Interviewing the Homeless – How to help them to help themselves
Zac O’Neil, Senior Consultant, ITS Training (UK) Ltd.
Someone needs your help, they’re homeless, they need somewhere to live and they need you to do something about that. For that to happen you need to know all about them, their history and all of their circumstances. Despite this, they’re not saying much, they change their story, they’re reluctant to open up. Sound familiar?
There could be any number of reasons why they act that way. It is fairly likely though, that they distrust you (as a local authority), could be unsure of what to say because they think they might not get what they want, and they’re probably not used to the situation.
Those who say that interviewing is something that you’re born with are right. Naturally some find it easier to speak to people than others. The good news is that if you want to be a better interviewer, you will be better by following a few simple rules, and if you practice. If you want to know what these are, read on.
Actively build rapport. Next time you’re socialising, or watching people socialise, notice how people in a group will imitate each other. They will stand or sit with similar body positions and copy each other’s gestures, taking a drink at the same time for instance. In your interview notice how they position themselves in their seat and how they speak. Match them in body position and consciously modify the speed and tone of your voice so that it is similar to them. This will subconsciously build rapport and help them to relax. When they are relaxed they are more likely to trust you and tell the truth. We like those that are like ourselves.
Knowledge is power. For them! A person who knows exactly what is going on, and why, will be calmer and accept the situation. The next time you’re put on hold by a customer service operator think of this. Whilst this can be frustrating and get you hot under the collar, it is (normally) directly proportionate to how much you’ve been told about why you’re being put on hold. It’s better still if they’ve said for how long. Always tell people exactly what you are doing and why, explain it in detail if necessary but do not, under any circumstances, use jargon or a.c.r.o.n.y.m.s.
Use the right questions. Too often interviewers fall into the habit of using lots of closed questions. If you want to give the impression that you’re not interested in their story that’s fine. You’ll sound like you’ve got a set agenda and they will be more guarded ; they’ll not want to get it wrong. People also have a nasty habit of saying whatever they think you want to hear. Closed questions will make this worse. Leading questions like “So you’ve got nowhere else to go then? Is that right?” are the cherry on the poor interviewing cake. The danger here is that you’ll end up with your own version of events which they confirm or deny. It is easier, but they will simply say what they think you want to hear, they’ll omit important facts and they won’t necessarily tell the truth.
Always use open questions and ‘instructions to speak’ like “Tell me about your circumstances” or “what do you want to tell me about today”. These encourage people to talk and you are able to listen and gather more information from the interview. People relax more when they’re allowed to speak and are listened to. Pick up on what they say and probe deeper into it i.e.: “you said earlier… please tell me more about that”. Challenge them on the things that don’t add up or are unclear. Summarise as you go, make sure that you have heard correctly and that they’ve told you everything they can.
Doing these things will help them through the interview, get reliable information and more of it, and allow you to make the right decisions about them. It will also help you to weed out the small minority of those who want to abuse this vital service that you’re providing. If you realise that interviewing is a skill, and can be learned, you’re more likely to be better at it. Always remember that the biggest factor affecting how an interview goes is not the interviewee, it’s the interviewer.
Zac O’Neil
Senior Consultant
ITS Training (UK) Ltd.