

Pioneers of ethnography developed the use of unstructured interviews with local key informants that is., by collecting the data through observation and record field notes as well as to involve themselves with study participants. To be precise, unstructured interview resembles a conversation more than an interview and is always thought to be a “controlled conversation,” which is skewed towards the interests of the interviewer.[ 11 ] Non-directive interviews, form of unstructured interviews are aimed to gather in-depth information and usually do not have pre-planned set of questions.[ 11 ] Another type of the unstructured interview is the focused interview in which the interviewer is well aware of the respondent and in times of deviating away from the main issue the interviewer generally refocuses the respondent towards key subject.[ 11 ] Another type of the unstructured interview is an informal, conversational interview, based on unplanned set of questions that are generated instantaneously during the interview.[ 11 ]

In contrast, semi-structured interviews are those in-depth interviews where the respondents have to answer preset open-ended questions and thus are widely employed by different healthcare professionals in their research. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews are utilized extensively as interviewing format possibly with an individual or sometimes even with a group.[ 6 ] These types of interviews are conducted once only, with an individual or with a group and generally cover the duration of 30 min to more than an hour.[ 12 ] Semi-structured interviews are based on semi-structured interview guide, which is a schematic presentation of questions or topics and need to be explored by the interviewer.[ 12 ] To achieve optimum use of interview time, interview guides serve the useful purpose of exploring many respondents more systematically and comprehensively as well as to keep the interview focused on the desired line of action.[ 12 ] The questions in the interview guide comprise of the core question and many associated questions related to the central question, which in turn, improve further through pilot testing of the interview guide.[ 7 ] In order to have the interview data captured more effectively, recording of the interviews is considered an appropriate choice but sometimes a matter of controversy among the researcher and the respondent. Hand written notes during the interview are relatively unreliable, and the researcher might miss some key points. The recording of the interview makes it easier for the researcher to focus on the interview content and the verbal prompts and thus enables the transcriptionist to generate “verbatim transcript” of the interview.

Similarly, in focus groups, invited groups of people are interviewed in a discussion setting in the presence of the session moderator and generally these discussions last for 90 min.[ 7 ] Like every research technique having its own merits and demerits, group discussions have some intrinsic worth of expressing the opinions openly by the participants. On the contrary in these types of discussion settings, limited issues can be focused, and this may lead to the generation of fewer initiatives and suggestions about research topic.

Observation

Observation is a type of qualitative research method which not only included participant's observation, but also covered ethnography and research work in the field. In the observational research design, multiple study sites are involved. Observational data can be integrated as auxiliary or confirmatory research.[ 11 ]

Research can be visualized and perceived as painstaking methodical efforts to examine, investigate as well as restructure the realities, theories and applications. Research methods reflect the approach to tackling the research problem. Depending upon the need, research method could be either an amalgam of both qualitative and quantitative or qualitative or quantitative independently. By adopting qualitative methodology, a prospective researcher is going to fine-tune the pre-conceived notions as well as extrapolate the thought process, analyzing and estimating the issues from an in-depth perspective. This could be carried out by one-to-one interviews or as issue-directed discussions. Observational methods are, sometimes, supplemental means for corroborating research findings.

The Interview Method In Psychology

Saul Mcleod, PhD

Editor-in-Chief for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester

Saul Mcleod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

On This Page:

Interviews involve a conversation with a purpose, but have some distinct features compared to ordinary conversation, such as being scheduled in advance, having an asymmetry in outcome goals between interviewer and interviewee, and often following a question-answer format.

Interviews are different from questionnaires as they involve social interaction. Unlike questionnaire methods, researchers need training in interviewing (which costs money).

Multiracial businesswomen talk brainstorm at team meeting discuss business ideas together. Diverse multiethnic female colleagues or partners engaged in discussion. Interview concept

How Do Interviews Work?

Researchers can ask different types of questions, generating different types of data . For example, closed questions provide people with a fixed set of responses, whereas open questions allow people to express what they think in their own words.

The researcher will often record interviews, and the data will be written up as a transcript (a written account of interview questions and answers) which can be analyzed later.

It should be noted that interviews may not be the best method for researching sensitive topics (e.g., truancy in schools, discrimination, etc.) as people may feel more comfortable completing a questionnaire in private.

There are different types of interviews, with a key distinction being the extent of structure. Semi-structured is most common in psychology research. Unstructured interviews have a free-flowing style, while structured interviews involve preset questions asked in a particular order.

Structured Interview

A structured interview is a quantitative research method where the interviewer a set of prepared closed-ended questions in the form of an interview schedule, which he/she reads out exactly as worded.

Interviews schedules have a standardized format, meaning the same questions are asked to each interviewee in the same order (see Fig. 1).

Figure 1. An example of an interview schedule

The interviewer will not deviate from the interview schedule (except to clarify the meaning of the question) or probe beyond the answers received. Replies are recorded on a questionnaire, and the order and wording of questions, and sometimes the range of alternative answers, is preset by the researcher.

A structured interview is also known as a formal interview (like a job interview).

Structured interviews are easy to replicate as a fixed set of closed questions are used, which are easy to quantify – this means it is easy to test for reliability .
Structured interviews are fairly quick to conduct which means that many interviews can take place within a short amount of time. This means a large sample can be obtained, resulting in the findings being representative and having the ability to be generalized to a large population.

Limitations

Structured interviews are not flexible. This means new questions cannot be asked impromptu (i.e., during the interview), as an interview schedule must be followed.
The answers from structured interviews lack detail as only closed questions are asked, which generates quantitative data . This means a researcher won’t know why a person behaves a certain way.

Unstructured Interview

Unstructured interviews do not use any set questions, instead, the interviewer asks open-ended questions based on a specific research topic, and will try to let the interview flow like a natural conversation. The interviewer modifies his or her questions to suit the candidate’s specific experiences.

Unstructured interviews are sometimes referred to as ‘discovery interviews’ and are more like a ‘guided conservation’ than a strictly structured interview. They are sometimes called informal interviews.

Unstructured interviews are most useful in qualitative research to analyze attitudes and values. Though they rarely provide a valid basis for generalization, their main advantage is that they enable the researcher to probe social actors’ subjective points of view.

Interviewer Self-Disclosure

Interviewer self-disclosure involves the interviewer revealing personal information or opinions during the research interview. This may increase rapport but risks changing dynamics away from a focus on facilitating the interviewee’s account.

In unstructured interviews, the informal conversational style may deliberately include elements of interviewer self-disclosure, mirroring ordinary conversation dynamics.

Interviewer self-disclosure risks changing the dynamics away from facilitation of interviewee accounts. It should not be ruled out entirely but requires skillful handling informed by reflection.

An informal interviewing style with some interviewer self-disclosure may increase rapport and participant openness. However, it also increases the chance of the participant converging opinions with the interviewer.
Complete interviewer neutrality is unlikely. However, excessive informality and self-disclosure risk the interview becoming more of an ordinary conversation and producing consensus accounts.
Overly personal disclosures could also be seen as irrelevant and intrusive by participants. They may invite increased intimacy on uncomfortable topics.
The safest approach seems to be to avoid interviewer self-disclosures in most cases. Where an informal style is used, disclosures require careful judgment and substantial interviewing experience.
If asked for personal opinions during an interview, the interviewer could highlight the defined roles and defer that discussion until after the interview.
Unstructured interviews are more flexible as questions can be adapted and changed depending on the respondents’ answers. The interview can deviate from the interview schedule.
Unstructured interviews generate qualitative data through the use of open questions. This allows the respondent to talk in some depth, choosing their own words. This helps the researcher develop a real sense of a person’s understanding of a situation.
They also have increased validity because it gives the interviewer the opportunity to probe for a deeper understanding, ask for clarification & allow the interviewee to steer the direction of the interview, etc. Interviewers have the chance to clarify any questions of participants during the interview.
It can be time-consuming to conduct an unstructured interview and analyze the qualitative data (using methods such as thematic analysis).
Employing and training interviewers is expensive and not as cheap as collecting data via questionnaires . For example, certain skills may be needed by the interviewer. These include the ability to establish rapport and knowing when to probe.
Interviews inevitably co-construct data through researchers’ agenda-setting and question-framing. Techniques like open questions provide only limited remedies.

Focus Group Interview

Focus group interview is a qualitative approach where a group of respondents are interviewed together, used to gain an in‐depth understanding of social issues.

This type of interview is often referred to as a focus group because the job of the interviewer ( or moderator ) is to bring the group to focus on the issue at hand. Initially, the goal was to reach a consensus among the group, but with the development of techniques for analyzing group qualitative data, there is less emphasis on consensus building.

The method aims to obtain data from a purposely selected group of individuals rather than from a statistically representative sample of a broader population.

The role of the interview moderator is to make sure the group interacts with each other and do not drift off-topic. Ideally, the moderator will be similar to the participants in terms of appearance, have adequate knowledge of the topic being discussed, and exercise mild unobtrusive control over dominant talkers and shy participants.

A researcher must be highly skilled to conduct a focus group interview. For example, the moderator may need certain skills, including the ability to establish rapport and know when to probe.

Group interviews generate qualitative narrative data through the use of open questions. This allows the respondents to talk in some depth, choosing their own words. This helps the researcher develop a real sense of a person’s understanding of a situation. Qualitative data also includes observational data, such as body language and facial expressions.
Group responses are helpful when you want to elicit perspectives on a collective experience, encourage diversity of thought, reduce researcher bias, and gather a wider range of contextualized views.
They also have increased validity because some participants may feel more comfortable being with others as they are used to talking in groups in real life (i.e., it’s more natural).
When participants have common experiences, focus groups allow them to build on each other’s comments to provide richer contextual data representing a wider range of views than individual interviews.
Focus groups are a type of group interview method used in market research and consumer psychology that are cost – effective for gathering the views of consumers .
The researcher must ensure that they keep all the interviewees” details confidential and respect their privacy. This is difficult when using a group interview. For example, the researcher cannot guarantee that the other people in the group will keep information private.
Group interviews are less reliable as they use open questions and may deviate from the interview schedule, making them difficult to repeat.
It is important to note that there are some potential pitfalls of focus groups, such as conformity, social desirability, and oppositional behavior, that can reduce the usefulness of the data collected.

For example, group interviews may sometimes lack validity as participants may lie to impress the other group members. They may conform to peer pressure and give false answers.

To avoid these pitfalls, the interviewer needs to have a good understanding of how people function in groups as well as how to lead the group in a productive discussion.

Semi-Structured Interview

Semi-structured interviews lie between structured and unstructured interviews. The interviewer prepares a set of same questions to be answered by all interviewees. Additional questions might be asked during the interview to clarify or expand certain issues.

In semi-structured interviews, the interviewer has more freedom to digress and probe beyond the answers. The interview guide contains a list of questions and topics that need to be covered during the conversation, usually in a particular order.

Semi-structured interviews are most useful to address the ‘what’, ‘how’, and ‘why’ research questions. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses can be performed on data collected during semi-structured interviews.

Semi-structured interviews allow respondents to answer more on their terms in an informal setting yet provide uniform information making them ideal for qualitative analysis.
The flexible nature of semi-structured interviews allows ideas to be introduced and explored during the interview based on the respondents’ answers.
Semi-structured interviews can provide reliable and comparable qualitative data. Allows the interviewer to probe answers, where the interviewee is asked to clarify or expand on the answers provided.
The data generated remain fundamentally shaped by the interview context itself. Analysis rarely acknowledges this endemic co-construction.
They are more time-consuming (to conduct, transcribe, and analyze) than structured interviews.
The quality of findings is more dependent on the individual skills of the interviewer than in structured interviews. Skill is required to probe effectively while avoiding biasing responses.

The Interviewer Effect

Face-to-face interviews raise methodological problems. These stem from the fact that interviewers are themselves role players, and their perceived status may influence the replies of the respondents.

Because an interview is a social interaction, the interviewer’s appearance or behavior may influence the respondent’s answers. This is a problem as it can bias the results of the study and make them invalid.

For example, the gender, ethnicity, body language, age, and social status of the interview can all create an interviewer effect. If there is a perceived status disparity between the interviewer and the interviewee, the results of interviews have to be interpreted with care. This is pertinent for sensitive topics such as health.

For example, if a researcher was investigating sexism amongst males, would a female interview be preferable to a male? It is possible that if a female interviewer was used, male participants might lie (i.e., pretend they are not sexist) to impress the interviewer, thus creating an interviewer effect.

Flooding interviews with researcher’s agenda

The interactional nature of interviews means the researcher fundamentally shapes the discourse, rather than just neutrally collecting it. This shapes what is talked about and how participants can respond.

The interviewer’s assumptions, interests, and categories don’t just shape the specific interview questions asked. They also shape the framing, task instructions, recruitment, and ongoing responses/prompts.
This flooding of the interview interaction with the researcher’s agenda makes it very difficult to separate out what comes from the participant vs. what is aligned with the interviewer’s concerns.
So the participant’s talk ends up being fundamentally shaped by the interviewer rather than being a more natural reflection of the participant’s own orientations or practices.
This effect is hard to avoid because interviews inherently involve the researcher setting an agenda. But it does mean the talk extracted may say more about the interview process than the reality it is supposed to reflect.

Interview Design

First, you must choose whether to use a structured or non-structured interview.

Characteristics of Interviewers

Next, you must consider who will be the interviewer, and this will depend on what type of person is being interviewed. There are several variables to consider:

Gender and age : This can greatly affect respondents’ answers, particularly on personal issues.
Personal characteristics : Some people are easier to get on with than others. Also, the interviewer’s accent and appearance (e.g., clothing) can affect the rapport between the interviewer and interviewee.
Language : The interviewer’s language should be appropriate to the vocabulary of the group of people being studied. For example, the researcher must change the questions’ language to match the respondents’ social background” age / educational level / social class/ethnicity, etc.
Ethnicity : People may have difficulty interviewing people from different ethnic groups.
Interviewer expertise should match research sensitivity – inexperienced students should avoid interviewing highly vulnerable groups.

