Arrange for the interview ahead of time, and be prompt. Let the person you are interviewing know the purpose of the interview. Cornell University's guidelines for student interviews include telling the interviewee why he was chosen. Set an estimated time frame for the interview, and stick to it as closely as possible.
Prepare your questions ahead of time. Decide on an approach, and let the approach dictate the nature of the questions you ask. For example, if you are interviewing a public figure, determine ahead of time whether you would like to tell your readers about the subject's career accomplishments, or whether your editor and readers would prefer to learn about the subject's lesser-known qualities or activities.
Help the subject of your interview profile feel at ease by being courteous and open in your own communication. If the interview is for a class assignment and if confidentiality is an issue, reassure the interviewee that your interview profile will only be read by your professor and classmates. Request permission to record the interview, and explain that you will also be taking notes.
Using your planned questions as a guide, encourage your interviewee to share insights and pertinent information. Make sure all topics necessary to the profile get covered during the course of the interview, but do not constrain your subject's train of thought. Allow a free flow of ideas and information, and give yourself and your subject the flexibility to pursue a different or additional angle. Avoid taking too much interview time with your own personal stories, however, and save those until after the interview is completed.
Conclude the interview by revisiting any points on which you are unclear, and ask your subject if there is anything else she would like to include. Thank the interviewee for taking the time to participate. Make certain the interviewee has your phone number and email address, and let him know that it is OK to contact you with any additional thoughts or clarifications.
As soon after the interview as possible, listen to the recording and look over your notes. Contact your subject if you are confused or unclear about anything. Avoid simply filling in the gaps yourself for fear of being a nuisance. Most people would much prefer to receive a phone call than to be misquoted or have inaccurate information make it into print.
Organize your impressions and the information you gathered during the interview. Once you have decided which information to include, and in what order, select a few meaningful quotes. Make certain that the quotes are appropriate to the topic, rather than a tangential anecdote or piece of amusing trivia shared by your subject, but allow readers a glimpse of the subject's personality or sense of humor.
Write the rough draft of the profile. Check facts and statistics for accuracy. Listen again to the taped interview and correct any misquotes or misinformation in your draft. Tweak grammar and tighten sentences, if necessary, and bring the final copy of the profile together. A well-written interview profile creates a portrait, and allows readers to become better acquainted with the subject and the subject's life, accomplishments or favorite cause or activity.