Informational Interview Assignment
1. Find someone with whom to start the networking process. Ask your parents, guardians, roommates, professors, advisors, peer groups if they know of anyone working in your career field of interest. You can also use the SPEA Alumni Contacts (now moved to LinkedIn) Search tab to search for alumni that you might contact.
You may not interview a close relative (mother, father, sister, brother). This assignment is to help you learn how to contact and interact with people you do not know, so interviews with a close relative or friend will not be accepted.
2. Contact that person by phone or email-
Explain your reason for calling and your SPEA affiliation
Examples:
Hello. This is from Indiana University. I spoke with (person who referred you) about careers in and he/she spoke very highly of you. I’m calling to find out if you might have a few minutes to speak with me. When would be a convenient time to contact you?
OR…
Dear Ms. Jones:
My name is from Indiana University and I am doing some research for a career development class. I’m doing some research in the area of and I was hoping you would have 30-40 minutes to speak with me sometime. If you are available to talk with me about your career, please let me know what day and time would be best for you in the next week or two for either a phone conversation or to meet in person. (or whatever you are able to arrange).
Thank you very much and I looking forward to talking with you.
Sincerely,
Jane Spea
3. Make a specific appointment, for a specific length of time.
My appointment is at o’clock.
I will be conducting this meeting in person over the phone (check one)
4. If interviewing in person, dress professionally (see Mock Interview guidelines) and be sure you know where you are going, how to get there, and where to park, if necessary.
Adapted from
Sukiennik, Diane; William Bendat, L. Raufman.The Career Fitness Program: Exercising Your Options (Sixth Edition) p. 197.
INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW ASSIGNMENT PAPER
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Include a cover page listing your name, time and day of your class, and your major(s). (5 points)
2. Please include the following information on the first page of your assignment. (5 points)
a. My professional’s name is
b. His/her title is
c. He/she works for
d. He/she was referred by
3. List or put in paragraph form, this person’s career path (what educational and career choices did they make to get to where they are today). (5 points)
4. Type a 2-3 page summary of your meeting in question/answer format. Choose between five – eight (5-8) questions from the list below (and next page) to ask your professional and include their answers in your paper. You may also come up with your own questions. Be sure to ask questions that make sense depending on the flow of the conversation. For example, if the person is talking about the long hours they spend in the office, you do not want to follow up that question with, “how do you keep on top of the trends and changes in your field?” Be smart about which questions you ask during the conversation. Don’t ask a question simply because you chose it and really want to ask the question. Listen carefully to your professional before asking the next question (70 points total).
You are to ask the professional at least 5 questions, and you probably do not want to ask more than 8. Remember to keep the “interview” conversational so be flexible in the questions you ask and the order in which you ask them.
You may choose questions from the following list, or questions that you have created yourself based on the flow of the conversation. Here are some possible topics you may want to cover during your conversation.
LIST OF POSSIBLE QUESTIONS, DIVIDED INTO CATEGORIES:
A. Occupational Environment
▪ How would you describe the environment in which you work?
▪ How does your position relate to the mission of the organization?
▪ Describe a typical day at work (e.g., your routine or duties you perform on a regular basis).
▪ How much flexibility are you allowed on your job in terms of dress, hours, vacation, etc.?
▪ Are you made aware of supervisory expectations? Do these expectations seem realistic to you? Are you allowed any input in determining your goals?
▪ How independent can you be on this job?
▪ What portion of your job involves interacting with others such as co-workers or the public?
▪ How much “outside” or overtime work is required on your job (e.g., weekends, nights, etc.)? What does this work involve? How often does this occur?
B. Occupational Requirements and Experience
▪ What college courses were most helpful to you in your preparation for this career?
▪ What types of computer skills or programs are necessary to perform your job?
▪ Is special certification, licensing, or an advanced degree necessary to perform your job?
▪ What personal qualities and skills do you see as important for success in this occupation?
▪ Is travel involved in your job? If so, how much and what type?
▪ How much job relocation is expected or needed to advance in this career?
▪ When you’re hiring someone for your team, what do you look for? What skills and experience do you consider most valuable?
▪ I have often been told that my core strengths as a professional are on projects that involve _____ skills. If that is the case, what roles do you think I’d be best suited for in your filed?
Informational Interview Assignment – (List of questions continued)
C. Benefits and Frustrations
▪ What are the major rewards of your job? What is your favorite part of your job?
▪ What are the major frustrations you encounter on your job? How do you deal
with these frustrations?
▪ What fringe benefits are offered on your job? Are you offered professional development opportunities such as advanced training or seminars?
▪ What is the salary range for entry-level positions in this occupation? What do
the salary trends look like for the future? Do you think job opportunities are increasing or decreasing in this field?
D. Networking/ “Getting Your Foot in the Door”
▪ Based on my research, it seems like most professionals start off as a [position] – is this consistent with what you’ve seen?
▪ Do you know of any professional associations that I would benefit from joining
at this stage of my education?
▪ Is there anyone in the Bloomington area that would be a good contact for internships or job opportunities?
▪ Can you offer any advice/suggestions for how best to break into/prepare myself for this career field?
▪ Do you know of organizations in this field that offer job shadowing or mentoring opportunities?
Write out your answers to the following questions to include at the end of the formal Question/Answer Section
Be sure to answer the following three questions: (15 points)
1. Explain whether you are still considering this career or a similar one and how this experience helped you in your process of exploring careers and majors.
2. From this interview, what skills have you identified that you need to gain or improve on
to be successful in this field?
3. Describe any challenges you faced and strategies you used when approaching an unknown professional.
Include a copy of the thank you note or email you have sent to your professional a