Preparing for an Employee Interview

The Goal of Corporate Storytelling

Unlike a job interview or a performance review, a corporate story interview is about narrative. The objective is to extract specific experiences, values, and professional insights that resonate with your clients. In the Montreal business landscape, where bilingualism and multiculturalism are key, these stories help humanize your company and build trust with a diverse audience.

When we handle Corporate Stories & Interviews, we focus on the intersection of professional expertise and personal journey. To achieve this, the subject must enter the conversation not as a witness, but as a protagonist.

Setting the Stage for Success

The environment significantly impacts the quality of the answers. A sterile boardroom often leads to stiff, formal responses. We recommend choosing a space that reflects the company culture—perhaps a comfortable lounge area or a quiet corner of a local cafe in Ville-Marie. The goal is to reduce the perceived hierarchy between the interviewer and the employee.

Ensure that the employee knows exactly why they were chosen for the interview. When a team member understands that their specific expertise is valued, they are more likely to provide detailed and passionate answers.

The Pre-Interview Briefing

Anxiety is the enemy of authenticity. To avoid "corporate speak," provide your employee with a briefing document 3-5 days before the scheduled date. This document should not contain the exact questions—as that leads to rehearsed, robotic answers—but should outline the themes to be discussed.

Explain the intended use of the text. Will it be on the "About Us" page, in a LinkedIn series, or in a corporate magazine? Knowing the destination helps the subject calibrate their tone. For those unfamiliar with the process, you might also refer them to our guide on how to write a brief for an author to understand how professional content is structured.

Structuring the Conversation

A productive interview follows a natural arc. Start with "warm-up" questions regarding their current role and daily routine. Move toward the "conflict" or "challenge" phase, where the employee describes a difficult project they solved. Finally, end with the "vision" phase, discussing the future of the industry or the company.

Encourage the use of anecdotes. Instead of allowing an answer like "I am a hard worker," prompt them with "Can you tell me about a specific Tuesday where your hard work changed the outcome of a project?" Specifics are what make a story memorable.

Handling Different Personality Types

Not every employee is a natural storyteller. The introvert may provide short, factual answers, while the extrovert might wander off-topic. A skilled editor knows how to pivot. For the quiet professional, use "mirroring"—repeating the last few words of their sentence as a question to encourage elaboration.

For the talkative subject, use gentle redirection. Acknowledge the point and pivot back to the core theme to ensure the project stays within the agreed scope and delivery timeline.

Local Nuances in Montreal

Operating in Montreal requires a specific approach to corporate communication. Whether the interview is conducted in English or French, the cultural context of Quebec often emphasizes a balance between professional rigor and a community-oriented approach. It is important to capture this local identity in the narrative to ensure the content feels authentic to the region.

We recommend ensuring that the transition between languages is seamless, especially for companies that operate in a bilingual environment. This ensures that the essence of the employee's message is not lost in translation.

Finalizing the Narrative

Once the interview is complete, the process moves to the editorial phase. The employee should be informed that they will receive a draft for factual verification. This is not a session for complete rewriting, but a necessary step to ensure that technical terms and project details are accurate.

The final result is a polished piece of content that serves as a testimonial to your company's internal talent and professional standards.

If you are planning a series of internal interviews to build your brand authority, our team can manage the entire process—from briefing to final publication. Reach out to us at contact page or via email at [email protected] to discuss your project.