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Step 1
Know when to choose the virtual interview. Subjects who decide to ramble on without responding to your question can be asked to respond to your remaining questions via email. Shy individuals who respond to your questions with one-syllable answers might be more comfortable in an online format. Virtual interviews can also be conducted with several individuals who reside in different locations.
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Step 2
Select the optimal interview time for the subject. If a busy executive checks her email in the morning and is tied up for the rest of the day, send your email or start your online chat at 8 a.m.
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Step 3
Use virtual interviews to help you tie up loose ends. If you waited three weeks to score an interview with a professional basketball player, and you are facing a tight deadline with questions left unanswered, a quick email follow-up can give you an advantage.
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Step 4
Be brief. Unlike the natural flow of a telephone or face-to-face interview, virtual interviews start to feel laborious when more than a few questions need to be addressed. If you need more information, ask the source if he is willing to do a follow-up phone interview.
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Step 5
Allow your subject ample time to respond to your questions for email interviews. Not everyone is glued to their screens during the work day. A week to 10 days is a reasonable time to allow for a response.
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Step 6
Ask your subject kindly to confirm that she is indeed the one who answered your questions. It is not unusual for celebrities or executives to hand off interview questions to a publicist or assistant. You should verify the source of the quotations.
