To Make People Think 'I Can Talk to This Person' | Flow and Points of Caution for Initial Interviews

There is a reason why people feel 'I'm glad I talked to you' after an interview

In career support, counseling, and consulting work,
the quality of the initial interview greatly influences subsequent support.

No matter how much knowledge or technique you have,
if the client feels 'I can't feel at ease' or 'It's hard to talk',
you will not be able to reach their true feelings.

This time,
I will organize the flow you want to value in the initial interview and the points of caution at each step.

Step 1 | Rapport Building (Creating a Relationship of Trust)

Stand up and greet them with a smile

First impressions are decided in a few seconds.
By standing up, making eye contact, and welcoming them with a gentle smile,
a sense of security that they are 'welcome' is born.

Introduce yourself first

By introducing yourself from the supporter's side, you gently take the lead in the situation while
easing the client's tension.

Confirming their name and offering words of consideration

・Confirm how they would like to be addressed
・Consideration for the difficulty of getting to the office and for making the time

Such words shorten the distance between you.

Acknowledge the 'motivation' and 'courage' that led to the appointment

Coming for a consultation itself requires energy.
By putting into words, 'Thank you for coming,'
the client feels, 'I'm glad I came here.'

Explanation of confidentiality and permission to take notes

In order to have them talk with peace of mind,
・That there is a duty of confidentiality
・The purpose of the records
are carefully explained, and consent is obtained.

Step 2 | Confirmation of the Main Complaint (Intake) [Approx. 10 minutes]

Here,
'What do you want to talk about today?'
'What are you most troubled by?'
are clarified.

The point is not to interrupt, not to judge, and not to rush.
An attitude of accepting the client's words as they are is important.

Step 3 | Organizing the Problem (Active Listening/Chronological Order) [Approx. 10 minutes]

We will organize the events that occurred
together in chronological order.

・Around when did it start
・What triggered it
・What kind of changes occurred

Here, we do not look for the 'correct answer,'
but focus on separating facts from feelings to organize them.

Step 4 | Presenting and Considering Options [Approx. 10 minutes]

This is a phase where we do not impose the supporter's values,
but lay out multiple options to consider together.

While respecting the client's thoughts,
we broaden their perspective by saying, 'There is also this way of looking at it.'

Step 5 | Closing (Respect and Continued Support) [Approx. 5 minutes]

Finally, we share:
・A brief review of what was discussed today
・Confirmation of the insights the client themselves gained
・The direction of future support

share these.

'It was good that we were able to talk this much today.'
Such a remark becomes a sense of security that leads to the next time.

The Interview is About 'Attitude' More Than 'Technique'

From building rapport to closing,
what is important is not to proceed perfectly.

・Acceptance
・Empathy
・Respect

Whether this attitude is consistent
determines the quality of the support.

'I want to talk again.'
I would like to carefully build up interviews,
one by one, that make them feel that way.