Professional interviewers play a central role at Acuigen. Working on the front line, they conduct commercially focused client interviews that underpin our client feedback programmes. In this article, we speak with Liz Lawrence, who describes working as an Acuigen Executive Interviewer.
Liz’s early career
Before joining Acuigen, Liz ran her own business in the hospitality sector. This background provided a strong understanding of how organisations operate and reinforced the importance of customer service and client experience, people and experience. It also developed her skills essential to effective interviewing: listening, adaptability and the ability to build rapport quickly.
When Liz’s became an Executive Interviewer at Acuigen this involved interviews with a markedly different level of depth and preparation. Executive interviews are typically 20 to 30 minutes by phone, but sometimes extending to 60 minutes or more depending on the discussion. When preparation, documentation and verification are taken into account, the total time per interview can range from two to four or more hours. In‑person interviews typically take just under an hour to conduct, with additional time required for documentation.
Skills of a professional interviewer
We asked Liz about the skills required to interview senior professionals effectively. Key attributes include:
- The ability to listen intently and communicate clearly, knowing when to speak and when to remain silent
- Establishing rapport within the first few minutes of the conversation
- Responding pragmatically and appropriately to what is being said
- Creating a comfortable environment in which respondents feel their opinions are valued
- Knowing when and how to probe without leading
- Confidence engaging with senior stakeholders, including CEOs, General Counsel, partners and finance leaders
- Clear spoken communication, particularly when interviews involve language barriers or multilingual settings
Reflecting on her approach, Liz explained:
“I try to make conversations as welcoming and comfortable as possible across a wide range of scenarios. Building a good rapport helps create worthwhile exchanges, where both the information gathered and the respondent’s experience of the interview are positive. That is one of the most rewarding aspects of the role.”
A typical day
A typical day starts with reviewing my diary and the team schedule, confirming interview appointments and checking respondent availability, Liz explains. Depending on time zones, interviews can take place early in the morning or early evening, as we work around respondents’ schedules.
Mornings often also involve completing documentation from previous interviews, proofreading and checking content prior to release. Liz occasionally meets with a verifier, who independently reviews interview outputs and may raise clarifying questions. Where needed, responses are checked against interview recordings, taken with client consent, to ensure accuracy. At around 11am each day, interview content is prepared for release to clients, and then it’s on to the next interview.
Handling challenging situations
Some interviews present additional challenges. These can include situations where English is not the respondent’s first language, or where multiple participants join the conversation.
- Occasionally there may be two or three respondents on the call,” Liz noted. “Managing the flow of information and capturing each person’s input can be demanding, particularly over the phone. Recordings are invaluable in those situations.
At times, interviews can also take on a more reflective tone.
- Some respondents want to explain frustrations or concerns in detail. I’m happy to listen and synthesise what they say. For some very busy professionals, having time set aside to be heard is clearly valuable.
The best part of the job
Asked what she enjoys most, Liz responds without hesitation:
- Talking to people from all walks of life and engaging with them in an interesting and sometimes humorous way. Building rapport with a wide variety of people and understanding their perspectives is extremely fulfilling.
Continuing the discussion
If you would like to understand more about how client feedback interviews are conducted, or are considering introducing or expanding a client feedback programme within your firm, our team would be happy to share further insight and experience.