How to write a report on the interview you have conducted

 

TERM PAPER

Write a report on the interview you have conducted

COURSE TITLE :

WORKSHOP ADMINISTRATION

COURSE CODE:PAD 412

DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

PRESENTED BY

SUBMITTED TO:

COURSE LECTURER

Name of school

Date

 

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction of Report writing

1.2 Interview

1.3 Problems of interviews process

1.4 Report on the he role of women in rural development

1.5 Recommendations

1.6 Conclusion/ Summary

1.7 Reference

 

 

 

1.0 Introduction of Report writing: The following are format,rules to be followed for a better report writing:

·                     Title Section – This includes the name of the author(s) and the date of report preparation. 

·                     Summary – There needs to be a summary of the major points, conclusions, and recommendations. It needs to be short as it is a general overview of the report. Some people will read the summary and only skim the report, so make sure you include all the relevant information. It would be best to write this last so you will include everything, even the points that might be added at the last minute.

·                     Introduction – The first page of the report needs to have an introduction.  You will explain the problem and show the reader why the report is being made. You need to give a definition of terms if you did not include these in the title section, and explain how the details of the report are arranged.  

·                     Body – This is the main section of the report.  There needs to be several sections, with each having a subtitle.  Information is usually arranged in order of importance with the most important information coming first. 

·                     Conclusion – This is where everything comes together. Keep this section free of jargon as most people will read the Summary and Conclusion.       

·                     Recommendations – This is what needs to be done. In plain English, explain your recommendations, putting them in order of priority.

·                     Appendices – This includes information that the experts in the field will read. It has all the technical details that support your conclusions.

Remember that the information needs to be organized logically with the most important information coming first. 

 

1.2 Interview

Here is a step-by-step guide to help you write the best possible interview article:

1.            Come up with a list of good questions. Before you can begin writing your interview essay or feature article, you’ll need to conduct the actual interview. You should do plenty of research and compile a list of questions for your interview subject. Read other good interviews, profiles, or write-ups on the person you’re interviewing to get a sense of the types of questions they’re normally asked. Then, do your best to brainstorm specific questions that you feel the subject has never answered before. Ideally, a question should provoke a unique, thoughtful response. When writing interview questions, also try to think of open-ended questions that will make your interviewee speak at length on a subject. 

2.            Interview your subject. When you finally sit down with your interview subject, make sure the interviewee is comfortable and both parties are aware of any time constraints there might be. It’s essential to have a recording device during the interview process. If you are a person who prefers to take notes while interviewing, make sure that your note-taking isn’t distracting or off-putting to your subject. You don’t want to spend the entire interview with your eyes buried in your notes. 

3.            Transcribe your interview. After you’ve completed your interview, transcribe the recording of the entire exchange. There are transcribing services that can do this for you, but transcribing your own interview can be valuable for your writing process. Typing out the exact text of your questions and answers can give you an initial sense of which parts of the interview are the most compelling. This process can also illuminate which sections are dull or lacking, which can help you determine if you’ll need to ask any clarifying follow-up questions. 

4.            Determine your article’s format. Interview writing can take many forms. That form might be determined in advance by your editor, or you may be left to choose your own based on your specific writing style, point of view, and set of writing skills. Some people prefer to write a standard question and answer type of article, in which the body of your essay is simply the text of your questions and your subject’s answers. Others prefer a narrative format, in which the main points of your subject’s answers are described in the third person. Certain writers prefer a hybrid of the narrative and Q&A format. Regardless of your article or essay format, you should make sure that the beginning of your piece is particularly strong so that your reader is immediately engaged. That may mean reordering your interview so that the most compelling answer comes first. 

