Topic > Interviewing an Employee and a Student

After interviewing an employee and a student, I was informed about how they thought about and handled some particular problems when dining at a restaurant. My main aim is to elicit diners' attitudes towards dining habits and understanding of their experiences. The interview gave me the opportunity to speak with them individually to discuss my research topic in more depth. To have a successful interview, I presented myself as a non-judgmental, polite and empathetic listener. I used my cell phone as a recording device; and I had to make sure the battery was fully charged before the interviews. During the interview with each person, I explained the purpose of the interview, talked about the interview design, and informed them of how important it would be. I recognized from reading Warren and Karner (2015) that interviewees should be seated comfortably in front of the interviewer so that the explanation “can be kept as simple as possible” (p. 141). The first interview was with an office staff: a young American-born Vietnamese woman, who is a colleague of mine. He sees himself as a middle class person. I asked her if she could give me a few minutes after work so I could stop by her office to interview her about her cooking habits. She would love to help. We met at 5pm in his office to feel more comfortable, in privacy and free from distractions. Since we know each other quite well, I sat close enough to her so she could see the notes I had, which didn't make me seem deceitful. The interview lasted about ten minutes. Once I was done, I bought her a drink at the Starbucks across the street from the office. The second interview was done with a random student. I was having lunch in the cafeteria of Mis...... middle of paper ......nges and how it changes a person's life (Garner and Hancock 2014). Although much is done to deny or mask class differences, the role of class is discussed in our society more than in many other countries. And so, we are profoundly shaped by our class origins, no matter where we are and what we do. As I listened to my recorded interviews and wrote down the transcripts, I realized that I should ask us both one more question before ending our conversation: Is there anything I may have forgotten to ask that you think is important to understanding your experience ? What advice would you give to someone? By asking this question and getting answers from them, I will expand my knowledge of different social classes who have their own way of entertaining and eating with their own styles, which subsequently represents a sign of which social groups they belong to.