Yesterday's training included a crash course in public benefits and a workshop in client interviewing. There's a few techniques to use, like issue-driven or holistic, and active and passive. Most of us seemed inclined to use some combination of all of them at various points in the interview, depending on how it was going (and how much time was available). Issue-driven interviewing can generate more of the important details more quickly, but sometimes entire issues can be missed if the interviewer doesn't know they exist and the interviewee doesn't bring them up. A holistic interview, where the client speaks more freely make illuminate more problem areas, but potentially less efficiently. On the other hand, as we gain experience we will know, in an issue-driven interview, what kinds of questions to ask about. Someone with a housing issue, for instance, may simultaneously be having a problem with their benefits as well.