Final answer:
An interviewer should maintain professionalism and establish boundaries, redirecting questions about private life back to professional topics. Preparation, including having clear questions based on research, and the ability to ask open and closed questions are essential for a successful interview.
Step-by-step explanation:
During an interview, it is important for the interviewer to maintain professionalism and establish boundaries. While being approachable and creating a comfortable setting is key for a successful interview, it's also essential to be mindful of the relevance of questions to the job at hand.
Questions about private life such as religion, sexuality, or race/ethnicity are generally not considered appropriate unless they are directly relevant to the topic of the interview.
Preparation is crucial, and having a clear set of questions prepared based on preliminary research can help guide the interview. Asking both open and closed questions, and being ready with follow-up questions while also allowing for silence when necessary, can lead to in-depth and informative answers.
Additionally, the interviewer's responses to the applicant's questions should elaborate on their skills and knowledge relevant to the job while avoiding personal details that are not pertinent.
If faced with questions about one's private life during an interview, one approach could be to redirect the conversation back to professional topics. For example: "I understand your interest, but let's focus on how my professional experience can contribute to the role." This keeps the interview focused on the objective at hand, which is to assess the suitability of the applicant for the job.