Interviewers interview persons by telephone, mail, in person, or by other means for the purpose of completing forms, applications, or questionnaires. They ask specific questions, record answers, and assist persons with completing form. May sort, classify, and file forms. Interviewer would gather information on people's attitudes and opinions by asking them questions from pre-prepared surveys. The research that an interviewer carries out can be commissioned by a wide range of organisations, including: advertising agencies, businesses of all kinds, government, opinion polls, and charities.

Tasks:

Ask questions in accordance with instructions to obtain various specified information, such as person's name, address, age, religious preference, or state of residency
Contact individuals to be interviewed at home, place of business, or field location, by telephone, mail, or in person
Compile, record, and code results or data from interview or survey, using computer or specified form
Review data obtained from interview for completeness and accuracy
Explain survey objectives and procedures to interviewees and interpret survey questions to help interviewees' comprehension
Identify and report problems in obtaining valid data
Identify and resolve inconsistencies in interviewees' responses by means of appropriate questioning or explanation
Meet with supervisor daily to submit completed assignments and discuss progress
Ensure payment for services by verifying benefits with the person's insurance provider or working out financing options
Assist individuals in filling out applications or questionnaires

Key skills for interviewer:

Good communication skills
Languages
Information ordering
Positive and people oriented personality
Stress tolerance
Adaptability/Flexibility

Average salary (2013):

The United Kingdom: from £5.75 to £8.50 per hour
The United States of America: $31,660 per year
Australia: AU$37,000 per year

Qualifications and training required:

No qualifications are needed to become a research interviewer. Employers will be more interested in personality, enthusiasm and communication skills. Experience of dealing with the public, in any kind of customer service job will be very useful. Employers may prefer an interviewer to have a driving licence and their own transport.
An employer will provide with training before each job, when they will brief on the research project and may train the interviewer in particular interview techniques. Interviews will regularly be observed and assessed by a fieldwork supervisor.