Pay special attention to any repeated themes or ideas your interviewee brought up. If there’s something they really wanted to get across, that should be highlighted in your summary. If you’ve interviewed more than one person at once, make sure you have each answer attributed to the correct person.
Make notes of how they behaved, their temperament, their background, and any other points relevant to who they are. Think about what they actually said, rather than your interpretation. How do the answers connect to the topic of the interview? Look at the manner your interviewee answered your questions. Were they direct and to the point? Friendly and open? Did they evade anything?
For longer interviews, a multi-paragraph summary is a good choice. You can break down certain sections of the interview in each paragraph and ensure no major points are missed. The length restriction of a paragraph-long summary will make you focus on the highlights only. If you are preparing the summary or multiple summaries to help streamline a hiring process, for example, choose this option. The question and answer (Q&A) format is also an option. This style opens and ends with a narrative description but reproduces the entire or parts of the interview transcript in the middle. Many interview articles found in magazines take this format.
”The interviewee seemed cool,” is informal. On the other hand, “The interviewee appeared relaxed,” makes a similar claim but uses more formal language. Be aware of connotations in the words you choose. Although words like “picky” and “selective” have similar meanings, the former has a more negative connotation than the latter. Choose more neutral phrasing when writing your summary.
”Jane Doe is interviewing for the position of Project Manager. She possesses a bachelor’s degree in business administration and 3 years experience as an Assistant Project Manager. ” Appearance-related details are most likely not necessary except in certain circumstances. For example, in a celebrity interview summary, your audience may want to know what they were wearing.
If you find your points are equally important, use a chronological format to organize your summary.
The main points should connect to the topic of your interview. Consider how your interviewee’s answers reflect the position you’re looking to fill, the thesis of your oral history, the movie they’re promoting, etc. In a paragraph-long summary, sum up the point in a sentence. For example if you asked about teamwork, you can summarize their point as “The interviewee showed teamwork skills during X project,” without further elaboration. Alternatively, in a multi-paragraph summary, you have more room to summarize both an anecdote and the main point. Your statement about teamwork could be, “The interviewee collaborated with others to create a better product. This shows their willingness to work on a team. ”
A statement like, “I found that Jane exhibited strong leadership skills,” is subjective because it expresses a personal opinion. Fix this by stating how Jane exhibited strong leadership skills. Consider: “Jane has taken leadership roles on multiple projects. ” ”John always shows a lot of care for his community,” is a subjective statement because “always” can be vague and an exaggeration. Instead, opt for “John shows his care for his community by volunteering and planning events. ” This statement is more clear and can be backed up with facts.
Take the following statement: “I have always wanted to help animals since I was a kid. That’s why I volunteer at my local animal shelter and foster kittens when I can. ” This can be paraphrased as “The interviewee has a vested interest in animal care. ” ”In 5 years, I see myself taking on more responsibilities and leading a team,” can be paraphrased as “The interviewee plans to take more leadership roles in the future. ” To keep your summary as short as possible, you may not need to paraphrase either. If what your interviewee said can be wrapped into a certain skill or characteristic, write that instead.
If relevant, mention any impressions you’ve had. Did you find the interviewee well-prepared? Are there any concerns on your end? For a job recommendation, you may finish with, “Jane was well-spoken, prepared, and displayed high interest in the position. I recommend her for a second interview. ” Likewise, for an oral history project, you might write “Mr. Jones was clearly proud of his city despite its flaws. ”
Automated spelling and grammar checkers can still make mistakes. Reread the summary yourself for the most thorough revision.