Interview Location

The location of a research interview can influence the way in which the interviewer and interviewee relate and may exaggerate a power dynamic in one direction or another. It is usual to offer interviewees a choice of location as part of facilitating their comfort and encouraging participation.

However, the safety of the interviewer is an overriding consideration and, as mentioned, a minimal requirement should be that a responsible person knows where the interviewer has gone and when they are due back.

Remote Interviews

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated remote interviewing for research continuity. However online interview platforms provide increased flexibility even under normal conditions.

They enable access to participant groups across geographical distances without travel costs or arrangements. Online interviews can be efficiently scheduled to align with researcher and interviewee availability.

There are practical considerations in setting up remote interviews. Interviewees require access to internet and an online platform such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Skype through which to connect.

Certain modifications help build initial rapport in the remote format. Allowing time at the start of the interview for casual conversation while testing audio/video quality helps participants settle in. Minor delays can disrupt turn-taking flow, so alerting participants to speak slightly slower than usual minimizes accidental interruptions.

Keeping remote interviews under an hour avoids fatigue for stare at a screen. Seeking advanced ethical clearance for verbal consent at the interview start saves participant time. Adapting to the remote context shows care for interviewees and aids rich discussion.

However, it remains important to critically reflect on how removing in-person dynamics may shape the co-created data. Perhaps some nuances of trust and disclosure differ over video.

Vulnerable Groups

The interviewer must ensure that they take special care when interviewing vulnerable groups, such as children. For example, children have a limited attention span, so lengthy interviews should be avoided.

Developing an Interview Schedule

An interview schedule is a list of pre-planned, structured questions that have been prepared, to serve as a guide for interviewers, researchers and investigators in collecting information or data about a specific topic or issue.

List the key themes or topics that must be covered to address your research questions. This will form the basic content.
Organize the content logically, such as chronologically following the interviewee’s experiences. Place more sensitive topics later in the interview.
Develop the list of content into actual questions and prompts. Carefully word each question – keep them open-ended, non-leading, and focused on examples.
Add prompts to remind you to cover areas of interest.
Pilot test the interview schedule to check it generates useful data and revise as needed.
Be prepared to refine the schedule throughout data collection as you learn which questions work better.
Practice skills like asking follow-up questions to get depth and detail. Stay flexible to depart from the schedule when needed.
Keep questions brief and clear. Avoid multi-part questions that risk confusing interviewees.
Listen actively during interviews to determine which pre-planned questions can be skipped based on information the participant has already provided.

The key is balancing preparation with the flexibility to adapt questions based on each interview interaction. With practice, you’ll gain skills to conduct productive interviews that obtain rich qualitative data.

The Power of Silence

Strategic use of silence is a key technique to generate interviewee-led data, but it requires judgment about appropriate timing and duration to maintain mutual understanding.

Unlike ordinary conversation, the interviewer aims to facilitate the interviewee’s contribution without interrupting. This often means resisting the urge to speak at the end of the interviewee’s turn construction units (TCUs).
Leaving a silence after a TCU encourages the interviewee to provide more material without being led by the interviewer. However, this simple technique requires confidence, as silence can feel socially awkward.
Allowing longer silences (e.g. 24 seconds) later in interviews can work well, but early on even short silences may disrupt rapport if they cause misalignment between speakers.
Silence also allows interviewees time to think before answering. Rushing to re-ask or amend questions can limit responses.
Blunt backchannels like “mm hm” also avoid interrupting flow. Interruptions, especially to finish an interviewee’s turn, are problematic as they make the ownership of perspectives unclear.
If interviewers incorrectly complete turns, an upside is it can produce extended interviewee narratives correcting the record. However, silence would have been better to let interviewees shape their own accounts.

Recording & Transcription

Design choices.

Design choices around recording and engaging closely with transcripts influence analytic insights, as well as practical feasibility. Weighing up relevant tradeoffs is key.

Audio recording is standard, but video better captures contextual details, which is useful for some topics/analysis approaches. Participants may find video invasive for sensitive research.
Digital formats enable the sharing of anonymized clips. Additional microphones reduce audio issues.
Doing all transcription is time-consuming. Outsourcing can save researcher effort but needs confidentiality assurances. Always carefully check outsourced transcripts.
Online platform auto-captioning can facilitate rapid analysis, but accuracy limitations mean full transcripts remain ideal. Software cleans up caption file formatting.
Verbatim transcripts best capture nuanced meaning, but the level of detail needed depends on the analysis approach. Referring back to recordings is still advisable during analysis.
Transcripts versus recordings highlight different interaction elements. Transcripts make overt disagreements clearer through the wording itself. Recordings better convey tone affiliativeness.

Transcribing Interviews & Focus Groups

Here are the steps for transcribing interviews:

Play back audio/video files to develop an overall understanding of the interview
Format the transcription document:
Add line numbers
Separate interviewer questions and interviewee responses
Use formatting like bold, italics, etc. to highlight key passages
Provide sentence-level clarity in the interviewee’s responses while preserving their authentic voice and word choices
Break longer passages into smaller paragraphs to help with coding
If translating the interview to another language, use qualified translators and back-translate where possible
Select a notation system to indicate pauses, emphasis, laughter, interruptions, etc., and adapt it as needed for your data
Insert screenshots, photos, or documents discussed in the interview at the relevant point in the transcript
Read through multiple times, revising formatting and notations
Double-check the accuracy of transcription against audio/videos
De-identify transcript by removing identifying participant details

The goal is to produce a formatted written record of the verbal interview exchange that captures the meaning and highlights important passages ready for the coding process. Careful transcription is the vital first step in analysis.

Coding Transcripts

The goal of transcription and coding is to systematically transform interview responses into a set of codes and themes that capture key concepts, experiences and beliefs expressed by participants. Taking care with transcription and coding procedures enhances the validity of qualitative analysis .

Read through the transcript multiple times to become immersed in the details
Identify manifest/obvious codes and latent/underlying meaning codes
Highlight insightful participant quotes that capture key concepts (in vivo codes)
Create a codebook to organize and define codes with examples
Use an iterative cycle of inductive (data-driven) coding and deductive (theory-driven) coding
Refine codebook with clear definitions and examples as you code more transcripts
Collaborate with other coders to establish the reliability of codes

Ethical Issues

Informed consent.

The participant information sheet must give potential interviewees a good idea of what is involved if taking part in the research.

This will include the general topics covered in the interview, where the interview might take place, how long it is expected to last, how it will be recorded, the ways in which participants’ anonymity will be managed, and incentives offered.

It might be considered good practice to consider true informed consent in interview research to require two distinguishable stages:

Consent to undertake and record the interview and
Consent to use the material in research after the interview has been conducted and the content known, or even after the interviewee has seen a copy of the transcript and has had a chance to remove sections, if desired.

Power and Vulnerability

Early feminist views that sensitivity could equalize power differences are likely naive. The interviewer and interviewee inhabit different knowledge spheres and social categories, indicating structural disparities.
Power fluctuates within interviews. Researchers rely on participation, yet interviewees control openness and can undermine data collection. Assumptions should be avoided.
Interviews on sensitive topics may feel like quasi-counseling. Interviewers must refrain from dual roles, instead supplying support service details to all participants.
Interviewees recruited for trauma experiences may reveal more than anticipated. While generating analytic insights, this risks leaving them feeling exposed.
Ultimately, power balances resist reconciliation. But reflexively analyzing operations of power serves to qualify rather than nullify situtated qualitative accounts.

Some groups, like those with mental health issues, extreme views, or criminal backgrounds, risk being discredited – treated skeptically by researchers.

This creates tensions with qualitative approaches, often having an empathetic ethos seeking to center subjective perspectives. Analysis should balance openness to offered accounts with critically examining stakes and motivations behind them.

Potter, J., & Hepburn, A. (2005). Qualitative interviews in psychology: Problems and possibilities. Qualitative research in Psychology , 2 (4), 281-307.

Houtkoop-Steenstra, H. (2000). Interaction and the standardized survey interview: The living questionnaire . Cambridge University Press

Madill, A. (2011). Interaction in the semi-structured interview: A comparative analysis of the use of and response to indirect complaints. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 8 (4), 333–353.

Maryudi, A., & Fisher, M. (2020). The power in the interview: A practical guide for identifying the critical role of actor interests in environment research. Forest and Society, 4 (1), 142–150

O’Key, V., Hugh-Jones, S., & Madill, A. (2009). Recruiting and engaging with people in deprived locales: Interviewing families about their eating patterns. Social Psychological Review, 11 (20), 30–35.

Puchta, C., & Potter, J. (2004). Focus group practice . Sage.

Schaeffer, N. C. (1991). Conversation with a purpose— Or conversation? Interaction in the standardized interview. In P. P. Biemer, R. M. Groves, L. E. Lyberg, & N. A. Mathiowetz (Eds.), Measurement errors in surveys (pp. 367–391). Wiley.

Silverman, D. (1973). Interview talk: Bringing off a research instrument. Sociology, 7 (1), 31–48.

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10 Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them

Vicky Oliver

Use this guide to stand out from the crowd and land the role you want.

Interviews can be high stress, anxiety-driving situations, especially if it’s your first interview. A little practice and preparation always pays off. While we can’t know exactly what an employer will ask, here are 10 common interview questions along with advice on how to answer them. The questions include:

Could you tell me something about yourself and describe your background in brief? : Interviewers like to hear stories about candidates. Make sure your story has a great beginning, a riveting middle, and an end that makes the interviewer root for you to win the job.
How do you deal with pressure or stressful situations? : Share an instance when you remained calm despite the turmoil. If it’s a skill you’re developing, acknowledge it and include the steps you’re taking to respond better to pressure in the future.
What are your salary expectations? : Before you walk in for your first interview, you should already know what the salary is for the position you’re applying to. Check out websites such as Glassdoor, Fishbowl, or Vault.com for salary information. You could also ask people in the field by reaching out to your community on LinkedIn.

Where your work meets your life. See more from Ascend here .

Resignation numbers have remained abnormally high in the U.S. between July 2021 and October 2021, with millions of Americans quitting their jobs — which also means there are millions of new openings up for grabs. If you’re entering the market for the first time, or just looking to make a change, use this guide to prepare for your next interview.

Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions , named in the top 10 list of “Best Books for HR Interview Prep.” She’s a sought-after speaker and seminar presenter and a popular media source, having made over 900 appearances in broadcast, print, and online outlets.

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13.1 Interview research: What is it and when should it be used?

Learning objectives.

Define interviews from the social scientific perspective
Identify when it is appropriate to employ interviews as a data-collection strategy

Knowing how to create and conduct a good interview is an essential skill. Interviews are used by market researchers to learn how to sell their products. Journalists use interviews to get information from a host of people, from VIPs to random people on the street. Police use interviews to investigate crimes. It seems everyone who’s anyone knows how to conduct an interview.

In social science, interviews are a method of data collection that involves two or more people exchanging information through a series of questions and answers. The questions are designed by a researcher to elicit information from interview participants on a specific topic or set of topics. These topics are informed by the author’s research questions. Interviews typically involve an in-person meeting between two people (an interviewer and an interviewee), but interviews need not be limited to two people, nor must they occur in-person.

You may be wondering when you should choose interviews as your data collection method. Interviews are an excellent way to gather detailed information. They also have an advantage over surveys, as they can be adapted as you learn more information. Recall that survey data collection methods do not allow researchers to change the questions that are administered, even if a participant’s response sparks some follow-up question in your mind. All participants must be asked the same questions in the same manner. The questions you decided to put on your survey during the design stage determine what data you get. In an interview, however, you can follow up on new and unexpected topics that emerge during the conversation. Trusting in emergence and learning from your participants are hallmarks of qualitative research. In this way, interviews are a useful method to employ when you want to know the story behind the responses you might receive in a written survey.

Interviews are also useful when your topic is rather complex, requires lengthy explanation, or needs a dialogue between two people to thoroughly investigate. Additionally, interviews may be the best method to utilize if your study involves describing the process by which a phenomenon occurs, like how a person makes a decision. For example, you could use interviews to gather data about how people reach the decision not to have children and how others in their lives have responded to that decision. To understand these processes, you would need to exchange dialogue with respondents. When they begin to share their story with you, new questions that hadn’t occurred to you in prior interviews will arise because each person’s story is unique. Further, closed-ended survey questions would not be as effective in capturing the complex process of choosing not to have children.

In sum, interview research is especially useful when the following are true:

You wish to gather very detailed information
You anticipate wanting to ask respondents follow-up questions based on their responses
You plan to ask questions that require lengthy explanation
You are studying a complex or potentially confusing topic to respondents
You are studying processes, such as how people make decisions

Key Takeaways

Understanding how to design and conduct interview research is a useful skill to have.
In a social scientific interview, two or more people exchange information through a series of questions and answers.
Interview research is often used when detailed information is required and when a researcher wishes to examine processes.

