It should be noted that interviewing is extremely complex, requiring highly-developed social skills
(Oppenheim, 1992). The interview is a conversation between the interviewer, who asks prepared questions,
and the interviewee or respondent who answers these questions (Frey and Mertens Oishi, 1995). The
interview is one of the main methods of qualitative research and is a very good method for investigating a
person’s beliefs, perceptions and views of reality (Punch, 2005). According to Burman (2005, p.50-52),
there are four main reasons for conducting interviews: to explore complex issues; to elicit subjective
meanings; to increase the reflexivity of the research and to establish power relationships. All four reasons
are valid for research into age discrimination in employment.