How to Interview a Big Shot Personality

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致力于青少年公益创新, 促进教育公益组织交流。

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日前，来自上海建平中学西校12岁的有斯公益小记者夏行健（Alex Xia）用英文撰写了一篇文章，记录了他在此前采访DE学校创始人付永老师（曾在2019年9月参加阿尔卑斯世界超级越野赛，七天360公里翻山越脊，跨越三个珠峰的高度，完成了巨大挑战）的经历，分享了如何做好人物采访的经验，表达了对于小记者项目的真诚和敬畏之心，希望给其他小记者以借鉴。特此分享，欢迎查看。

今年年初，有斯公益在北美和中国招募了首批中学生小记者，开启系列“有斯访谈”，邀请传媒业界导师和优秀大学生为小记者做持续赋能培训，让小记者学习新闻采访、沟通表达和写作技能，并且通过有斯公益平台，邀请不同领域、不同行业背景和人生阅历的受访嘉宾，为小记者们提供深度访谈的机会，分享精彩的人生故事，感受不同的魅力人生。很高兴我们的小记者从中有了更多成长和锻炼的机会，期待更多精彩！

Most teenagers are shy and nervous when it is their first time interviewing a big-shot personality. This is very normal. I also feel shy and nervous during my first interview. Today, I am going to guide you through the proper steps in interviewing a big-shot personality. So, here are some tips for you on how to do it.

Alex interviewed Mr. Fu Yong(the founder of DE school) in Feb 2022

A. RESEARCHING ABOUT THE INTERVIEWEE’s LIFE AND WORK

First of all, you must research about your interviewee's work, interests, character traits, and life goals. When you interview a big-shot personality, you need to read some articles about his life, knowing some interesting facts about him, the amazing achievements he has made, his significant contributions, and his influence on society. Discovering the above interesting facts about him makes you at least know about what kind of person he is like, so you won’t feel unfamiliar with the one who you are talking with while interviewing. If the interviewee ever published a book, you can read part of it, and ask him questions about what interests you in the book. By the way, please read the articles at least three times.

B. POLISHING THE QUESTIONS TO BE ASKED DURING THE INTERVIEW

Next, think about essential questions you want to ask. Prepare and number the questions according to their importance. Sequence the questions from easy to difficult or difficult to easy. Clarify information that needs more explanation when necessary. For example, you can ask the questions that you are interested in and want to know more, or ask questions that you feel puzzled about after reading the articles. You can also ask about the meaning for them to do different things and the reason for them to make different choices. What’s more, if you don’t understand their answer, you can ask a follow-up question later, but don’t interrupt him while he is talking. Speak with manners and be polite. Everyone likes a person with manners and talks politely. You should say thanks to the interviewee both at the beginning and at the end of the interview. No one would like to watch an interview full of rude words.

Of course, when you ask him questions, don’t ask questions like how much money he makes. The questions you ask must not offend your interviewee. If you ask questions about his belief, you should ask whether or not the questions are harmful to his belief before the interview starts. Don’t ask questions that will make him think about the bad old days and remind him of the painful memories he tried to forget. The interviewee may probably welcome you to ask more questions, but don’t talk too much and don’t mention facts that are irrelevant with the topic. Try to make all the sentences you speak connected with the topic. Don’t assume that it is very easy! When you talk with them for a long time, you might talk about a topic that you are very interested in. You might be unable to control yourself and speak for a long time. That is not good. Keep an eye on the clock all the time during the interview.

After the interview, Alex took a photo with the interviewee

C. OBSERVING PROPER DECORUM WHEN INTERVIEWING A PERSON

In the end, when you are interviewing, you need to keep a big smile on your face, sit straight and look at the interviewee in his eyes. Be confident and keep a positive attitude toward him. This will show that you respect him and you make him feel more at ease. At this point, I would sincerely thank my mom for providing me with opportunities to interview influential personalities. Without her help, I would not have done it the best way I can.

Indeed, interviewing a big shot personality is a challenging task to do. So, you need to prepare well for it in order to get the important information you need to write about an influential person. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. And you should like what I said. To me, practicing always makes me do things a lot better. If you think I am lying, try to do a hard math problem without doing easier ones to prepare. You probably have to use a lot of time to figure the answer out.

有斯访谈，精彩无限

走进魅力人生，点亮生命故事！想了解有斯公益小记者项目和系列“有斯访谈”，欢迎点击查看以下相关介绍：

《走进魅力人生，点亮生命故事——有斯小记者即将开启系列“有斯访谈”》；《有斯小记者采访加拿大密西沙加市"传奇老市长"Hazel McCallion，庆祝她的101岁生日！》；《翻山越脊，只为D.E.——有斯公益小记者夏行健采访DE学校创办人付永先生》。

今年暑假，有斯公益诚邀全球各地青少年开启2022暑期主题夏令营，这是一次全面打造精英思维、敏锐观察、技术前沿“青少年小记者”的旅程；这是一次深度对话加拿大市长、议员等资深政界人士的旅程；这也是一次与资深经济学教授、顶级媒体人、企业家、投资人深度碰撞的旅程；这更是一次帮助孩子们准备进入Web 3、探索NFT、DAO、元宇宙、加密货币等的趣味旅程；这绝对是一次超值性价比的有斯小记者主题暑期训练营，各项目标达成的同时，我们也会带领孩子们深入探索魅力大瀑布经典胜地，找寻这其中一个个美妙无比的故事......精彩不容错过！详情请查阅——《有斯公益小记者暑期训练营招募全球青少年营员——智慧与科技的旅程，精彩不容错过！》（应报名者的要求，时间调整为7月18日～7月23日）。

有斯助力青少年公益

有斯公益（Global Youth Philanthropy）是先后在美国、加拿大注册的非营利组织，由热心公益与教育事业的全球爱心人士携手组建，致力于为全球青少年搭建公益创新平台，提供各类公益创新行动和社会活动的规划指导和资源支持，努力挖掘和孵化一批优秀的青少年公益创新项目，为有需要帮助的个人及群体提供支持，培养有思想和行动力、有社会责任感的青少年公益领袖和未来世界公民。

有斯公益愿景

成为一家在全球有广泛影响力的支持青少年的公益创新平台

有斯公益使命

致力于为全球青少年的公益创新行动提供规划指导和资源支持

有斯公益价值观

天下一家、互助合作、尊重平等、宽容利他

想更多了解有斯公益，请查看下附概览，或点击查看《有斯助力青少年公益》、《青少年公益创新的无限可能》、《有斯公益一对一公益辅导进行中，好评多多！》

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