The Attention Distracted Interviewer

The famous screen and stage actor Kevin Spacey was performing the role of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman when a cell phone began ringing somewhere in the audience. After a few annoying moments, the phone stopped—only to start ringing again. Spacey stopped the performance and told the audience they would be happy to wait while the person answered the call.

We now live in a culture of constant interruption—one that has shortened attention spans and eroded our ability to focus on a single task.

The Interview Room Is Not Immune

Unfortunately, this culture of distraction has made its way into the interview room.

In reviewing recorded interviews and interrogations, I’ve repeatedly observed interviewers losing control of focus—both their own and the subject’s. The result is predictable: degraded performance, missed opportunities, and weakened outcomes.

Personal interruptions, external disruptions, and overcrowded interview rooms are just a few of the issues I’ve seen.

When the Interviewer Loses Focus

Your attention in an interview must be fully directed toward the subject—toward gathering facts, eliciting admissions, and developing reliable statements.

Yet I’ve observed interviewers engaging in behaviors that completely undermine that objective.

In one case, a female interviewer applied lotion to her hands and arms during the interview. In another, she removed her shoes and applied cream to her heels.

And it’s not limited to one group. I’ve observed male interviewers taking personal phone calls during active interviews—discussing dinner plans while their partner continued questioning the subject.

Distractions From Outside the Room

Not all distractions originate inside the room.

Many interviewers have experienced “helpful” colleagues interrupting sessions with non-essential issues—planning social events, discussing lunch orders, or simply checking in to see if the subject has “given it up yet.”

These interruptions break concentration and disrupt the flow of information.

Too Many Voices, Too Little Control

There are times when collaboration is useful—but not in the interview room.

In one homicide case, I counted six interviewers from multiple jurisdictions, including supervisors. In juvenile homicide cases, I’ve seen as many as seven people present, including family members.

When everyone feels compelled to contribute, the interview loses structure, direction, and effectiveness.

The Myth of Multitasking

The idea that we can “multitask” effectively has no place in the interview room.

Interviews carry serious consequences. They require precision, focus, and control. Distractions—especially those within our control—compromise all three.

Take Control of the Interview Environment

It is the interviewer’s responsibility to establish and maintain control of the environment.

That means:

– Enforcing a no-distractions rule
– Limiting the number of people in the room
– Eliminating phones, pagers, and unnecessary interruptions
– Restricting access to the room unless absolutely necessary

Equally important—respect the same standards when others are conducting interviews.

The interview room demands focus. When attention drifts, performance suffers—and so does the reliability of the outcome.