Interviews- a method of data collection that involves two or more people exchanging information through a series of questions and answers

Image attributions

interview restaurant a pair by alda2 CC-0

Scientific Inquiry in Social Work Copyright © 2018 by Matthew DeCarlo is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Published: 28 April 2024

A national evaluation analysis and expert interview study of real-world data sources for research and healthcare decision-making

Veronika Mikl 1 , 2 na1 ,
Dejan Baltic 1 , 3 ,
Thomas Czypionka 4 na1 ,
Alexander Degelsegger-Márquez 5 ,
Nikolaus Forgó 6 ,
Ghazaleh Gouya-Lechner 1 , 7 ,
Arnold Herzog 8 ,
Peter Klimek 10 , 11 , 9 na1 ,
David Benjamin Lumenta 12 na1 ,
Bernhard Mraz 1 , 13 na1 ,
Herwig Ostermann 5 ,
Robert Scharinger 14 ,
Tanja Stamm 1 , 15 ,
Michael Strassnig 16 , 17 na1 ,
Markus Zeitlinger 1 , 18 &
Johannes Pleiner-Duxneuner 1 , 2 na1

Scientific Reports volume 14 , Article number: 9751 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

Health care
Health policy

Real-world data (RWD) can provide intel (real-world evidence, RWE) for research and development, as well as policy and regulatory decision-making along the full spectrum of health care. Despite calls from global regulators for international collaborations to integrate RWE into regulatory decision-making and to bridge knowledge gaps, some challenges remain. In this work, we performed an evaluation of Austrian RWD sources using a multilateral query approach, crosschecked against previously published RWD criteria and conducted direct interviews with representative RWD source samples. This article provides an overview of 73 out of 104 RWD sources in a national legislative setting where major attempts are made to enable secondary use of RWD (e.g. law on the organisation of research, "Forschungsorganisationsgesetz"). We were able to detect omnipresent challenges associated with data silos, variable standardisation efforts and governance issues. Our findings suggest a strong need for a national health data strategy and data governance framework, which should inform researchers, as well as policy- and decision-makers, to improve RWD-based research in the healthcare sector to ultimately support actual regulatory decision-making and provide strategic information for governmental health data policies.

Introduction

Real-world data (RWD) generate evidence for various research, development, policy and regulatory decision-making purposes along the product lifecycles of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. The increasing use 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 of RWD also provides significant possibilities beyond the aforementioned opportunities across the full spectrum of health care, ranging from clinical trial design to the study of medical (mal-)practice 5 to public health and health policy 6 . To account for the transformative potential of RWD, the European Union has recently passed in addition to existing legislation such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the European Data Governance Act (DGA 7 ). Furthermore, the European Commission (EC) proposed a regulation for the European Health Data Space (EHDS 8 ) to facilitate, among other aims, the safe and secure use and reuse of health data for better healthcare delivery, research and policy-making. The recent proposal of the EC to revise pharmaceutical legislation also emphasizes the importance of leveraging RWD in healthcare. 9 However, progress in the digitalisation of health care systems is unevenly distributed across Europe 10 , casting doubts on achieving the ambitious aims of the EHDS. Despite ongoing initiatives like DARWIN EU 11 , calls from global regulators for international collaboration to integrate real-world evidence (RWE) into regulatory decision-making 12 and to bridge knowledge gaps, some challenges, such as heterogeneity of data sources, linkability/sharing of data, variable quality of data and differing approaches for data access, require more and appropriate attention. In addition to the outlined ongoing changes, the results of previous work 13 also indicate the necessity for increased transparency regarding the availability of national RWD sources. The checklist in this work 13 covers important areas such as data management, governance, quality requirements, data privacy, research objectives, data providers, patient population, data elements, and infrastructure. The checklist incorporates the "FAIR Data Principles," which emphasize the importance of making RWD easy to find, access, use, and reuse for secondary purposes and added value. However, the applicability, value, and practicality of the previously published checklist 13 on quality criteria for RWD sources have not been evaluated yet.

Research objectives

In this work, a multi-stakeholder group coordinated by the Gesellschaft für Pharmazeutische Medizin (GPMed, Austrian Society for Pharmaceutical Medicine) compiled and classified already used national RWD sources in Austria and made an in-depth assessment of the research readiness of selected datasets. The group reviewed the previously published quality checklist for RWD in pharmaceutical research and regulatory decision-making 13 in terms of added value and usability in practice. The results and findings intend to emphasise the relevance of RWD and to inform researchers, health care regulators, decision-makers and strategic governmental health data policy working groups on national and international levels about their availability and currently identified limitations. The objectives are as follows:

to provide an initial overview of available Austrian healthcare RWD sources for research and decision-making purposes, data locations and data custodians,

to test and improve the previously published checklist 13 ,

to discuss and conclude which data quality aspects should be applied to improve the use of RWD for scientific and regulatory purposes.

To meet the objectives, we tapped into expert knowledge within and outside the group of authors, conducted interviews, and common desktop research using search engines and employing snowballing techniques, i.e., searching research articles on Austrian healthcare and extracting the RWD source used. We applied the following research strategies:

Initially, based on a past survey 14 , we identified health data registers established by Austrian law.

In addition, we searched the PubMed database for publications based on Austrian RWD sources (articles in the period from February 2017 to February 2022 including the criteria ((Austria[Affiliation]) AND (Austrian[Title/Abstract])) AND (data[Title/Abstract]).

We then performed a targeted search for RWD on professional societies’ and universities’ websites.

Finally, we searched international RWD directories (e.g., OrphaNet) for Austrian RWD.

Fifth and finally, the authors of this paper used their practitioners’ knowledge to identify additional RWD sources in Austria.

Based on this search strategy, we extracted only healthcare-related RWD sources as described in the articles and listed those who fit the RWD definition as published previously 13 . We categorized results according to institutional data holder and category of the RWD source:

For data holders, we differentiated between types of institutions that hold the data, including (1) expert communities (loose networks of experts without any formal organization), (2) professional societies (formally organized associations), (3) universities (organization under public law), (4) government institutions (ministries and public authorities including organization under direct state control based on private law), (5) hospitals, and (6) social insurance organizations.

We categorized the RWD sources based on the collection’s main purpose derived from information available on the web and verified in interviews. “Main purpose” does not mean that the data cannot be used for other purposes; however, it was defined based on the intended use during RWD establishment (= database setup / inauguration). We identified seven main purposes: (1) clinical, (2) epidemiological, (3) quality assurance, (4) regulatory, (5) administrative, (6) research, and (7) informational.

Finally, we categorized the subject of the RWD: (1) administrative data are data that are generated in administrative activities, (2) administrative registries also follow administrative purposes but have a legal basis, (3) biobanks store biological samples, (4) disease registries: the main data unit is a disease, (5) patient registries: the main data units are human subjects, (6) product registries: the main data units are products, (7) intervention registries: the main unit is an intervention, (8) health care databases include various health care data, and (9) observational studies.

Following our objectives, we also conducted interviews with data holders on a subset of RWD sources out of the dataset “listed RWD sources” (Fig. 1 ). The sampling strategy was agreed upon by the author consortium and was used to create a representative RWD sample based on (1) purpose as well as (2) institutional type of data holder. During the interviews, we conducted a meticulous review of the checklist 13 with the data holders, employing a systematic approach to ensure a comprehensive evaluation. To assess their own RWD sources, the interviewees utilized a rating scale for each quality criterion within the checklist, including options such as fully realized, partially realized, not realized, not realized but planned, and not applicable. Based on the participant information and consent form that we have completed with all the interview partners, we are able to utilize the aggregated and anonymized results in our work. The final scoring was determined by the authors.

RWD source inclusion and selection process.

We identified 73 out of 104 RWD sources that met the defined criteria and objectives (Supplementary Table A ). Thirty-one out of 104 RWD sources mentioned in publications were no longer findable or accessible online (Supplementary Table B ). Table 1 provides an overview what data holder group holds RWD sources in what category as outlined under methods.

We identified 30 different organisations holding and managing RWD sources (Supplementary Table C ), which we further grouped into seven institutional types of RWD holders (Fig. 2 ). Expert communities and professional academic societies owned 27 verified RWD sources in Austria. All Austrian medical universities hold at least one RWD source. For the Austrian governmental organisations, all of the main institutions appeared as data holders (e.g., Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection (BMSGPK), Federal Office for Safety in Health Care/Austrian Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (BASG/AGES) and Austrian National Public Health Institute Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG)), and this group holds 27 RWD sources. The Austrian social insurance is also amongst the RWD holders, which already shared specific data sets for research purposes. The selected interview sample reflects the overall distribution of institutional types of RWD holders, as shown in Fig. 3 .

Amount of RWD sources per institutional type.

Distribution of institutional types of RWD holders among the interview sample.

The majority of identified and verified RWD sources are registries (89%) followed by health care databases (4%), biobanks (3%), observational collections (3%) and administrative data collections (1%). Thirty-nine RWD sources belonged to the category “disease registry” (Fig. 4 ). The distribution of the main purpose mainly follows a functional differentiation: governmental organisations and social insurance carriers hold RWD sources with an administrative and quality assurance purpose. Governmental organisations are also central for RWD with an epidemiological and regulatory purpose (Fig. 5 ). Medical universities as well as professional organisations often run clinical RWD sources. More strikingly, there are only a few RWD sources whose main purpose lies in research (beyond clinical questions). Despite the small size of the subset consisting of 11 RWD sources, which were utilized for conducting interviews with the representative data holders, we present Fig. 6 as an overview to demonstrate that the distribution of the 'main purpose' among the subset is comparable to the dataset of '73 listed RWD sources' mentioned in Supplementary Table A .

Main category of RWD sources.

Distribution of the main collection purpose of RWD sources overall.

Distribution of the main purpose of the RWD source among the interview sample.

Following our approach to cluster identified RWD sources by disease area or topic wise, most RWD sources in the clinical and/or epidemiological domain can be mapped to the disease area “cancer” (26 out of the 73, Fig. 7 ), as RWD sources in cardiovascular diseases do in quality assurance. Due to the strict regulation of the pharmaceutical domain, a high number of RWD for regulatory, administrative and quality assurance purposes exist. Only a few remaining RWD sources focus on other specific diseases.

Disease or topic-wise areas of RWD sources in Austria.

In line with our research objective to assess and enhance the previously published checklist 13 , the results of the conducted interviews, which were based on a subset of 11 RWD sources (as shown in Fig. 1 ), revealed that this particular subset of RWD sources already fulfilled numerous quality criteria outlined in the checklist. The parameters "Infrastructure”, "Data Elements", "Data Provider" and “Quality requirements” stood out as the most commonly fulfilled criteria (Fig. 8 ). Among the four FAIR Data Principles, the principle of 'Findable'—essentially referring to the ease of locating the data source through a website or online research—was found to be the least fulfilled when compared to the principles of 'Accessible', 'Interoperable', and 'Reusable'. This indicates that data owners should pay particular attention to addressing this fundamental principle. Based on our overall research approach and the experience we gained, the results of the interviews clearly demonstrate that the challenges we encountered during our own research, particularly in terms of "finding" the relevant RWD sources, were subjectively perceived as cumbersome and time-consuming. The quality criterion "data privacy and transparency" produced low ratings due to the ambiguous interpretation resulting from the type of regulations used, e.g., informed consent processes and GDPR for research vs. national regulations implemented by law. The same applied to the low rating of “Research objectives”, since RWD sources set up by law do not necessarily follow a research question or protocol such as the approach inherent to classic clinical research projects. This also concerned the parameter “Patient population covered” due to the heterogeneity and disease-specification not applying to the general population.

Achieved quality criteria of 11 examined RWD sources.

The interviews provided us with valuable feedback so that we were able to revise the checklist 13 and interviewees had the opportunity to self-assess their own RWD sources utilizing the checklist. The overall average results of these self-assessments from the 11 interviews are presented in Fig. 8 . The checklist has undergone minor revisions, including the addition of references and improvements in language. We have added headlines and an additional column with for rating options. However, the sub-element "core RWD set collected for RWD use case or purpose" in the data-elements section has been removed for usability reasons. The revised version of the checklist can be found in Table 2 .

Our research approach to identify RWD sources out of publications reveals various challenges concerning the availability and accessibility of the national RWD landscape. The considerable effort invested in this work to identify RWD resources underscored the importance of providing a central directory for RWD sources aligned with DGA 7 and EHDS 15 requirements (e.g., data catalogues) to facilitate research with high-quality data sets, which could serve as a valuable resource for all stakeholders. The time and resources required to search for and locate each of the identified RWD sources were a major obstacle to utilizing the available data sets in a more efficient manner.

Several RWD sources identified in the search process were not findable online (31 of 104 RWD sources, Supplementary Table B ). It remains unclear if adequate metadata descriptions of these RWD sources were just unavailable or if they have been deleted since. This, however, puts the research integrity of these sources, notably data transparency and reproducibility, into question. This highlights the importance of data holders ensuring the long-term accessibility of collected RWD, enabling their reuse for (secondary) research purposes. Without such accessibility features, the potential benefits of using RWD for research, public health policy, and society in general cannot be reached.

RWD with a dedicated research purpose used in the analysed articles were rather a national exception. Predominantly, publications on RWD data sets are characterised by the secondary use of quality assurance data or epidemiological RWD, indicating a gap in the integration of academic research into public health policy-making in Austria. This suggests that aside the primary intention to establish a register, the possibility of opening the register data for further research or decision-making purposes (secondary data use) was not or only partially considered. The limited availability of RWD collected for research purposes hinders the potential to develop evidence-based policies and strategies that could positively impact public health outcomes in the country.

Expert communities and professional societies hold a substantial number of RWD sources. However, these organizations are often characterized by lacking adequate resources to maintain robust data management practices, e.g. up-to-date content and long-term availability. Due to missing directories, lacking online meta data descriptions and undefined rules for third party access, these RWD sources appear to be data silos or “club good” for “insiders” and cannot provide any benefit for healthcare research or policymaking.

The population of RWD data holders in Austria is quite diverse ranging from small professional societies to large public authorities. While this diversity could prove beneficial, this is also a source of the siloization of health data in Austria as demonstrated by the fact that barely any article in our sample used more than one data set in each publication due to legal and technical restrictions.

These findings prompt a critical discussion regarding the current state of working with or setting up RWD sources that do not adhere to FAIR data principles. It raises the question of whether such practices can still be considered state-of-the-art demonstrating a striking contrast to the initiatives on the European level as stated in the introduction. A substantial share of the RWD sources was not findable (Table 2 ). Accessibility was another major issue, either based on the lacking “findability”, or if findable on undefined rules for third party access. This concerns also public RWD where some institutions could use administrative datasets based on contracts, but given the transaction costs, this impedes smaller research groups and individual researchers to use these data. Therefore, the prevalence of data silos and the lack of data interoperability and standardization 12 continues to pose challenges in this fragmented RWD landscape impeding the potential of RWD in general. The shortcomings of the RWD landscape in Austria have shown that the previously published RWD quality checklist 13 and the feedback from the interviewees were valuable resources to inform future RWD efforts to consider multifunctional use of the data in the long term. A response was: "We would have needed this checklist before we built the registry".

