Preparation is the key to a great interview. Research your subject’s athletic career, his or her personal life, any awards/honours he or she has received and challenges like injuries or controversies he or she has faced. The more you know about your interview subject, the more engaging your interview will be. This is especially important for media-savvy interview subjects who have been asked the same questions over and over again.
Once you’ve generated your research questions, forget about them. Many reporters recommend going into your interview without notes to allow the conversation to unfold naturally. If you come into the interview too focused on a particular narrative, you may miss a more interesting story.
- What motivated you to become a sportsperson?
- What other sports do you love other than the one in which you already are a professional?
- What is your work regime?
- Do you always eat healthy food?
- What kind of diet do you prefer?
Athlete Interview Questions
interview questions for athletes
Kamari Jordan served as a graduate assistant in the Office of Marketing and Communications at North Central College, where she created content for web and print while working toward a master of arts in liberal studies. She was also a graduate intern for the City of St. Charles, Ill. Kamari received a bachelor’s degree in communication and media arts from the University of St. Francis (Ill.).
After you’ve learned how to become an athletic trainer, gotten your degree and finished your certifications, it’s time to prep for the job search. Be sure to prepare your resume before applying for positions in athletic training. Make multiple versions of your resume based on each job position you are pursuing. Research each potential workplace and the responsibilities of jobs you are applying for. Highlight your education, achievements, and extracurricular experience based on those responsibilities and relate them to the work you will be doing as an athletic trainer. For example, if you interned at a fitness center, you will definitely want to highlight that on your resume.
Tip: Interviewers may ask questions about your college athletic experience to break the ice, or you may not have much professional experience for the interviewer to ask about. Don’t be afraid to admit you struggled in certain areas and take responsibility for the grades you may not be so proud of. Share how you have grown from this challenging coursework.
As healthcare professionals, athletic trainers (ATs) examine, treat, and rehabilitate injuries and medical conditions. ATs also work in injury prevention, emergency care, and educate patients in nutrition, wellness, and fitness. When in an interview, try to steer the focus in a direction that will prove you are the best fit for this job. Create your questions, answers, and resume in a way that will assist you in convincing the interviewer to look no further. What you choose to focus on during the interview process may be different for different institutions. What you decide is best to highlight when you are pursuing a job at a college or university may be different than what you choose to highlight for a position at a hospital.
“ATs have skills that are required in many settings: decision-making abilities with strong legal, ethical, and moral grounding; excellent communication skills in written and oral formats, empathic and patient-centered approach; as well as an ability to handle stress and potentially conflict; and a strong emphasis on collaboration. An interview process will include multiple levels of interview to establish whether the candidate has these skills.”
8. Use the “rule of thirds” when setting up your camera]
Professional videographers/photographers/artists use the rule of thirds when composing a shot. Divide your screen into thirds both vertically and horizontally. The points where these lines intersect are called ‘power points’ and look pleasing to the viewer. Instead of placing your interview subject in the center of the camera, place him slightly off-center to frame his face in these power points.
14. Let your interview subject guide you
Instead of waiting for your chance to ask the next question, remain engaged with your interview subject to see what topics excite him. If your subject gets very animated when talking about his grandmother, for example, ask follow-up questions about the role she played in his life. You never know what interesting story you might uncover.
To get your interview subject to give more detailed answers, ask him or her to describe a scene. For example, instead of saying, “How did it feel to win a gold medal?” say, “Describe the moment you looked up at the scoreboard and saw that you had won gold.”