5.            Rephrase and polish. Once you’ve determined the basic structure of your interview paper, it’s time to clean it up. The raw text of your interview is likely littered with half-thoughts, tangents, and stall words like “um” or “well.” In order to make your interview cogent and readable, you’ll likely need edit to remove stall words. You may also rephrase many of the direct quotes. Paraphrasing or rephrasing exact quotes in order to make them more coherent is fine, as long as you are not changing the message behind the quotes; if you do paraphrase, do not include quotation marks around the paraphrased material. 

6.            Review and proofread. Proofreading is one of the final steps of writing an interview article. Compare your paraphrased answers to the transcript to make sure you have not altered your subject’s meaning. Check to make sure the names of people or places referenced by your subject are spelled correctly. This is also the time to review your article on a macro level. Are there any sections of the interview that feel redundant or superfluous? If so, cut those sections and move on to your next question. If you have any spare time, try to select images or particularly absorbing pull quotes that can accompany your article.

 

1.3  Problems of interviews process

Here are five common problems that can play havoc with your interview process, and how to avoid them.

1. Asking the wrong questions

Job interviews can often follow a formulaic approach which means that candidates often face the same questions. This is especially true with experienced recruiters, who often feel confident enough in their interview skills to simply wing the interview, and consequently use the same tried and tested questions time and again.

This is not the right approach.

Every interview should be tailored to the position and a series of questions that relate specifically to that position should be drawn up in advance. Additional aptitude or psychometric tests can also form part of the process should the role require them, and they in turn might give you new areas to question.

But a specific set of tailored questions is a minimum requirement.

I appreciate that tailoring the interview in advance requires additional work but you really will reap the benefits if you take the time to do it.

Something else to consider if your HR team are conducting the first round of interviews and the position requires a particularly technical skillset. If this is the case for you, it may be worth having the Hiring Manager present at the first interview to ensure that not only are the correct questions being asked but also that the answers are being interpreted correctly.

2. Inconsistency between candidates

Without a solid structure to the interview, and even with one, it’s very easy to be inconsistent with your approach between different candidates.

Different days, different time of day, or the fact that you had an argument with your spouse before you left the house this morning. Any number of other factors can affect the interview and the outcome.

Even different interview rooms can make a difference to the candidate and your impression of them.

Consistency is key to a solid interview process and your ability to weigh candidates against one another. Without it, you may as well pick a suitably qualified prospect randomly.

So even at the expense of additional information, keep the interview process constant.

This sounds easier than you may think in practice, but there are measures you can put in place to help with consistency.

 

3. Bias

It’s human nature for any interviewer to allow. The best way to go about reducing that bias it to use some predetermined questions or a scoring system.

People are generally hard-wired to seek out common traits and interests in others. Obviously that means that the recruitment process can, if left unchecked, turn the office into a social club in the making.

This is especially true in an interview situation – you’ll naturally gravitate to people you like without making a qualitative assessment of whether they can do the job or not.

Few managers would accept this theory, but the proof is indisputable. We naturally seek out others like us. And while any hiring manager will do their best to remain objective, people have a natural aversion to others that are too different.

That can easily turn a minor negative on a CV into a total deal breaker. Although a similar person with more common ground will skate through despite some potential glaring holes in their skills and abilities.

 

4. Interview fatigue

Interview fatigue is a very real problem and something you need to be aware of when you’re considering being consistent with your interview approach.

For example: Imagine you’ve set aside a whole day for interviewing candidates, which is often the only way to deal with each appointment logistically.

Can you honestly say that the last candidate gets the same level of attention as the first?

That potentially means that a candidate’s chances and your company’s future could literally depend on the luck of the draw. Eventually, that has to go against you.

When people listen to broadly similar answers many times in a day, it’s only natural to switch off at some point and stop listening.

So if you’re in charge of the interview process then schedule regular breaks and, if possible, limit the number of interviews in one day to no more than three.

Interview fatigue applies to candidates, too.

So unless physical and mental endurance are actually part of the test then try to avoid full days of evaluation. The emotional stress will start to affect your results.