Furthermore, the findings of the interviews confirmed our initial assumption that research readiness for secondary purposes and broader applicability were albeit often, forgotten during the inauguration of RWD sources. In the assessment of the checklist by the interviewees, registers/cohorts dedicated to specific purposes tended to receive high scores in terms of research readiness. However, their usefulness was limited due to the prevailing data siloization. This lack of data integration and interoperability prevents researchers from harnessing the full benefits of these "research-ready" datasets, leading to their underutilization. Interestingly, some of the most comprehensive and interesting RWD sources out of the subset score low on the checklist criteria, putting their value as RWD source into question. However, following our broad definition of RWD 13 not every RWD source is inaugurated based on a research objective (e.g. health care claims data). This might highlight the prevailing marginal status of RWD utilization, as these valuable datasets remain underutilized and underappreciated in the research community. We also received valuable and constructive suggestions on how to further improve or adapt the criteria listed in the checklist so that it can be used more broadly (Table 2 ).

The health data landscape changes constantly due to new data collection points, cheaper and faster availability of omics data, digital health and digital care pathways, imaging technology and artificial intelligence. This evolution creates opportunities not only for healthcare research and development but also for public health and health policy 6 . This necessitates increased coordination, the creation of common (meta)data standards and interoperability to avoid siloization and to maximise the benefits of RWD through data exploration in linked data sets, which are able to represent the complexities of public and individual health issues.

However, the legislative environment is not yet ready to support RWD within the boundaries of fundamental rights. This is for several reasons, not all of them being purely of a legal nature. Strictly legally speaking, Austria already made a major attempt to increase access to secondary use of data via several reforms of the federal law on the organisation of research (“Forschungsorganisationsgesetz”) and of the law on statistics (“Bundesstatistikgesetz”) in 2018 16 and in 2021 17 , 18 , respectively. The aim of these reforms was to increase the accessibility of existing (personal) data for research purposes. However, for several reasons, including the lack of secondary legislation on a ministerial level that would have been needed and due to legal complexity, these attempts have not yet sufficiently reached their goals. The already complex national situation faces new challenges by the planned European legislative initiatives, in particular the DGA 7 and the EHDS Act 15 . The DGA aims to improve data sharing and data reuse within the European Union (EU) by introducing, inter alia, competent bodies (Art. 7), single information points (Art. 8), data intermediation services (Art. 10) and public registers of recognised data altruism organisations (Art. 17). The EHDS will likely introduce a whole chapter on the secondary use of electronic health data (Chapter IV), introducing health data access bodies (Art. 36), rules on data altruism in health (Art. 40), a cross-border infrastructure for secondary use of electronic health data (HealthData@EU) (Art. 52) and new governance bodies such as the EHDS Board (Art. 64). Whereas these European attempts have the potential to improve the accessibility of RWD, there exists at the same time a significant risk of even more legal complexity by legal inconsistency, national deviations and unclarity as an unwanted offspring of these initiatives.

High-quality criteria for RWD are key for improved data utilization in research and healthcare decision-making 4 . The herein provided improved checklist (Table 2 ) may also support authorities and government institutions in their attempt to ensure data quality for the whole sector, in particular with regard to the implementation of the DGA and the coming EHDS as well as national and European activities of open science. RWD sources can foster a more open culture of data sharing and reuse, which is unfortunately almost absent in the currently reviewed health data sector.

We also call for a critical, scientifically driven analysis of the regulatory environment, together with an attempt to simplify the legal landscape, and more ambitious and structured governance activities regarding health data, in particular for a more comprehensive approach to data collection, considering the potential for future research and wider utilization. Multipurpose datasets may increase efficiency and may act as a boost for research on topics that are often neglected due to the lack of data. A significant improvement in data utilization could be achieved through better linking of data from both public and private sources. Our findings emphasize the creation of a comprehensive data strategy in the healthcare domain, especially in the reviewed national framework in Austria.

On the upside, Austria employs already sector-specific personal identifiers to link data across data sets without compromising privacy and data protection (the so-called "bereichsspezifische Personenkennzeichen (bPK)"), and the recently established Austria Microdata Center (AMDC) at Statistics Austria can serve as a role model for the use of administrative and statistical data for research (legally, technically, organisational).

Future legislative developments at the EU level (e.g. EHDS 15 or pharma legislation 9 ), the efforts of the HMA/EMA Big Data Steering Group 19 and in particular the European Medicines Regulatory Network (EMRN) and the RWD for Decision Making Network (RWD4DM) will provide significant impetus.

Recent national developments such as the government’s introduction of the Digital Austria Act 20 in mid-2023 and the recommendations of the “Digitalization and Registries Working Group” to create an Austrian health data space 21 indicate that there is more awareness of better data use in national health policy. Further encouraging signals regarding the improvement of the secondary use of health data can be found in the “eHealth Strategy” 22 as well as in the national healthcare measures within the federal finance act 23 presented in November 2023.

While governments have a responsibility to create clear legal frameworks, data holders have no less responsibility to ensure that RWD is made accessible and usable in accordance with new regulations. However, if the goals and plans set are not followed by action, then no added value can be generated from the use of RWD for each individual, society and the healthcare system. In conclusion, the findings underscore the need for:

a central directory of RWD that also helps to enact quality standards on data sets,

raising awareness and compliance with data standards, in particular the “Findable”–“Accessible”–“Interoperable”–“Reusable” (FAIR) data principles given that a substantial share of RWD is neither findable nor accessible,

a more strategic approach to think about the roles and features of existing and future data sets, in particular by including the research purpose in RWD,

resolving issues to warrant sustainable data management by providing adequate resources,

a fundamental legal work and willingness to simplify the existing national legislation as well as to adapt it in an RWD-supportive manner to the (reformed) EU-layer of relevant secondary law and to,

leave data silo-ization behind and start creating interoperable data sets.

Data availability

The datasets generated during the PubMed research approach described in the methods section are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. All data analysed during this study are included in this published article (and its Supplementary Information files).

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Author information

These authors contributed equally: Veronika Mikl, Thomas Czypionka, Peter Klimek, David Benjamin Lumenta, Bernhard Mraz, Michael Strassnig and Johannes Pleiner-Duxneuner.

Authors and Affiliations

Gesellschaft für Pharmazeutische Medizin E.V. (GPMed), 1210, Vienna, Austria

Veronika Mikl, Dejan Baltic, Ghazaleh Gouya-Lechner, Bernhard Mraz, Tanja Stamm, Markus Zeitlinger & Johannes Pleiner-Duxneuner

Roche Austria GmbH, Vienna, Austria

Veronika Mikl & Johannes Pleiner-Duxneuner

Amgen GmbH, Vienna, Austria

Dejan Baltic

Institut für Höhere Studien – Institute for Advanced Studies (IHS), 1080, Vienna, Austria

Thomas Czypionka

Gesundheit Österreich GmbH (GÖG), 1010, Vienna, Austria

Alexander Degelsegger-Márquez & Herwig Ostermann

Faculty of Law, Department of Innovation and Digitalisation in Law, University of Vienna, 1010, Vienna, Austria

Nikolaus Forgó

Gouya Insights GmbH & CoKG, 1190, Vienna, Austria

Ghazaleh Gouya-Lechner

Austrian Medicines and Medical Devices Agency (AGES Medizinmarktaufsicht), 1220, Vienna, Austria

Arnold Herzog

Supply Chain Intelligence Institute Austria (ASCII), 1080, Vienna, Austria

Peter Klimek

Section for Science of Complex Systems, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria

Complexity Science Hub Vienna, 1080, Vienna, Austria

Research Unit for Digital Surgery, Division of Plastic, Aesthetic and Reconstructive Surgery, Department of Surgery, Medical University of Graz, 8036, Graz, Austria

David Benjamin Lumenta

Novartis Pharma GmbH, Vienna, Austria

Bernhard Mraz

Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, 1010, Vienna, Austria

Robert Scharinger

Section for Outcomes Research, Center for Medical Statistics, Informatics, and Intelligent Systems, Medical University of Vienna, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria

Tanja Stamm

Wiener Wissenschafts-, Forschungs- und Technologiefonds (Vienna Science and Technology Fund), 1090, Vienna, Austria

Michael Strassnig

Expertenplattform Plattform Registerforschung, c/o WWTF, 1090, Vienna, Austria

Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical University Vienna, 1090, Vienna, Austria

Markus Zeitlinger

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Contributions

B.M., V.M. and M.S. conceived and conducted the research strategies and methodologies. D.B., T.C., P.K., DB.L., B.M., V.M., J.P-D. and M.S. conceived and conducted the deep dive interview(s). D.B., T.C., G.G-L., P.K., DB.L., B.M., V.M., J.P-D., M.S. and T.S. and analysed the results. All authors derived conclusions and discussion points. All authors reviewed the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Johannes Pleiner-Duxneuner .

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Competing interests.

All authors declare no financial support or funding for this project. D.B. is an employee of Amgen GmbH, Vienna, Austria. B.M. is an employee of Novartis Pharma GmbH, Vienna, Austria. V.M. and J.P-D. are employees of Roche Austria GmbH, Vienna, Austria. All other authors declare no other conflicts of interest.

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Mikl, V., Baltic, D., Czypionka, T. et al. A national evaluation analysis and expert interview study of real-world data sources for research and healthcare decision-making. Sci Rep 14 , 9751 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59475-9

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-59475-9

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How to Answer “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

Preparing Your Answer
Crafting Your Response
What Not to Say

Concluding Your Answer

Why Do You Want to Work Here FAQs

During the application and interview process, hiring managers will ask many essential questions to ensure they choose the right candidate. One of the most common questions is, “Why do you want to work here?”

You’ve probably used a resume builder or cover letter generator to show how your skills will help a company achieve its mission, which landed you the interview. Now, let’s prepare you to have a solid answer to this question and make a great first impression in interviews.

The rest of this guide will outline best practices, common mistakes to avoid, and real-world examples you can use to shape your answer.

Preparing Your Answer to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

As you develop your answer to “Why do you want to work here?” or “Why do you want this job?”, you must consider some key aspects. Let’s dive into more details about what employers are looking for with this question and how you can use research to stand out.

Understanding the Question

Employers ask why you want to work for them for a few key reasons. First, it helps them learn how much you know about the company and how you’ll fit in with its workplace culture. Your answer can also help hiring managers determine whether your skills match the requirements of the position you’re interviewing for and see if you’re genuinely interested in it.

Today, employers value personalization highly during the hiring process. After all, when companies get hundreds of applicants for job openings, personalization can be a key factor that makes someone stand out.

Taking the time to learn the hiring manager’s name rather than submitting a cover letter with a generic “Dear Sir or Madam” greeting or learning about some of the essential projects a brand has worked on to reference during the interview shows you’re willing to go the extra mile.

For example, consider someone applying to be a brand manager for a gardening tools retailer. If they express their love of gardening and how they want to help promote the hobby so that more people get into it, that’ll stand out a lot more to a hiring manager than someone who submits a generic AI cover letter without personalization or gives a generic answer about why they’re interested in the position.

So, always aim to personalize and connect when you hear the question, “Why do you want to work here?” or other variations like:

Why do you want this job?
Why are you interested in this position?
Why do you want to work for us?
Why are you interested in this role?

Research is Key

Just like other parts of the hiring process, such as writing a letter of interest or forming a counter offer letter , you want to do your research. It’ll show the hiring manager you’re prepared and that you have a genuine interest in the role.

Many companies provide extensive information about their mission, vision, and values that can help you answer “Why do you want to work for this company?” or similar questions. You can often find this information on the company website’s About page or in the job description. Then, you can write down key details you want to cover in your answer.

For example, let’s say you’re applying to be a social media manager for a fitness brand that aims to help busy professionals achieve their weight loss goals. You could then tailor your answer to explain how you want to use your graphic design and content planning skills to help the brand grow its online presence, reach more business professionals, and increase its impact.

Personal Connection and Enthusiasm

Have you ever felt really excited about a company you were applying to? Employers appreciate seeing that enthusiasm from applicants when they ask why you want to work for them. It’ll show why you’ll be a great member of their team.

For example, say you’re applying to be a manager at an amusement park you loved going to as a kid. You could use that connection to form part of your answer for why you’re interested in the job, such as how you want to create an atmosphere that helps kids today have the experience at the park that you once did.

You could also connect your hobbies and interests to the job duties you’ll be performing. For instance, someone who enjoys cooking and baking could use that hobby to show why they’ll make an excellent sales clerk at a store that sells kitchen appliances since they’ll be able to emphasize the practicality of key features and benefits of the products while helping customers.

Some other ways you could connect and show enthusiasm about a company are:

Explain how your values align with their mission
Mention a project the brand worked on, or a product they released that you felt had a significant impact
Talk about why you want to get into the role you’re applying for or the company’s industry

When you’re having trouble connecting with a job, you may need to take a step back. Ask yourself, “Why do I want to work here?” and write down any ideas that come to mind to develop your answer.

Showcasing Your Fit

Once you’ve researched the company and found your personal connection, the final key piece of the puzzle is demonstrating your professional fit with the role. That includes how your skills and experiences make you right for the position and presenting how it aligns with your career goals.

Like choosing your resume skills , the job description will help you identify the right abilities to emphasize in your “Why do you want to work here” answer.

When choosing skills to discuss, remember that it’s important to customize this answer to each company’s needs. For instance, one company hiring an HR manager may need a recruiting specialist, while another will need someone to optimize the onboarding process. A tailored answer will help you stand out for each one during your interview.

After identifying the right skills, you can usually combine those to show how the job aligns with your overall career goals.

For entry-level applicants, the way you express your goals while explaining why you want to work for a company may be similar to what you’d put in a resume objective . For example, you could express your eagerness to break into a specific field or to continue growing the skills you gained through school.

