Wicklander - Zulawski and Associates, Inc.

The trusted leader in training for over 25 years.

On-site Training

In-House Contracts

Do you have investigators and interviewers who could benefit from learning effective proven non-confrontational interviewing skills? Are there specific problems preventing your investigators from working at maximum effectiveness?

The staff at Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates can develop curriculum focusing on the special needs and requirements of your organization. From a two hour presentation to a multi-day endeavor, let the staff at Wicklander-Zulawski increase the interviewing skills of your human resource, audit or investigative staffs.

Our in-house training provides relevant, consistent guidance to ensure you will see improved performance and effectiveness of each member of your staff. The subject matter can be tailored to your specific objectives, operating styles, and terminology.

Programs can range from refresher courses for broader audiences, to advanced workshops, to individual training. No matter what format you choose you will find the program up-to-date and taught in an exciting memorable way that leaves participants talking about the instruction for years to come.

Information, pricing and availability for all in-house courses can be obtained from the Vice-President of Client Relations, Brett Ward, at (800) 222-7789 ext. 119 or bward@w-z.com


2-day Advanced Interview and Interrogation Techniques Workshop

Take control of your in-house Advanced Workshop by addressing specific problems you want your team to improve on.  Exercises, videos, and role playing support the instruction.

Potential Topics:

  • The WZ Non-confrontational Method
  • The Participatory Method
  • How to utilize these techniques in different interviews: Integrity / Hostile Work Environment / Policy violations
  • Investigative Checklists
  • Physical & Verbal Behavior Recognition Drills
  • Behavioral Interviews (Specific and General Loss)
  • Rationalizations and Reducing Resistance
  • Handling Confrontation
  • Proper Techniques to Handle Denials
  • Backing out of Interviews
  • Accusations
  • Use of Assumptive Questions
  • Development of the Admission
  • Written Statements
  • Telephone Interviews (*Only if participants have been through 2 Day WZ Basic Course)

The course will employ video examples, role play, case studies, and lecture to support an adult learning environment providing the attendees an exciting memorable learning experience.


Telephone Interviewing

More and more investigators are forced to consider the costs of travel when making a decision to do a telephone interview.  Provide your investigators with the skills necessary to build their confidence and enhance their performance when doing one of these difficult interviews.

The program provides interviewers a structured format that builds confidence and increases successful outcomes.   Backed up with exercises to improve listening skills the methods taught can immediately increase case resolution and reduce costs associated with in-person interviews.


Interviewing Techniques for Auditors


"One of the most important skills auditors can possess is the ability to gain information through the conversations they have with their customers. Experience shows that the difference between detecting and not detecting fraudulent activity or accounting problems, lies in the auditors' ability to ask the appropriate questions, at the appropriate times, in the appropriate manner. Interviewing skills are a must for every auditor's toolkit to be complete."

Joshua Haggard CPA, CFE, CFI
Office Depot Loss Prevention Manager – Investigation

Increase your auditors’ performance by training them to use the most appropriate questions to ask and when to ask them. The program assists the auditor in quickly identifying problem areas to audit and maximizes his effectiveness in resolving the problem.




Pre-Employment Interviewing

Effective hiring is the foundation of any organization’s success. Human resource representatives, managers, or anyone else involved in hiring will find this program contains all the information and skill sets necessary to hire the best employees. Beginning with a review of the application or resume, to the actual questions to be asked during the interview a structured approach to hiring the best candidate is presented in an entertaining informative manner that leaves the participant ready to immediately put the skills to use.

In addition, extensive use of behavioral observations are discussed to increase the effectiveness of the participants’ questioning style as they attempt to determine the applicant’s honesty, productivity, and possible longevity.




One on One Interview Training

Do you have a valuable interviewer that could benefit from an intensive skill building session

The experienced instructors at Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates can increase the skills of any interviewer with this dynamic, intensive one-on-one training. Designed to refine existing skills and provide relevant powerful feedback this training motivates and instills confidence improving performance and case resolution.

The interviewer benefits from hands on adult learning in a safe environment honing skills under the tutelage of expert interviewers. The organization will benefit from the interviewer’s increased morale, case resolution, and career development preparing him for greater responsibility.



Interviewing for Title 7 Infractions

Each seminar is designed to meet the specific needs of the company and it’sits Human Resources Department. The amount of emphasis on each topic will represent the needs of the company and the time it allots for the course. The company will be asked to provide typical examples of past cases so the course material can be modified to be most relevant to the participants.

Dealing with the legal aspects in the workplace involving discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin can be some of the most challenging cases and investigator faces. There is often little or no evidence one way or the other from the complainant or the alleged offender, yet the case must be resolved.

Certified Forensic Interviewers lead the group through the process from investigation and collection of evidence to the final written report providing detailed methods leading to successful case resolution. Extensive time is spent on how to interpret behavior to determine an individual’s truthfulness, the interview and finally how to confront someone withholding information or lying.


Interviewing for Non-Loss Prevention Personnel

Many organizations do not have dedicated loss prevention managers, instead using senior managers to investigate and interview in cases of dishonesty. Focusing on fundamental skills this program organizes the manager’s basic interviewing skills to make them more effective when conducting dishonesty interviews. Using a structured approach the Certified Forensic Interviewer instructors create a learning environment to improve the mangers’ skills in dealing with these types of cases.


Monitoring and Measuring an Interviewer’s Effectiveness

This session will show supervisors how to measure their investigators' performance. Effective measurement can help identify an investigator's talents and opportunities for growth, which in turn help improve the overall effectiveness in the interview process.

  • Discussion of current trends
  • Why monitor
  • Establishing best practices
  • Quality of investigation
  • Evaluating admissions
  • Interviewing best practices
  • Statements
  • Post interview summary


Wicklander-Zulawski and Associates, Inc. | 4932 Main St., Downers Grove, IL 60515 | (800) 222-7789 fax (630) 852-7081 email- info@w-z.com

© 2009 Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc.
All material associated with the "Wicklander-Zulawski Non-Confrontational Interview & Interrogation Method" is, unless otherwise stated, the property of Wicklander-Zulawski & Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright and other intellectual property laws protect these materials. Reproduction or retransmission of the materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, for reasons other than personal use, is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the copyright holder.