Eco Lifestyle-interview about utilities

This is just a guess but maybe charisma skill?

That's a reasonable guess. Thanks.

I also seem to have luck interviewing sims that I'm friends with. So maybe talk to them a while first.

Generally I've found that if you walk up to them and interview without any chat first (even friends) they tend to get offended. Chat with them a bit, maybe build up a bit of a relationship with new people, then try.