As you gain experience, your career goals should evolve. Experienced applicants may want to emphasize their desire to continue growing their leadership abilities when applying for management positions or how they want to take on more challenging projects as they apply for more technical roles.

Throughout your career, continually ask yourself, “Why am I interested in this job, and why is it a good fit for me?” It’ll ensure you’re applying for the right positions that align with your goals.

Crafting Your Response to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

Now that you understand the main things to consider with this question, let’s put it all together. Here’s a guide on structuring your answer cohesively, followed by some “why do you want to work here” sample answers to use for inspiration. Think of them as being similar to resume templates or resume examples when crafting your resume.

Structuring Your Answer

Once you’ve done your research, connected your passions to the role, and determined why it’s a good fit for your career goals, you’ll be sitting with a lot of good information. However, you want to avoid having your answer be too long or feeling disorganized.

Typically, a good length for your answer to why you want to work for a company will be around 100-150 words. This length ensures it’s concise while still containing enough details to make you stand out. While you won’t be able to read from a script during your interview (and it wouldn’t sound natural or genuine), it can be helpful to write something out ahead of time so you can practice and have an idea of what you want to say.

Combining some details you want to cover will help you avoid an unnecessarily long or disorganized answer. For example, you could combine your passion for a company’s mission with the top skills that make you a great fit, such as how you’re eager to use your customer service skills to help a medical center provide great service to patients during difficult moments.

Honesty is also important when forming this answer. While it can be tempting to bend the truth, people can usually feel it when you’re being ingenuine–especially hiring managers who interview and talk to a lot of people. So, stay true to yourself to ensure you make a great impression.

Mock Interview Scenario for a Kindergarten Teacher:

Imagine you’re interviewing to be a kindergarten teacher at Maplewood Elementary School. They put a big emphasis on developing social skills within their early education program. They’re seeking an applicant familiar with group and project-based learning to guide students during the beginning stages of their educational path.

Interviewer: “Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. After reviewing your resume, I’m impressed with your experience in elementary education. The first question I like to ask applicants is, why are you interested in this role?

Your Task: Provide a detailed response that showcases your early-age education skills and emphasizes the social learning side that Maplewood Elementary focuses on. You should show that you’ve done your research about the school and that you’re passionate about what they’re doing.

Guidelines for Your Answer:

Begin with your research: Present what stood out to you about Maplewood Elementary during your research, such as their data showcasing higher learning retention rates at the middle school and high school levels after implementing their early-age social learning program.
Connect your passion: Explain your passion for early-age teaching and your desire to help students learn essential social skills as they begin their educational journey.
Highlight relevant teaching skills and experience: Discuss how your early childhood education degree and previous elementary teaching jobs make you a great fit.
End with your career goals: Address why being a kindergarten teacher at Maplewood Elementary is the ideal next step as you grow your career.

Example Answer: “I recently came across the study that the Maplewood school system published a couple of months ago about how your social learning program has led to 20% higher learning retention levels as students advance into middle and high school. That also aligns with data the Minnesota Board of Education has published in the past, which has influenced my teaching style heavily, where I’ve aimed to focus more on group and project-based learning to provide my students with those same skills that will help them in their later years. Upon seeing your kindergarten teacher job opening, I was excited to apply. I’d be eager to work for a school that aligns well with my teaching methodologies while contributing to your efforts to provide students with the best learning environment.”

Engineering

Mock Interview Scenario for a Process Engineer:

You’re interviewing for a process engineering role at Precision Dynamics. You’ve recently completed your master’s degree in engineering after you’ve worked in the industry for the past four years and are looking for an opportunity to utilize the new skills you’ve picked up in school. Precision Dynamics has been innovating elevators for commercial buildings in New York and is seeking applicants with advanced skills in gearless drives, predictive maintenance, and regenerative drives.

Interviewer: “Thank you for joining us today. Our team was impressed with your mechanical engineering knowledge when we reviewed your resume. To start, I’d like to ask why do you want to work with us at Precision Dynamics?

Your Task: Craft an answer that showcases your passion for what Precision Dynamics is doing with their innovations to commercial elevators and why your skills are an excellent fit for the role as you continue growing your career.

Show you did your research: Present information you found about the company that caught your attention, such as your impressions of its new AI-powered elevators, which are capable of predictive maintenance.
Add your passion for the role: Explain how you connect with the role and Precision Dyanamics’ mission of making elevators in New York safer and more efficient.
Highlight your engineering skills and experience: Detail what skills you’ve gained while pursuing your master’s degree and how previous process engineering roles have contributed to your abilities.
End with your career goals: Discuss why working on innovative projects with Precision Dynamics is the ideal next step in your career path.

Example Answer: “After completing my master’s degree in engineering from NYU, I’ve been seeking an opportunity that will challenge me and help me continue growing my skill set. I’ve been impressed with what Precision Dynamics has been doing with your innovations for commercial elevators in New York and desire to push the boundaries with what is possible. Specifically, your new SmartLift AI Elevator System with predictive maintenance to improve safety ratings by 35% caught my attention. I’d be excited to use my growing skills in gearless and regenerative drives and predictive maintenance to help your company achieve its goal of making navigating New York skyscrapers safer and more efficient for everyone in our community.”

Finance/Accounting

Mock Interview Scenario for a Chief Compliance Officer:

You’re interviewing for a chief compliance officer role at Sterling Trust, a national financial institution that provides banking solutions, loans, and financial advisement. They’re seeking a candidate to help maintain strict regulations and provide accurate service. With your experience as a compliance analyst and specialist, you want to present the right skills to showcase why you’re ready to step into a chief compliance role.

Interviewer: “Thank you for stopping in. I was impressed with your experience in previous compliance roles when I reviewed your resume. My first question is, why do you want to work for us?”

Your Task: Provide an answer showcasing your passion for Sterling Trust’s mission of providing an unmatched customer experience while showing you have the right skills to step up into the lead role of chief compliance officer.

Begin with your research: Compliance professionals need to be detailed, so show you took your time to research Sterling Trust’s financial services and know what they’re looking for in the role, such as complex ETF management and internal audit planning.
Present your passion for their mission: The customer is at the heart of everything Sterling Trust does, so explain how your role as a compliance officer will benefit the overall customer experience.
Add your financial skills and experiences: Your accounting knowledge and experience as a compliance professional have prepared you for the job, so present specific details that make you the right fit.
Finish with your career goals: Explain why Sterling Trust is the right fit for you as you seek to further your career as a chief compliance officer.

Example Answer: “Having worked as a compliance specialist and analyst for banks and financial advisors over the last 12 years, I’ve learned that the customer is the most essential part of everything we do in this industry. I’m excited about working with Sterling Trust since your organization possesses those same values with your AAA rating from the Better Business Bureau and maintaining 97% positive customer satisfaction scores over the past decade. Using my leadership skills to coordinate internal audits where I’ve been able to maintain 99% recording accuracy in previous roles and my detailed ETF management protocols, I believe Sterling Trust would be the ideal organization to help me continue expanding my skill set as I look to step into a bigger leadership role.”

Sales/Marketing

Mock Interview Scenario for an Entry-Level Outbound Sales Rep:

Imagine you’re interviewing for an entry-level outbound sales role with Essential Catering Solutions. They prepare and deliver large, gourmet meals for local business functions, weddings, funerals, and other major events in people’s lives. They’re seeking outbound sales reps who can generate more leads and land deals with local businesses.

Interviewer: Thanks for stopping in. We’re excited about your interest in joining our outbound sales team. My first question is, why do you want to work here?

Your Task: Having just graduated from high school, you don’t have much work experience. You’ll need to craft an answer that shows passion for what Essential Catering Solutions is doing, presents relevant skills you do have, and explains why you want to start your career in a sales role.

Show you did your research: Sales reps need to be knowledgeable about the products or services they’re promoting, so show you’ve done your research about Essential Catering Solutions. For instance, you could discuss their diverse menu for many dietary needs or fast delivery solutions.
Add your passion: Explain why you’re passionate about Essential Catering’s mission for top-quality food and service during significant events in people’s lives.
Explain your skills and experiences: While you don’t have outbound sales experience, showcase relevant skills that will transfer over, like the customer service abilities you gained while working as a grocery clerk.
Finish with your career goals: Detail why you think working as an outbound sales rep is a great fit as you begin your career.

Example Answer: “While searching through job posts, Essential Catering Solutions’ mission of providing excellent food and service for your customers’ biggest life events caught my attention. It made me think about different events in my life, such as my sister’s wedding this past year, where everyone connected during the reception through a good meal delivered by a catering service. I’d be excited to use my skills in customer service and deep attention to detail to make a similar impact by connecting with local businesses in our community. I’m eager to learn and grow with Essential Catering Solutions as I develop essential lead generation and solution selling skills for this role, which I’m confident will take me far in my career.”

Health Care

Mock Interview Scenario for an ICU Nurse:

You’re interviewing to be an ICU nurse at Crestview Regional Medical Center. Their mission is to provide modern, effective, and caring service to everyone who comes to the center in a distressful situation. They’re seeking knowledgeable nurses to add to their ICU staff.

Interviewer: “Thank you for taking the time to stop in and talk with us. When we reviewed your resume, we were very interested in your background. Why are you interested in this position?”

Your Task: Your professional background puts you in an interesting position. You started the first five years of your career as a middle school teacher and have decided to complete your RN and enter the healthcare industry. Your answer should present why you’re making this transition and what makes you passionate about what Crestview Regional Medical Center is doing.

Present your research: Show you’ve researched what Crestview Regional Medical Center does, such as its innovations in critical care practices, and your knowledge of what you’ll be performing on the job.
Add your passion: Explain how Crestview Regional’s mission of modern, caring, and effective service made you interested in applying.
Explain your nursing skills and experiences: Discuss skills you’ve gained while obtaining your RN license and during nursing internships.
Discuss your career goals: Address your transition into nursing and why you believe Crestview Regional is a good fit to help you achieve your career goals.

Example Answer: “When I was researching positions to apply for, I was impressed by Crestview Regional Medical Center’s desire to innovate to provide better and more accurate care for your patients. While I enjoyed the impact I made as a teacher earlier in my career, I decided to pursue my RN to get into healthcare after my mom was in a car accident a few years ago. Seeing the great care that the local ICU team put into place and their use of modern technology, like handheld ultrasound units for faster diagnosis and treatment, helped my mom during that scary moment and made me want to help out and make a similar impact. I’d be eager to use the diagnostic and emergency response skills I’ve gained during my nursing internships and while getting my RN at a caring organization like Crestview Regional.”

Mock Interview Scenario for a Lead Cybersecurity Engineer:

You’re applying to be the lead cybersecurity engineer at WealthStream. They’re a startup that has developed an app to make personal financial management more accessible for the average person. The company is seeking a security engineer to ensure their customers’ information stays safe while using the app.

Interviewer: “Thanks for taking the time to speak with me today. I was impressed by your resume and previous experiences in cybersecurity. My first question is, why do you want this job?”

Your Task: Since this is a small startup, you’re aware that the hiring manager doesn’t know much about in-depth practices like intrusion detection and digital forensics. So, you must shape your answer to make your impact easy to understand while showcasing your passion and skills that make you a great fit.

Administration

Mock Interview Scenario for an Executive Administrative Assistant:

You’re interviewing for an executive administrative assistant job at United Horizon Enterprises. This multinational manufacturing corporation aims to make production processes more energy-efficient to reduce environmental impacts worldwide. In this role, you’d assist their CFO by scheduling meetings, coordinating travel, and handling correspondence.

Interviewer: “Thank you for joining us today. To get to know you a bit better, why are you interested in working for us at United Horizon Enterprises?”

Your Task: You’ve worked in many administrative assistant roles but never at the executive level. You’ll want to give an answer that shows you have the right skills to manage the high-level tasks you’ll be completing in the role while showing your passion for United Horizon’s green manufacturing initiatives.

Start with your research: Begin by referencing some things you learned about the company during research, such as how you were impressed with their innovations in renewable energy with their use of wind turbines and geothermal heat in their facilities.
Add your passion: Explain why you’re passionate about United Horizon’s mission for greener manufacturing and sustainability.
Reference your skills and experiences: Showcase how your previous roles as an administrative assistant have equipped you for the responsibilities you’ll carry out in this position.
Explain your career goals: Address why being an executive assistant at United Horizon Enterprises will be the ideal next step in your career.

Example Answer: “I’ve always been very passionate about limiting my ecological footprint to ensure a more sustainable future, doing things in my everyday life like carpooling, walking places when I can, or bringing reusable bags to the grocery store. I’d be excited to work for a business like United Horizon Enterprises that aligns with those same values. Your renewable energy project particularly caught my attention, adding wind turbines and geothermal heat to power your facilities. I’d be excited to do my part in assisting the CFO’s scheduling and managing correspondence for the financial teams to keep your operations running smoothly for ongoing progress. I’m confident this organization will be right for me as I look to grow my career and get into an executive assistant role.”

Mock Interview Scenario for an Entry-Level Personal Injury Attorney:

You’ve completed your JD and your first internship. Now, you’re seeking an entry-level attorney role and have landed an interview with Carter & Associates Legal Group, a personal injury law firm focusing on medical malpractice cases. They aim to enforce medical regulations for safer healthcare and provide justice for those injured during medical treatment.

Interviewer: “Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. To get things started, could you tell us about yourself and why you’d like to work here?”

Your Task: As an entry-level applicant, you don’t have much experience, so you’ll want to show how your previous internship and time in law school have prepared you with the necessary skills. Your answer should also connect with Carter & Associates’ mission to enforce medical regulations for a safer healthcare space.

Present your research: Like any legal case, you should study the law firm you’re interviewing with. Discuss anything that stood out to you about Carter & Associates, such as their high success rates in medical malpractice cases.
Share your passion: Explain how you connect with the law firm’s mission and why you’d like to get into personal injury law.
Explain your skills and experiences: Present how your time in law school has equipped you for the role, as well as any experiences during your internship.
Discuss your career goals: Share why you think an entry-level attorney role at Carter & Associates is the ideal next step of your legal career.

