Effective interviewing
Effective interviewing — Taranaki Zone leadership conference, June 2015
1/ A true story about an effective interviewer
2/ Preparing the candidate
- Why do we have interviews with candidates for baptisms?
- The 18 most-important questions of your life so far!
- Determine your worthiness
- An opportunity to express your beliefs and to feel the spirit
3/ The setting is critical
- Dignity, reverence, nothing casual or informal
4/ Appropriate dress
- President Rudd story (during his service as stake president, a young man arrived for his initial missionary service interview dressed in a T-shirt and jeans)
5/ Kneeling prayer
6/ To begin the interview
- Put the interviewee at ease
- If you do not understand a question, if I use a term or word you don’t recognize, if there is a point of doctrine you don’t understand, please ask
- Don’t begin the interview until the spirit if present. You will know.
- “I want you to listen to the entire question. Even if you know the answer before the question is completed, don’t answer until the question is complete.”
- “I don’t want you to immediately answer each question. I want you to think deeply and seriously about each question, why it is asked, and about your truthful answer.”
- “Only answer when you know the Spirit is helping you answer!”
- “Please don’t answer the questions based on what you think I want to hear. Answer with sincerity of heart and total honesty. There are no wrong answers, only truthful answers!”
7/ The most important part of any interview — THE __________!
- 3 Nephi 13:22 ___________________________________________________________
- D&C 93:36-37 __________________________________________________________
- Thus, the need to have the interview questions memorized! (Or at the very least, a small card with memory triggers, see below). My experience with temple recommend interviews.
- The spirit of discernment will be with you as you look into their eyes!
- In my experience, it is nearly impossible to tell an untruth while looking into the eyes of a compassionate priesthood holder who represents the Lord
- Body language
- The use of ‘follow-up’ questions — role play on the Word of Wisdom
8/ Ask the interviewee to bear testimony, express belief, share feelings frequently
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
- God, Jesus, Savior
- Church, restored, Joseph
- Prophet, means to you
- Repentance, you?
- Crime, parole
- Abortion, homosexuality
- Standards, willing to obey?
- Chastity, 100%
- Word of Wisdom, Sabbath Day
- Covenants, sacrament and baptism
- Are you ready and willing?
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