Interviewing and Advising On-line Tutorial

Welcome

Contents

• The online tutorial in Interviewing and Advising is divided into 3 sections

• Section one – Introduction• Section two – The Legal Interview• Section three – Assessment

Section One

• Introduction

Intended Learning Outcomes – you will be able to:

• understand the basic concepts of non-verbal communication

• understand different questioning techniques• appreciate how to “meet, seat and greet” a

client• be able to conduct a simple interview in a

legal context• understand how the assessment of this skill

works

Key Reading

• Your Skills Manual • Your MMU Interviewing and Advising

Handbook

Oral Communication Skills

• Listening • Questioning• Analysing• Explaining

Passive Listening

• Eye contact• Body language• Posture• Nodding• Acknowledgements• Express invitations

Active Listening

• Summarise• Recap

Questioning

• Open • Closed

Interviewers use the Questioning Funnel

• The Interviewing Funnel • Start the interview with open questions eg “How can I help you?”

• When you have an idea of what the client has in mind, start to ask the specific closed questions that give you the information you need

Non-verbal communication

• An amalgamation of eye contact, posture and gestures.

• It is often called “body language”• Increase your perception• Watch for multiple cues• Learn to read the other person’s behaviour• Remember others will do this to you

Use NVCs to good effect

• NVCs matter • Do not misjudge others• Watch your own

behaviour• Use devices like

mirroring

Importance of NVCs

• Research by Albert Mehrabin 1968– People attach more importance to NVCs– 55% appearance and body language– 38% vocal quality– 7% verbal content

Get your body language right

• Do not use a desk as a barrier – sit the client to the side

• Face the client squarely• Adopt an open posture• Lean slightly forward and keep a “business

distance” between you (1.5 metres)• Maintain positive eye contact but do not stare• Try to be relaxed – no fidgeting!

Your Appearance

Wrong Right• You will be expected to

dress well in traditional business attire

• Your dress code will vary according to the firm you work for

• Appropriate dress presents the right image

• “you never get a second chance to create a first impression”

For the Assessments

• For men – a business suit, shirt with a collar (properly fastened) and tie

• For women – a business suit, smart dress or formal skirt/trousers and smart blouse

• If you would normally wear ethnic dress that is perfectly acceptable

• We DO NOT want to see your underwear, navel piercing, midriff or cleavage

Your verbal communication

• Practise your skills • clarity• good use of English• avoid slang• avoid irritating habits• watch legal jargon• explain legal terms

Getting Started

• Opening an Interview • Meet• Seat• Greet

Empathy

• Build a relationship with the client

• Use small talk to break the ice

• Use the client’s name• Use positive body

language• Make the client feel

that you are “on their side”

Analysing

• Identify the client’s aims

• Are there underlying concerns?

• Use good questioning technique to get to the root of the matter

• What do they really want?

Explaining

• Next step is explaining the legal position

• Advise the client• Give a run down of any

applicable law• Outline options• Client must give you

instructions• Closure

• Never tell the client what they MUST do

What happens next?

• Watch your friends and try to interpret their body language• Watch interviews on television and try to interpret the body

language• Shake hands with people and ask for an appraisal of your

handshake• Collect your re-writable practice disk from the Professional

Programmes Office• Book a slot in the recording room and record yourself and a

friend talking to each other. Watch the recording. Do you like what you see and hear? Did you work the equipment correctly?

Interviewing and Advising On-line Tutorial

Section One THE END