How to interview like a human, not a robot

For all of us working in a university environment, an interview is one thing you, more or less, have to do as part of your job. If you’re new to interviewing – especially teachers, experts, or professors – it’s very tempting to cling to your question script like a life jacket… I have done that, and I think you might have done that too. Reading out a list of questions from your questionnaire would give the impression that you are talking to a data source, not a human being. As a result, you will get a safe, short, predictable answer instead of surprising insights, real stories, new ideas, and important emotions you wish to discover from the interview.

During my career, I have been interviewed countless times, some of the interviewers left me with a feeling ‘emmmm… You could have just sent me your questions in the email so we do not waste each other's time, and some have given me an opportunity to think deeper about the issues, providing me with many new perspectives I have never thought of before.

As a team with a lot of UX, Developers, Customer success support, and designers, I think it’s super important that you master an interview process and continuously improve your interview skills. This guide is here to help you before, during, and after the interview, so you sound thoughtful, professional, and actually enjoy the process. (Yes, it’s possible!)

Renewing your interview process — KJ

Before the Interview

1. Google the person you’re about to meet. (Or check out their LinkedIn profile)

Find out who they are. What have they published? What are they passionate about? Do they love project-based learning? Are they frustrated with curriculum reforms? (Tip: Don’t stalk their holiday photos. Stay professional.)

2. Study the topic. Seriously.

If you’re interviewing someone about blended learning, know what blended learning is. You want to make sure you understand the topic enough to explain it simply and start to develop your own opinion about the topic. Please make sure you go beyond Wikipedia. Watch a video. Read a quick article. Listen to a podcast.

Once you have done your research, you should be able to form a point of view about the topic. You don’t need to be an expert, but you should at least sound like someone who thought about the topic long enough to develop a logical argument about the topic. Imagine when the interviewee asks you back, ‘What about you, what do you think about this question?’ You definitely do not want to look unprepared or ‘no ideas’.

3. Make a friendly first contact.

A few days before the interview, send a short, polite message to remind them of the interview and to make sure they know that you are professional enough, care enough to reach out before you actually meet.

Example: “Hello Dr. Somchai, I’m Klangjai from the Education Technology team. I’m looking forward to our conversation next week about digital learning tools. Please let me know if there’s anything you’d like me to prepare!” (If appropriate, a quick intro phone call also works even better.)

During the Interview

1. You need a good interview structure

Start with the big picture or background of this project. Introduce yourself (again). Tell them why you’re doing this interview and how their input will be used. Remember that people relax when they know the purpose.

2. Ask open-ended questions.

Start with low-stake questions first then slowly move on to a bigger, harder questions, For example, instead of “Do you use technology in class?” (yes/no answer), you can try asking “Can you share a time when technology made a difference for your students?” or “What do you wish existed to make your teaching easier?” These kinds of questions invite storytelling, not one-word answers.

Think conversation, not interrogation. It’s okay to laugh. It’s okay to say, “That’s fascinating — can you tell me more?” The more human you are, the more authentic their answers will be. You can end the interview with a question like:

• Who else should we talk to next?

• Anything we didn’t ask that we should have asked?

3. Listen like your job depends on it.

Nod. Smile. Take notes. Follow up on interesting points. Most of the time, when we listen to someone, we do not pay full attention to what they are saying because we are busy thinking about what we will say next ( don’t be that person). You want to have a conversation with them, getting to know their problems, their pains, their feelings, the details of their stories….(you get what I mean) If they mention something surprising, dig deeper! That’s where the gold is.

After the Interview

1. Summarise and share immediately

Summarise what you learned. Share a summary with your team right after the interview while it’s still fresh. Do not leave it until the next day, next week, next ….. ever! (Otherwise, guess what – you’ll be that person emailing awkwardly two weeks later: “Hi, sorry, can you remind me what you said about blended learning apps?” Don’t be that person.)

2. Deliver on your promises.

If you said you’d send them a draft in 20 days, set a reminder and do it. Your credibility is built (or destroyed) one small promise at a time.

3. Send a thank-you note.

Always express gratitude for their time and insights. A short, genuine, and professional note is fine. For Example,

“Thank you again, Dr. Somchai, for sharing your experiences and insights. Your ideas have already sparked new directions for our project. I’ll send you a draft feature design on the 28th June and also keep you updated on our next steps!”

Final reminder

A good interview is not a transaction. It’s the start of a lifelong relationship, built on respect, curiosity, and trust. If you remember that, you’ll not only get better information, but you will also be able to help form a network of teachers who want to work with you for many years to come.