Example Answer: “When I decided to go to law school and become an attorney, the primary factor was knowing how enforcing the law can positively impact society as a whole. Your mission at Carter & Associates Legal Group speaks to me since you want to improve the medical field by enforcing regulations and providing justice so everyone feels safer when they receive healthcare. I’d be eager to use the litigation and alternative dispute resolution skills I’ve picked up during law school to contribute to your law firm’s cause. I’m confident that with your 70% success rate on cases, I’d be able to learn a lot and grow as an attorney while working on these cases.”

Food Service

Mock Interview Scenario for a Head Chef:

You’re interviewing for the head chef position at Ember & Oak Steakhouse. You’ve been in the industry for 11 years and are ready to pursue this role at a five-star restaurant whose mission is to provide the finest upscale dining experience in Boston, Massachusetts.

Interviewer: “We appreciate you taking the time to meet with us today. I’m very impressed with your culinary experience and was wondering, what about this job attracts you?”

Your Task: You have tons of experience as a chef that you’ll need to condense into a concise answer combined with your connection to the restaurant’s mission and why it’s the right step for your career.

Share your research: Even though you’ve landed several jobs as a chef, think of this like learning a new recipe. Ensure you have done enough research about Ember & Oak to discuss things that stand out, such as their specialty Wagyu Beef, which gets rave reviews from customers.
Mix in your passion: Share how your love for cooking will help Ember & Oak achieve its mission of the finest dining experience in Boston.
Add your experience and skills: Mention how your previous experiences as a chef and skills in food safety and kitchen management will make you the ideal fit.
Mention your career goals: Explain why the Ember & Oak Steakhouse is an excellent step for your career, such as your desire for a new challenge working with the finest cuts of beef.

Example Answer: “After working in the culinary industry for 11 years, the highest priority for me has always been ensuring quality in everything my team prepares. Everyone knows how disappointing it is to go to a restaurant and have the food you’re served feel subpar. It can ruin your whole night. Therefore, your mission to provide Boston’s finest upscale dining experience resonated with me. From top-notch ingredients like only using USDA-certified wagyu beef to being named the best steakhouse in Boston for the past three years, I know your restaurant goes all in on quality. I’d be excited for the challenge of working on the finest cuts of beef with immense detail while being able to use my food safety and kitchen management skills to help you continue your success.”

Mock Interview Scenario for a Sports Journalist:

You’ve landed an interview for a journalist role at Endzone Sports Media. Their mission is to provide the most accurate and unbiased sports news for people around the world. With the NFL draft coming up and a new football season not too far away, they’re looking to add a talented interviewer and writer to their staff.

Interview: “Thanks for taking the time to meet with me. I was really impressed when I reviewed your portfolio. My first question is, why would you like to work with us?”

Your Task: You’ve been working as a freelance journalist for the last five years but are now ready to transition into a full-time role with a publication. You’ll want to provide an answer that shares your passion for what Endzone Sports Media is doing and why you’re ready to take this next step in your career.

Start with your research: As you would do with an article, you must be prepared with enough research for your interview. Presenting something like an article or series you enjoyed from Endzone Sports Media would be a great idea.
Share your passion: Detail your passion for sports journalism and why you’d be excited to contribute to Endzone Sports Media’s mission of accurate and unbiased sports news.
Add your experience and skills: Explain how contributing to other publications and writing on newsworthy sports topics has prepared you for the role.
End with your career goals: Discuss why landing this role on Endzone Sports Media’s reporting crew would be a great next step for your career.

Example Answer: “I’ve always been a big sports fan, keeping up on the latest news about football, baseball, golf, and more. Endzone Sports Media really grabbed my attention a couple of years ago when you released your Top 30 Before the NFL Draft series, in which you interviewed all the top draft prospects for that year. Reading that made me feel so much more connected with the draft while it was happening, and it’s those kinds of projects that your publication works on that I’d be excited to contribute to. Having been in the industry as a freelance journalist for the last five years, I’ve refined my skills in interviewing, digital multimedia storytelling, and research, which I’m confident will contribute well to your mission of accurate and unbiased sports news. I’d be eager to join your reporting team to continue growing as a writer and storyteller.”

Mock Interview Scenario for an Assistant Department Manager:

You’re being interviewed for the assistant clothing department manager job at Vista Ridge, a retailer specializing in trendy and fashion-forward designs. They’re seeking an assistant manager who can help with scheduling and inventory management as they continue expanding their clothing selections.

Interviewer: “Thank you for joining us. To learn more about you, could you tell us about yourself and what made you interested in working here?”

Your Task: You’re in a unique position since you have a gap in your work history, having been a stay-at-home parent for the last four years. You’ll want to craft an answer that explains why you’re returning to the workforce, your passion for Vista Ridge’s fashion-forward designs, and why your skills make you the right fit as an assistant department manager.

Share your research: Show that you know about the Vista Ridge brand and what grabbed your attention about what they do, such as their use of 3D printing to create more intricate clothing designs.
Connect your passion: Explain why you’re passionate about Vista Ridge, such as how you’ve had great experiences shopping at their store or your appreciation of their trendy clothing.
Add your retail experience and skills: Detail how your previous experiences working in retail stores on inventory and scheduling will make you successful.
Discuss your career goals: Present why working at Vista Ridge is the ideal choice as you look to get back into the workforce and grow your career.

Example Answer: “Every time I’ve shopped at Vista Ridge, I’ve had an amazing experience. From your friendly staff to the organized displays, your team makes the shopping experience easy. Not to mention, your trendy designs, like the 3D-printed lace patterns you do, always stand out to me. I’ve been a stay-at-home mom for the last four years, but now that my son is in school, I’m ready to start working again, and Vista Ridge seems like the ideal choice for growing my career. I’m confident my abilities will make me a great fit as your assistant clothing department manager. I’m very proficient with the Lightspeed Retail inventory interface and have studied up on the program’s latest updates. I also have over five years of scheduling experience from previous department manager roles. I’d be eager to use my skills and experience to help you stay on track as you expand your clothing line.”

Logistics/Maintenace

Mock Interview Scenario for a Construction Project Manager:

You’ve landed an interview for a construction project manager position with Summit Builders. They specialize in hotel, restaurant, and supermarket construction projects and aim to build using innovative materials like carbon composites and 3D-printed concrete to create more sustainable buildings.

Interviewer: “Thank you for meeting with me. I reviewed your resume and was really impressed with the previous commercial projects you’ve worked on. What made you want to apply to work with us at Summit Builders?”

Your Task: Provide an answer sharing your familiarity with Summit Builders’ commercial construction process, your passion for their mission, and how your skills fit their needs.

Start with your research: Detail what grabbed your attention when applying to work with Summit Builders, such as their innovative use of carbon composites and 3D-printed concrete.
Add your passion: Explain why you’re passionate about their mission, such as your desire to work on modern sustainable buildings.
Detail your construction experience and skills: Discuss how your previous experiences managing timelines and overseeing construction crews will make you the ideal fit.
Reference your career goals: Mention how Summit Builders would be an excellent choice for growing your career by working on these dynamic projects.

What Not to Say to “Why Do You Want to Work Here?”

Now that you know the basic guidelines for answering why you’d like to work for a company, let’s quickly review some common mistakes that you should avoid.

Common Mistakes

Overall, the most common mistakes from job seekers are giving an answer that sounds too generic or not providing enough details. Here’s an example of what that would look like:

“After getting my marketing degree, I’m eager to land a job in the digital marketing space. This looks like it would be a great company to work for as I begin my career.”

While this answer is a decent start, it doesn’t make enough of a connection since it doesn’t mention any details about the company or the applicant’s skills.

You also want to ensure you aren’t being too basic with your reason for wanting to work for a company. When employers hear applicants say the main reasons they want to work there are the pay and benefits or how they appreciate the hybrid work schedule, it can feel too impersonal.

While employers don’t necessarily mind hearing that they have competitive compensation, it doesn’t show any passion for what the company actually does or the tasks you’ll be performing day to day. So, aim to dig into more of those aspects instead while answering this question.

It’s important to conclude your answer to “Why do you want to work here?” on a strong note.

A great way to keep the hiring manager engaged is to encourage further questions or follow-ups, such as saying, “I’m excited to discuss in more detail what my daily role with this company would look like.” This will show your continued interest in learning about the position.

Since you’ll have to answer this question quickly during the interview, preparing beforehand is also helpful. Using the mock interview scenarios above, you can start to come up with your own sample answers to this question. Practicing with a friend or family member before the interview can help, too.

While you likely won’t get much feedback after an interview, there are some cues to evaluate how you did. For example, you could look at the hiring manager’s facial expressions or whether they asked for more details about your answer after you gave it. These clues will help you refine your answer over time.

Overall, this is an important answer to emphasize during an interview. It can get you off to a great start, showing your interest in a company and passion for what you’ll do on the job. A good connection with the role can be the difference maker that leads to you standing out and getting hired.

To ensure the most success, remember:

Do your research beforehand
Find your connection with the company’s mission
Review the job description to understand the top skills the company is seeking
Don’t stretch the truth
Avoid answers that sound too generic

With these tips in mind, you’ll be on your way to landing your next job!

“Why Do You Want to Work Here?” FAQs

When employers ask why you want the job, they’re looking for you to show interest and passion for the role you’re interviewing for. You can discuss your connection to the company’s mission, reference projects they worked on that stood out to you, or the skills you’d like to use in the role.

The ideal length if you were to write it out is about 100-150 words. That would take you about a minute if you were to voice your answer out loud. Aim to keep it concise and impactful while adding enough essential details about the company’s mission and your skills to make your answer stand out.

The job description, the About page on the company’s website, or its social media pages usually contain a lot of good information about what the company does. Some sections that typically stand out are mission statements, product or service descriptions, or origin stories.

When a hiring manager asks what you bring to the company, they’re usually looking for you to showcase some essential skills you have that align with the job description. Try to do some research and review the job description before the interview to identify some skills you can reference.

Even without experience, you can still make a great connection with a company by showing your passion for its mission and values. You can also reference skills you picked up in school or transferable abilities from hobbies or volunteer work that apply to the role.

How to Accept a Job Offer
Letter of Interest Examples
Reasons for Leaving a Job
Letter of Introduction
Find Your Dream Job

A woman said her tattoos got her rejected for a job, but experts say personality is far more important

A tattooed content creator sparked a debate about hiring biases after being rejected by T.J. Maxx.
Experts said tattoos could influence hiring decisions, especially in customer-facing roles.
But overall, personality and cultural fit are more important, they said.

A TikToker, Ash Putnam, was frustrated after T.J. Maxx denied her application — and she said she thought her tattoos were to blame.

Some of her designs that are visible when she's dressed are a skull with horns on her neck, solid black patches on her arms, and a pattern on her forehead. Putnam, 23, also has multiple facial piercings , including a large silver ring hanging from her septum.

"I hate that my tattoos are such a defining factor for me getting a job or not," she said in a recent TikTok. "Just because I have tattoos doesn't mean I'm not going to be a good worker."

Putnam, from California, said she went into the store to ask why she hadn't gotten the job and that the hiring manager told her she didn't have enough experience. The hiring manager also denied that her tattoos played any role in the rejection, she said. T.J. Maxx did not respond to a request for comment.

She wasn't convinced and took to TikTok to complain. Many commentators claimed her attitude may have been to blame, rather than her tattoos. Others said they thought her body art likely played a role in the rejection.

While the jury is out over whether tattoos can damage your prospects of being hired, experts told BI that the personality of a candidate was likely more important for recruiters.

Putnam's story went viral

Putnam's video amassed 7.4 million views, and it struck a nerve.

"HR supervisor here," one person commented. "There is no way any company would put you in front of customers like T.J. Maxx."

Another commenter, who said they used to be a hiring manager for the store, said: "I will tell you it's the facial piercings and tattoos."

@ashxobrien I want to know who is also having a hard time finding a job right now! #jobs #jobmarket ♬ original sound - Ash🖤

Some fellow content creators criticized Putnam's approach.

Ivy Johnson, for example, who also has many tattoos, said she worked in corporate America as a hiring manager before starting her apothecary business.

"Your tattoos are very aggressive," she said. With customer-facing positions, she said, "that doesn't always go over well."

Johnson said she also thought Putnam had "a really bad attitude."

"If you had come into my business after an interview, or even applying and chatting on the phone, even if I didn't even know that you're a heavily tattooed person, I'd be like, 'Yo, bye, there's the door,'" she said.

It depends on the role

Almost one-third (32%) of US workers in a 2023 Pew Research Center survey said they had a tattoo, and 22% said they had more than one.

Some studies have suggested that tattoos can affect someone's career progression. In a 2018 LinkedIn survey, 40% of respondents said they had rejected a candidate for a job because they had a visible tattoo. Eighty-eight percent of recruiters and human-resources professionals who responded said they thought tattoos limited a candidate's prospects.

However, research from the University of Miami that same year found tattooed job seekers were no less likely to be employed than those without.

The stigma of tattoos is lessening every day, with many employers no longer having an issue with hiring tattooed employees, according to Indeed .

There may still be a line, though, and some of Putnam's viewers argued that she crossed it. Putnam declined to comment for this article, but she told the UK publication The Daily Star : "I am not going to change who I am for minimum-wage jobs."

Adam Collins, the founder and CEO of Ignite SEO, told BI that as someone who hired people to work at his company, he thought "tattoos can make a big impact on how a candidate is perceived."

"I wouldn't say that tattoos make or break an interview because it depends on the role," he said. "A candidate applying to be an account manager for our clients and is supposed to speak to our clients directly should definitely appear trustworthy and clean-cut, so face and neck tattoos would affect that."

On the other hand, with someone who isn't directly working with clients, appearance is less important.

In technical and operational roles, for example, "it's not a big deal," Collins said.

Michelle Enjoli, a career coach, told BI the visibility and type of tattoos someone has could make a difference.