5.  Interviews are inherently dishonest

A candidate is there to prove themselves to you, the sole goal for the day is to secure the job. Considering what is at stake, it’s reasonable to expect candidates to lie and others to be crippled by nerves.

So unless you’re well-versed in spotting the signs then you can find yourself employing the best politician, rather than the best person for the job.

This can obviously be a huge problem for any interview process, and one that any company needs to immediately resolve.

Of course seeing through the veneer that well-practiced candidates manage to present, and the cloud of nerves that affects the less experienced, is just one of the skills of a top hiring manager.

1.4 Report on the he role of women in rural development

The research reveals that there local and international policies, regulations that support women participation and involvement in development activities of the rural areas development.

Some women during the process of interviews and a made available by the secretary sources of data reveal that they are not allowed free hand to get involved in their rural area development activities.

International organization like UN fully support women and girls protect and having equal rights, equal opportunities for the female genders.

Hence, from the interview we can conclude that all nations that needs speedy development in rural and urban centers should involve women.

 

1.5 Recommendations

Following the trends and happenings around the political , economic environment and development in rural areas in Nigeria, it is becomingclearer that women may never achieve the mandated 30% affirmation as enshrined in the Beijing plan of action except the following recommendations are adhered to:

1. Women,girls should be given equal opportunities to contribute to the development activities of the rural areas.

 

2. Women in rural areas should be encouraged by Government as well as individuals to engage in agriculture for massive food production in rural areas. This is part of development

3. Political parties should create a support network for prospective aspirant by pairing them with

established women politicians who will be playing key role as mentors and provide capacity

building for young or aspiring female politicians as to enhance and develop them ahead of

subsequent elections.

4.  Building mass Coalition of women support and advocacy group using NGOs and

Grassroots women associations to coordinate support and advocacy for fellow women aspirants

5. To create enabling environment that allows women to engage meaningfully in decision

making process in a sustainable and effective way that is free from violence and harassments of

any kind.

6. Establishment of legal funds to assist women politicians to challenge electoral

malpractices of any form at all levels of political processes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summary/ Conclusion

It’s often said that the interview is the gateway to finding out facts about a research topic. Both oral and written interviews. Using written interview method were the written questions are sent in hard copy, demanding filling and returning same. The response may not feel comfortable to give a sincere answers to some of the questions.

As such true facts may not be organized from some research work

Getting the interview process right is essential for the long term future of any organization.

You want the very best people for your organisation, so take the time to audit your interview processes and get them right.

It really is worth it!

REFERENCES

Web sources:

https://www.careeranna.com/articles/report-writing-format-sample-report/

https://responsewebrecruitment.co.uk/online-recruitment-blog/problems-with-your-interview-process/

UN Women

Mark Wilkinson 2020: Problems of interviews

Agbalajobi, D.T. (2009). Women’s participation and the political process in Nigeria: Problems

and prospects. A publication of African Journal of Political Science and International

Relations Vol. 4(2), pp. 075-082, February 2010

Daniel, E.G. & Faith, O.O. (2013). Women in Governance and Sustainable Democracy in

Nigeria, 1999-2012, Economics & Sociology, Vol. 6(1), 89-107.

Kolawole, O.T., Adeigbe, K., Adebayo, A.A., & Abubakar M.B. (2013). Women participation

in the political process in Nigeria. Centrepoint Journal (Humanities Edition), 2(15).

Mohammed A. & Zaid B.A., (2014). Women and political participation: Toward attainment of

35% affirmative action and obstacles to the women participation in Nigerian politics and

decision making process. Journal of Research in Humanities and Social Science, 2(9),

65-71.

National Bureau of Statistics, (2010). Report of the National Literacy Survey.

Ngara, C.O. & Ayabam, A.T. (2013) “Women in politics and decision making in Nigeria:

Challenges and Prospects. Journal of Business and Social Sciences, 2(8), 47-58.

Nigeria Centenary Country Report on Women (2013). Hundred years of the Nigerian woman: