Quote:
Originally Posted by
etl 
Well, she did have a really good phone voice.
And yes, it's a finding interview rather than a deposition. I'm nervous because they are "the man" and interaction with them not only impacts on people i used to work with either pos/neg but also pending on my answers i could be dragged into a long court battle down the road. Those are the reasons i'm struggling with my composure.
A friend suggested waiting three seconds before answering any question, so as to not appear conversational.
I was thinking that i should dress as for an interview but was surprised to see the suggestion of polo and jeans.
The dance is next Tuesday afternoon.
Depositions generally are not taken in criminal cases, although depending on the jurisdiction lying in the interview could still be a criminal offense (not suggesting you would have done so, just a passing observation). Don't follow your friend's advice. If you start trying to artificially change the way you speak and interact, they're likely to pick up on that and assume that you're lying or hiding something. You should, however, make sure you listen to and mentally "digest" the question before answering, and take the time to make sure you fully understand the question.
As others have said, just be honest. Try not to ramble on, and be careful not to exaggerate or speculate about things you don't really have personal knowledge of. If you're nervous, it's ok to tell them that. If you think you know something but are not absolutely certain, just make that clear to them.
I think dressing in an interview suit is a bad idea, unless you normally wear a suit. They are going to be trying to get a sense of you and your honesty -- anything that comes across as contrived or "trying too hard" is likely not to go over well. I would dress more or less as you might for a nice meal with friends -- the idea is to be respectful and courteous, and appear responsible and trustworthy, without overdoing it. For some people, nice jeans and a polo shirt would be fine, but it really depends on you and your background.
Since the interview is on a weekday, I'd wear whatever you would normally wear to work (assuming Tuesday is ordinarily a workday for you).
I would not worry about whether your answers may lead to your having to be interviewed again, or to testify, down the road. It is what it is. Again, if you're trying to "shade" your answers toward a particular outcome you'll only cause yourself headaches. And for what it's worth, the vast majority of cases that are filed end up settling, so the odds of your ever having to testify at trial are pretty low.
