As an ordinary person, we come into contact with many, many people. Family, friends, co-workers, fellow students, business associates, store clerks, doctors, and the list goes on and on. Some of these contacts, like family, may be very close, but how much time to we take to learn about the others?
The more you know about your friends, colleagues, and the other people with whom you come into contact on a regular basis, the more likely you are to learn something interesting, something that mike make them a good resource for an interview, either now or at a future date.
For example, if you know that one of your co-workers has a private pilot's license to fly small aircraft and owns a share of a Cessna with a group of other people, you have a resource to discuss FAA flight regulation, the requirements for filing flight plans over major cities, the cost of airplane ownership, common maintenance issues, and so on.
Most often, we find out about people, their hobbies, interests, and past experiences by simply chatting with them. As good journalists, we should be adept at asking questions. That's not to say we should pry into the private lives of everyone we know, but when something comes up in conversation, draw them out a little. If you simply show you are interested, most people are willing to talk extensively, especially about things they enjoy or have experienced.
When I worked at Bose, for example, one of my colleagues mentioned that he worked for one of the primary space shuttle contractors and actually had a chance to sit in the pilot's seat during the course of his work. I found this interesting and we talked about it. Later on, as the space shuttle era is coming to a close, I sent him a message through Facebook (we have kept in very loose contact through that avenue since I left Bose a few years ago) and asked if I could interview him for a piece that was requested by Yahoo! News. The result was this article.
That lucky coincidence gave me a source with very specific information and a chance to talk with an old friend for a while. It's networking, but it's also paying attention to people and who they are.
I think most of us would be surprised by the collective histories of the people around us. I recall a high school history class assignment that opened my eyes to this subject: interview a grandparent about the Great Depression. My grandmother was born in 1911 to an ordinary New England family, had little more than a fifth grade education and worked during the depression years. She told me about the job she held, the internal politics of promotions, and provided a wealth of rich information that I never would have suspected she carried with her.
Most of our parents and grandparents, if they are still alive, have lived through important historical events that we never saw. They may have fought in World War II or Viet Nam and carry stories that would make excellent features around Memorial Day. They may have "flash bulb memories" of important events that add historical perspective on anniversaries of those events.
Do you know people who have taken part in protests? You probably do without even knowing it. An interview about the effect the protest had on their life and on the issue they were challenging might add an interesting angle to a report on a current protest on a similar or even completely unrelated issue.
Do you know people whose parents or grandparents came from a country currently undergoing a dramatic transformation (like Egypt or Libya)? What is their perspective on the popular uprisings and the nature of the old regime?
Compelling interview candidates are all around us. We just have to notice them. We can do that by chatting and engaging people in conversation as a matter of habit. The next time you go to the doctor's office, ask her what she thinks of some new study that you read about. The next time you talk to your mechanic, get his opinion of these new hybrid cars- do they make his job more difficult?
On the anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day, call a local nursing home or assisted living center and ask if there are any residents who remember it who would be willing to share their story with a journalist for a news article.
Everyone you know is a wealth of information and experience that's been stored up, and the older they are, the more of these experiences they carry with them. Interview candidates with very specific skills and knowledge surround us every day of our lives. As with any journalistic endeavor, all you have to do is ask the right questions.
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