"Tattoos are personal and typically represent something for that person," she said. "People represent companies, and therefore if a tattoo represents something that a company would not want to be associated with, it can definitely be an issue for a hiring manager."

How likely it is that a tattoo will determine the course of an interview depends on how visible they are and what they may represent, Enjoli added. Tattoos are nowhere near as much of a taboo as they used to be, but some people still hold judgment over them.

In Putnam's case, her tattoos were considered extreme, Enjoli said, and "seemed to be a big part of her identity."

"In other cases, where someone might have a smaller tattoo on their arm or visible area, it might not matter as much as it is less obvious," Enjoli said.

"I think a company demanding that an employee not have any tattoos regardless of visibility or meaning is definitely outdated as they have become a big part of the modern culture."

Personality matters more

Justina Raskauskiene, the HR team lead at Omnisend, told BI as tattoos had become more common, it's likely recruiters and hiring managers barely paid attention to them "unless they are offensive or distracting."

"Sometimes hiring managers may even prefer an employee with a tattoo because it can be evidence of an interesting personality," Raskauskiene said.

"Discriminating against those people would mean missing out on some talented people in the industry."

Rachel Pelta, a hiring expert who is the head writer at the virtual-work-experience platform Forage, told BI that overall, hiring managers were looking at skills and abilities.

"The thing is, everyone who's interviewing probably has the skills and abilities I'm looking for," she said. "So then it comes down to, how well are you selling yourself in the interview? Are you making the case for why you're the best person for the role? If you're not doing that, you won't get the job."

As for tattoos, piercings, or anything else that could be considered unusual, such as bright hair colors, hiring managers "shouldn't evaluate a candidate on their appearance," Pelta added.

But some companies are traditional or conservative, and for them, these things could be a "big deal."

"Unless you're willing to cover or remove them, you'll have to keep searching until you find a company that accepts you as you," she said. "And they are out there. It just may take you a bit longer to find one."

Watch: I got faux freckles tattooed

Main content

20 Must-Know Research Assistant Interview Questions (With Answers)

Common Research Assistant interview questions, how to answer them, and sample answers from a certified career coach.

You’re about to embark on a new career journey as a research assistant. But before you get started, you need to make sure you land the job—which means getting through the interview process first.

To help you prepare for your upcoming research assistant interview, we’ve put together some of the most common questions you may be asked and advice on how to answer them. So read on, and make sure you ace that interview!

What experience do you have conducting research?
Describe a time when you had to analyze data and draw conclusions from it.
How do you ensure accuracy and precision in your work?
Are you familiar with the latest technologies used for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data?
Explain how you would go about designing an experiment or survey.
What strategies do you use to stay organized while working on multiple projects at once?
How do you handle difficult conversations with participants or stakeholders?
Tell me about a time when you had to present complex information in a way that was easy to understand.
What methods do you use to verify the accuracy of your results?
How do you approach troubleshooting technical issues related to research equipment or software?
Do you have any experience writing grant proposals?
What is your experience with developing research protocols?
How do you manage ethical considerations when conducting research?
Have you ever worked with a team of researchers? If so, what role did you play?
What strategies do you use to keep up with the latest developments in your field?
How do you prioritize tasks when faced with competing deadlines?
What techniques do you use to ensure confidentiality when dealing with sensitive data?
How do you handle unexpected changes in the scope of a project?
What challenges have you encountered when working with large datasets?
Describe a time when you had to explain complex research findings to a non-expert audience.

1. What experience do you have conducting research?

Research assistants are expected to have a thorough understanding of research methods and processes. By asking this question, the interviewer can get a sense of your past research experience and how you approach research projects. They’ll also be able to assess your level of expertise in areas such as data collection, analysis, and reporting.

How to Answer:

Be prepared to discuss any research experience you have, such as projects you’ve worked on in school or at past jobs. Talk about the methods and processes you used to conduct the research and how you evaluated its success. If you don’t have much formal research experience, talk about other experiences that demonstrate your ability to gather data, analyze it, and draw meaningful conclusions from it.

Example: “I have extensive experience conducting research for both academic and professional projects. During my undergraduate studies, I completed a year-long independent research project on the impact of climate change on local ecosystems. I developed a comprehensive plan to collect data from various sources, including field observations and interviews with experts in the area. After analyzing the data, I presented my findings at an international conference. In addition, I’ve worked as a research assistant at two different organizations, where I conducted background research for reports and presentations and provided support for ongoing research projects.”

2. Describe a time when you had to analyze data and draw conclusions from it.

Research assistants are expected to be able to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. This is a key part of the job, and the interviewer will want to know that you have the skills to do this. The interviewer is also likely to be interested in knowing how you go about analyzing data and drawing conclusions, so be prepared to explain your process.

Start by describing a specific time when you had to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. Explain the context of the situation, such as what type of data it was and why you were analyzing it. Then, explain your process for analyzing the data and drawing conclusions from it. Be sure to mention any tools or techniques that you used in the process. Finally, explain the results of your analysis and how you used them.

Example: “I recently had to analyze a large dataset for a research project I was working on. To ensure accuracy and precision, I first double-checked all the data entry and ran a series of tests to make sure that everything was correct. Then, I created several graphs and charts to visualize the results, which helped me draw more meaningful conclusions from the data. Additionally, I developed an organized system to track my progress as I worked through the data analysis, so I could always refer back to it if needed. In the end, I was able to identify key trends in the data and present them to the team.”

3. How do you ensure accuracy and precision in your work?

Research assistants need to be detail-oriented and meticulous. This question is an opportunity for you to demonstrate your knowledge of research methods and the steps you take to ensure that the data you’re collecting is accurate and reliable. The interviewer will want to understand the strategies you use to double-check your work and catch any potential errors.

You should be able to explain the steps you take to ensure accuracy and precision in your work. Be sure to mention any specific methods or tools that you use (e.g., double-checking data entry, using a particular software program). You can also talk about how you check for errors before submitting your work, such as having someone else review it or running a series of tests. Additionally, emphasize any processes you have in place to help you stay organized and on track with your research.

Example: “I understand the importance of accuracy and precision when conducting research, so I take a few steps to ensure that my work is high-quality. Firstly, I double-check all data entry before submitting it. Additionally, I use software programs like SPSS to run statistical tests on the data so that I can make sure everything is accurate. Finally, I review my work with colleagues or supervisors for an extra set of eyes to catch any potential mistakes.”

4. Are you familiar with the latest technologies used for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data?

Research assistants must be able to use the latest tools and technologies to collect, analyze, and present data in a meaningful way. They must be familiar with the most up-to-date methods of data collection and analysis, and have the skills to use them. This question allows the interviewer to assess the candidate’s knowledge and skills in this area.

To answer this question, you should be prepared to discuss your experience with using the latest technologies for data collection and analysis. Talk about any tools or software that you have used in the past, as well as any courses or certifications you may have taken related to data science or analytics. If you don’t have much experience, focus on your willingness to learn new technologies and how quickly you can pick up new skills.

Example: “Yes, I am familiar with the latest technologies used for collecting, analyzing, and presenting data. I have experience using several different software programs, such as SPSS and Tableau, to collect and analyze data. I also have a certification in Data Science from XYZ University that covers data collection, analysis, and visualization. Additionally, I’m always eager to learn new tools and technologies so I can stay up-to-date on the latest trends.”

5. Explain how you would go about designing an experiment or survey.

A research assistant should have the skills to take a research question, create a plan to answer it, and then execute that plan. This question will help the interviewer understand your ability to work independently, think critically, and develop a research strategy that will yield reliable and useful data. In addition, they will want to assess your experience and knowledge in designing experiments or surveys and the methods you would use to collect data.

Start by describing the steps you would take to design an experiment or survey. Some of these steps might include: defining the research question, creating a hypothesis, determining the sample size and population, selecting the sampling method, designing the questionnaire or experiment, pilot testing the survey/experiment, collecting data, analyzing results, and drawing conclusions from your findings. Explain how you have used each step in past research projects, emphasizing any successes or challenges you faced. Finally, be sure to mention any software programs or tools you’ve used that can help with data collection or analysis.

Example: “When designing an experiment or survey, I always start by defining the research question and creating a hypothesis. From there, I select an appropriate sample size and population that will provide reliable results. After that, I determine the best sampling method for my data collection needs. Then I design the questionnaire or experiment and pilot test it to make sure everything is working as intended. Finally, I collect the data and use various software programs and tools to analyze the results and draw conclusions from my findings.”

6. What strategies do you use to stay organized while working on multiple projects at once?

Research assistants have to juggle a lot of tasks, often with tight deadlines and strict requirements for accuracy. Interviewers want to know that you can stay organized and prioritize your work in a way that ensures you’re meeting deadlines, staying on top of the details, and doing the work to the best of your ability.

To answer this question, you should provide a few examples of the strategies you use to stay organized. These can include things like breaking down tasks into smaller chunks and setting deadlines for yourself, creating lists or spreadsheets to track progress on projects, using calendar reminders to keep up with due dates, and taking detailed notes to ensure accuracy. You should also describe any tools or systems you use to help you stay organized, such as project management software or task tracking apps.

Example: “I use a few different strategies to stay organized while working on multiple projects. I like to break down tasks into smaller chunks so that it’s easier to keep track of progress, and I set deadlines for myself to make sure I’m staying on top of things. I also create lists or spreadsheets to help me visualize what needs to be done and when, and I use calendar reminders to ensure I don’t miss any important due dates. To help stay organized with details, I take detailed notes and use project management software to track progress on each task. This helps me stay focused and ensures I’m meeting all the requirements for accuracy.”

7. How do you handle difficult conversations with participants or stakeholders?

Research assistants often have to interact with a variety of people, from research participants to stakeholders. Interviewers want to know that you know how to handle difficult conversations and that you have experience dealing with difficult people. They will also want to know how you handle projects and tasks that you may not feel comfortable with or that push you out of your comfort zone.

Start by talking about a difficult conversation you had in the past and how you handled it. Make sure to emphasize any strategies you used to de-escalate the situation, such as active listening or asking open-ended questions. You can also talk about how you manage your stress levels when dealing with difficult conversations, such as taking breaks or using deep breathing exercises. Finally, make sure to emphasize that you are always willing to take feedback from others and use it to improve your performance.

Example: “I have had to handle difficult conversations with research participants and stakeholders in the past, and I am always mindful of how I approach such conversations. I use active listening techniques to ensure that everyone feels heard and understood, and I ask open-ended questions to better understand their point of view. I also make sure to take breaks when needed, so I can remain calm and collected throughout the conversation. And, if necessary, I will reach out to colleagues or supervisors for additional guidance on how to best handle the situation. Ultimately, my goal is to be respectful, professional, and empathetic while still getting the job done.”

8. Tell me about a time when you had to present complex information in a way that was easy to understand.

Research assistants are expected to be able to take complex information and summarize it in a way that is easy for the rest of the team to understand. By asking this question, the interviewer is looking to find out if you have the ability to take complex concepts and break them down into accessible chunks. They are also looking for evidence that you can communicate information in a clear and concise manner.

Start by describing the project you were working on and the complexity of the information. Then explain how you took that complex data and broke it down into more digestible pieces for your audience. Focus on the tactics you used to make sure that everyone was able to understand the information, such as using visuals or analogies. Finally, provide an example of how your presentation helped the team achieve its goals.

Example: “I recently worked on a project to analyze the impact of a new tax policy on small business owners. The data was incredibly complex and it was difficult to explain the implications of the policy in a way that was easy to understand. To make sure everyone was on the same page, I broke down the information using visuals and analogies, which made it easier for the team to understand the implications of the policy. My presentation helped the team to better understand the data, which allowed us to make more informed decisions about the policy.”

9. What methods do you use to verify the accuracy of your results?

This is an important question for anyone in a research role. It shows the interviewer that you understand the importance of accuracy and quality in data-driven research, and that you have a process for ensuring the integrity of your results. It also shows that you have the technical skills and critical thinking abilities needed to be successful in the role.

You should be able to explain the methods you use to verify the accuracy of your results. This could include double-checking your data, using multiple sources to cross-reference information, or running tests on the data to ensure it is valid. You can also discuss how you use quality assurance techniques such as peer reviews and audits to make sure that all results are accurate. Finally, if you have experience with any statistical software programs, mention those as well.

Example: “I use a variety of methods to verify the accuracy of my research results. First, I always double-check my data to make sure that it is correct. Then, I use multiple sources to cross-reference information to ensure that it is accurate. I also run tests on the data to make sure that it is valid. Additionally, I use quality assurance techniques such as peer reviews and audits to make sure that all results are accurate. Finally, I have experience with statistical software programs, such as SPSS and SAS, which I use to analyze the data and verify the accuracy of my results.”

10. How do you approach troubleshooting technical issues related to research equipment or software?

Research assistants are often tasked with troubleshooting technical issues that arise with research equipment or software. The interviewer wants to know that you have the knowledge, problem-solving skills, and experience to identify and resolve such issues quickly and effectively.

The best way to answer this question is to provide a real-life example of how you have successfully troubleshot an issue in the past. Explain the steps you took to identify and resolve the problem, including any research or resources you consulted to help you find the solution. If you don’t have prior experience with this type of situation, explain how you would approach it by breaking down each step logically. Be sure to emphasize your problem-solving skills and ability to think critically when tackling complex issues.

Example: “When I encounter a technical issue related to research equipment or software, I like to start by breaking the problem down into its component parts, so I can better understand what is causing the issue. I then use my research and technical skills to identify potential solutions and test them until I find the one that works. For example, when I was working as a research assistant, I encountered an issue with a piece of lab equipment. After doing some research to understand the issue, I identified a potential solution and tested it. After a few iterations, I was able to successfully resolve the issue and get the lab equipment working properly again. I believe my problem-solving skills and ability to think critically will be an asset in this role.”

