The Impact of Interviewing

In my communications writing class, I had the privilege of interviewing multiple people about various different topics. Some were close to me, and others not so much. Though, with each interview, I was able to know intimate parts of them. I believe this is the beauty of an interview. If you are a good interviewer, you can get people to open up to you about certain topics. You might not learn everything about them, but you can learn a small part of them. This can help you empathize and understand them better. I want to share two ways how having these interviews has impacted and changed me.

The first way interviewing has impacted me is the way it has allowed me to be vulnerable and genuine with others. When interviewing, you have the ability to make people comfortable enough that they will open up to you. This is something special and not to be taken lightly. I was able to learn sides of my friends and family that I had never known before. I left the interviews with even stronger relationships and trust.

The second way interviewing impacted me is that it made me more empathetic and understanding. I chose to interview these specific people because they have experience in a certain field that I don't have. Many of the things that they have experienced or are experiencing are things that I can't relate to. Regardless, I still strived to empathize with them and make them feel heard and listened to. I made sure to treat sensitive topics with caution and love. I feel that the more you speak with people and try to understand what they go through, the more empathy you can have with everyone.

In conclusion, these interviews helped me learn about my loved ones and helped me strengthen my empathy towards others.