BeBee Interviews

Few experiences on BeBee are as satisfying as interviewing others or reviewing their work.

I am privileged in that some great minds have agreed to honor my questions with insightful replies. I highly recommend it: choose others you are interested in, you learn from or of whom you would like a deeper understanding, and take the initiative to get to know more of their work and of their person. 

Some have complimented me on the interviews – for which I thank them sincerely. I thought about it and here is what I think is important in an interview or profile post.

DO THE RESEARCH

I take a close look at someone’s posts and online profiles - on BeBee and LinkedIn. It takes time but there is a good deal of information in their previous posts and profile description. Also, I try to read between the lines; is there something sensed that I want to know more about? 

PICK THE PERSONAL IDEAS

When I read a few posts of another, there often ideas and themes unique to the person. Ideas  or expressions that give someone their voice and presence. I try to find this and in an interview ask for elaboration on why certain ideas are important to him or her. 

PICTURES PLEASE

It’s comes as a surprise to me how much visual material one can find in google searches. Also, I have specifically requested pictures, or the person sent to me of his own accord. Photographs add color and personality to an interview.

FORMATIVE EXPERIENCES

Most of us publish only parts of what we think and who we are, and our experiences in life may have led up to our choosing certain content. I find it interesting to ask about someone’s formative experiences - often a rich and illuminating part of who he or she is.

RESPECT THE PERSON

I try always to be polite. Some questions that might be too personal for social media. Or the interviewee might not want to divulge certain details about themselves. I fully respect that. I only publish what he provides, and with due care, what is in the public domain.

BE REALLY INTERESTED

This sounds like a cliché but I really do take an interest in the other. I read their comments carefully and often re-read their posts. Most of all, I try my best to learn something, look for their unique talents and ideas, and find more of the person behind the post. 

Here are some interviews, profiles and book reviews of mine on BeBee:

Pascal Derrien, Ken Boddie, Phil Friedman, Paul Walters, Jim Murray,

Juan Imaz, Javier BeBee, Don Kerr, Ian Weinberg

I look forward to doing more. 

Gert Scholtz