11. Do you have any experience writing grant proposals?

Grant-writing is an essential part of the research assistant’s role. It’s important to understand the structure of a grant and how to write one that is compelling and properly formatted. Interviewers will want to know if you have the experience necessary to efficiently and effectively write grant proposals, as it can be a time-consuming task.

Talk about any experience you have writing grant proposals, such as the number of grants you’ve written or how many were successful. If you don’t have direct experience with this task, discuss any related experiences that demonstrate your ability to write persuasive and well-structured documents, such as research papers or other professional documents. Additionally, if you have experience working with budgets or managing financials, this is a great time to mention it since these skills are often required for grant-writing.

Example: “I have experience writing grant proposals, having written several successful grants for my previous research position. I understand the importance of creating a compelling argument and I’m familiar with the structure and formatting needed for a successful grant proposal. Additionally, I’ve had experience preparing budgets for grants and managing financials, which I believe makes me an ideal candidate for this role.”

12. What is your experience with developing research protocols?

Research protocols are the detailed instructions used to conduct research. The interviewer wants to know that you have the experience and knowledge to develop a clear research plan, which includes collecting data, analyzing results, and writing up the findings. It’s important to have experience in this area as it’s a key part of the research assistant job.

Be prepared to discuss your experience with developing research protocols. Talk about the skills you have that would be helpful, such as conducting literature reviews, designing experiments, and writing up results. You should also mention any courses or certifications you’ve taken related to research protocol development. Finally, provide a few examples of successful research protocols you’ve developed in the past.

Example: “I have extensive experience developing research protocols, including conducting literature reviews, designing experiments, and writing up the results. I have a degree in psychology and have taken a number of courses in research methodology, so I’m familiar with the process. I’ve also developed several successful protocols for research projects in the past. For example, I worked on a project that examined the effect of various parenting styles on children’s academic performance. I designed an experiment, collected data, and wrote up the results. The project was a success and the findings were published in a leading journal.”

13. How do you manage ethical considerations when conducting research?

Research assistants are responsible for a variety of tasks, including data collection, data analysis, and report writing. But they also need to be aware of ethical considerations—which can include topics like confidentiality, privacy, and data security. By asking this question, the interviewer is trying to get a sense of your understanding of ethical research practices and whether you can be trusted to handle sensitive information in a responsible way.

It’s important to show that you understand the importance of ethical research practices and can be trusted to handle sensitive information in a responsible way. Talk about any experience you have with managing confidential data or conducting research in an ethical manner, such as following protocols set by your organization or adhering to industry standards. You should also emphasize how you go above and beyond to ensure the safety of the data you are collecting and analyzing.

Example: “I take ethical considerations very seriously when conducting research, and I always make sure to adhere to the protocols and standards set by my organization or industry. I understand the importance of protecting confidential data, so I always take extra steps to ensure that the data I’m collecting and analyzing is secure. For example, when conducting interviews, I make sure to get consent from the participants, and I use secure data storage and encryption methods when handling sensitive information. I also make sure to stay up to date on the latest industry guidelines and regulations so that I can ensure my research is compliant with all applicable laws.”

14. Have you ever worked with a team of researchers? If so, what role did you play?

Working with a team of researchers requires a certain set of skills, and it’s important for the interviewer to get a sense of how you interact with others and the role you’re likely to take on in such a situation. This question also helps the interviewer understand the scope of your research experience, as well as the types of projects you’ve been involved in.

Explain any research teams you’ve been a part of, and what your role was in the project. If possible, give examples of how you contributed to the team’s success. You might also explain how working on a team has helped you develop certain skills, such as communication or collaboration. Be sure to emphasize any leadership roles you may have had, as well as any successes that were achieved as a result of your work with the team.

Example: “I worked on a team of researchers at the University of Chicago studying the effects of climate change on coral reefs. I was responsible for conducting data analysis, leading the team in developing research protocols, and ensuring the accuracy of our findings. I was also the primary liaison between our team and other research groups, coordinating our efforts with theirs and keeping everyone on the same page. I’m proud to say that our research was published in a prestigious journal, and I believe my experience working with a team of researchers has given me the skills and knowledge to be a successful Research Assistant here.”

15. What strategies do you use to keep up with the latest developments in your field?

Research is a constantly changing field, and as a research assistant, you’ll need to stay up to date on the latest developments in your industry. This question is meant to gauge your ability to stay on top of the latest news and trends. It also shows the interviewer that you understand the importance of staying informed and are willing to put in the work to do so.

To answer this question, you should talk about the strategies you use to stay informed. This could include reading industry publications and blogs, attending conferences or seminars, subscribing to newsletters, or following experts on social media. You can also mention any research projects you’ve been involved in that have kept you up-to-date on the latest developments. Finally, be sure to emphasize your willingness to learn new things and adapt quickly to changes in the field.

Example: “I stay up to date on the latest developments in my field by reading industry publications, blogs, and newsletters. I also attend conferences and seminars to stay informed and network with other professionals. I’m also very active on social media, following experts in my field to get the latest insights. Additionally, I’m always looking for opportunities to stay involved in research projects, which helps to keep me up to date on the latest developments. All of this helps me to stay informed and adapt quickly to changes in the field.”

16. How do you prioritize tasks when faced with competing deadlines?

Time management and organization are key components of any research role. The interviewer wants to understand how you handle the pressure of competing deadlines and how you prioritize tasks to ensure that you meet all deadlines. This question is also a great opportunity to demonstrate your ability to think on your feet and come up with creative solutions.

Talk about a time when you had to prioritize tasks under pressure. Describe the process you used and how it worked out for you. Explain what you learned from that experience, such as which strategies are most effective in managing competing deadlines. If possible, provide an example of a successful project where you managed multiple deadlines successfully. Showcase your ability to be organized, efficient, and creative when faced with tight deadlines.

Example: “When I’m faced with competing deadlines, I prioritize tasks in a few different ways. First, I make sure that I have a clear understanding of the deadlines for each task and the importance of each task. Then, I break down the tasks into smaller, more manageable chunks and set realistic goals for each chunk. This helps me to stay organized and focused on completing the tasks. Finally, I use creative strategies to help me stay on track, such as setting reminders or enlisting help from other team members. I was able to successfully manage competing deadlines on a project last year by using these strategies. I was able to complete the project on time and within budget, which was a great success.”

17. What techniques do you use to ensure confidentiality when dealing with sensitive data?

This question is important to assess the level of responsibility a candidate has when dealing with sensitive data. It also helps the interviewer understand the candidate’s knowledge of best practices in research, data collection, and analysis. The candidate should be able to explain their process for ensuring the confidentiality of data and the steps they take to protect it.

To answer this question, you should explain the methods and processes that you use to protect data. You can start by discussing your understanding of the importance of confidentiality when dealing with sensitive data. Then, you can discuss the steps you take to ensure that the data is kept confidential. These could include using secure networks, encryption software, and password protection for all research documents. Additionally, you can mention any policies or procedures that you follow to maintain data security.

Example: “I understand the importance of protecting confidential data and take steps to ensure that it remains secure. I use secure networks, encryption software, and password protection to protect all research documents. Additionally, I follow all relevant policies and procedures to maintain data security. I also take the extra step of regularly auditing my systems and processes to ensure that the data remains secure and confidential.”

18. How do you handle unexpected changes in the scope of a project?

Research assistants often have to work with a lot of different people and juggle multiple tasks. Being able to handle unexpected changes in the scope of a project is a valuable skill, since research projects can often take unexpected turns or require additional work. This question helps the interviewer gauge how you handle changes and how you work with other people to get the job done.

To answer this question, talk about how you handle changes in a project. Do you stay calm and organized? Are you able to adjust quickly? Do you communicate well with team members if the scope of a project changes? Talk about specific examples of times when you had to adapt to unexpected changes in a project and how you handled it. Showing that you can remain flexible and focused on completing the task is key.

Example: “I’m very adaptable and have a lot of experience dealing with unexpected changes in projects. I always stay calm and organized even when things don’t go as planned. I’m also very good at communicating with team members and stakeholders to ensure that everyone is on the same page and that we’re all working towards the same goal. For example, I was working on a research project for a client last year and midway through the project, they changed their requirements. I was able to quickly adjust the project timeline and communicate the changes to the team to ensure that we stayed on track and delivered the project on time.”

19. What challenges have you encountered when working with large datasets?

Research assistants are often tasked with handling large and complex datasets. This question is meant to test your knowledge of data analysis and your ability to identify and solve any potential issues that may arise. By asking this question, the interviewer can get an idea of your problem-solving skills and your familiarity with working with large datasets.

You should be prepared to discuss the challenges you have faced when working with large datasets, such as data cleaning, missing values, outliers, and other issues. You can also talk about how you overcame these challenges and any strategies or techniques you used to ensure accuracy in your analysis. Additionally, if you are familiar with specific software or tools that you use for data analysis, it is a good idea to mention them as well.

Example: “When working with large datasets, one of the biggest challenges I have faced is data cleaning. I have had to manually identify and remove erroneous or incomplete data, as well as identify and correct any outliers. To do this, I have used various tools such as Excel and SPSS to clean and organize the data. I have also used Python to automate this process and to ensure accuracy in my analysis. Additionally, I have had to develop strategies to deal with missing values and ensure that the results of my analysis are meaningful and reliable.”

20. Describe a time when you had to explain complex research findings to a non-expert audience.

Research assistants are often tasked with communicating complex research findings to people who don’t have the same level of knowledge or expertise in the subject area. This question is designed to assess your ability to explain complex concepts in a way that is understandable to a lay audience. It also gives the interviewer an idea of your communication skills and your ability to distill complex topics into simple terms.

Before you answer this question, take a moment to think about a time when you had to explain complex research findings to someone who wasn’t an expert. You can talk about the context of the situation and what steps you took to make sure that the person understood your explanation. Describe how you used visual aids or analogies to help them understand the concepts better. Finally, be sure to mention any positive feedback you received from the audience after your explanation.

Example: “I once had to explain the results of a research project to a group of non-experts at a conference. I started by breaking down the research into simple terms and then I used visuals to help illustrate my points. I also provided examples to help make the concepts more relatable to the audience. After my presentation, I received a lot of positive feedback from the audience, which was very encouraging. I was also able to answer any questions they had and provide more information if they needed it.”

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Research scientists usually work in laboratories or other research environments where they help design and implement trials and experiments and analyse the results. To secure a research scientist role, employers typically expect candidates to attend an interview and answer a range of questions that assess their skills and competencies.
Qualitative research method-interviewing and observation
As no research interview lacks structure most of the qualitative research interviews are either semi-structured, lightly structured or in-depth. Unstructured interviews are generally suggested in conducting long-term field work and allow respondents to let them express in their own ways and pace, with minimal hold on respondents' responses.[ 10 ]
Interview Method In Psychology Research
A structured interview is a quantitative research method where the interviewer a set of prepared closed-ended questions in the form of an interview schedule, which he/she reads out exactly as worded. Interviews schedules have a standardized format, meaning the same questions are asked to each interviewee in the same order (see Fig. 1). Figure 1.
Getting more out of interviews. Understanding interviewees' accounts in
We have shown in this paper that DMI provides an analytical procedure for methodically controlled interpretations of interview accounts in all domains of qualitative social research because it also allows to re-interpret interviewees' everyday theories and justifications presented in interviews against the background of their 'a theoretical ...
7 Interview Methods in Research (Plus Interviewing Tips)
7 interview methods in research. Here's a list of seven major interview methods that you can use in your research: 1. Focus group. One popular research interview method is conducting a focus group interview, which involves a group of individuals interviewed at the same time.
10 Common Job Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
Vicky Oliver is a leading career development expert and the multi-best-selling author of five books, including 301 Smart Answers to Tough Interview Questions, named in the top 10 list of "Best ...
13.1 Interview research: What is it and when should it be used?
In social science, interviews are a method of data collection that involves two or more people exchanging information through a series of questions and answers. The questions are designed by a researcher to elicit information from interview participants on a specific topic or set of topics. These topics are informed by the author's research ...
10 Common Interview Questions and How to Answer Them
Before your interview, you should do a few things in preparation. To make a great first impression, you should research the company, practice your responses to common interview questions, and run through a practice interview. For more specific tips, take a look at this pre-interview checklist: 1. Research the company.
A national evaluation analysis and expert interview study of ...
To meet the objectives, we tapped into expert knowledge within and outside the group of authors, conducted interviews, and common desktop research using search engines and employing snowballing ...
How To Ace An Interview: 15 Tips From A Career Coach
After job interviews, make it a habit to ask for feedback and stay in touch with your interviewers, making them a part of your professional network. _____ Need a hand? There are 3 ways we can help you: Learn how to turn more job interviews into job offers here. (Rated with 4.9/5 by 1,000,000 users). Discover if you should take career advice ...
How to Answer "Why Do You Want to Work Here?"
Start with your research: Detail what grabbed your attention when applying to work with Summit Builders, such as their innovative use of carbon composites and 3D-printed concrete. Add your passion: Explain why you're passionate about their mission, such as your desire to work on modern sustainable buildings.
A Woman Said Her Tattoos Got Her Rejected for a Job, Sparked Debate
Almost one-third (32%) of US workers in a 2023 Pew Research Center survey said they had a tattoo, and 22% said they had more than one. Advertisement Some studies have suggested that tattoos can ...
20 Must-Know Research Assistant Interview Questions (With Answers)
2. Describe a time when you had to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. Research assistants are expected to be able to analyze data and draw conclusions from it. This is a key part of the job, and the interviewer will want to know that you have the skills to do this.
Introducing 'The Interview' Podcast
"The Interview" is a new podcast from The New York Times, featuring in-depth conversations with fascinating people. Each week, David Marchese and Lulu Garcia-Navarro will chat with notable ...
Analysis of DEV#POPPER: New Attack Campaign Targeting Software
The Securonix Threat Research Team has been monitoring an ongoing social engineering attack campaign from North Korean threat actors who are targeting developers using fake interviews to deliver a Python-based RAT. Read more. ... especially during intense and stressful situations like job interviews. The attackers behind the DEV#POPPER ...