PURPOSE

After exploring various career fields in the Career Libraries and identifying areas of interest, what next? Talking to people who currently work in a field of interest is an excellent way to learn more about the field.

An informational interview gives you a chance to speak with a professional in a certain field in order to gain further information about related careers of interest and the best ways to break into them.

When you are trying to decide what career path you wish to take, or you hit a brick wall in your job hunt and are looking for new possibilities, an informational interview may be useful. Do not use an informational interview to ask for a job.

ARRANGING AN INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW

Send a formal written request to the person with whom you want to speak. Explain why you want to meet with him/her and that you will call in a week to see if an appointment is possible. Try to meet in his/her workplace. You can learn more by being there. Be clear that you are seeking career information, not job offers. Ask friends, professors, family members, past employers, alumnae/i and the Career Development Office for leads concerning individuals that may provide valuable information relating to your interests.

TIPS

• Dress in a professional manner.
• Keep the interview brief and to the point. Do not chitchat.
• Before you begin the interview inform your host of the questions you want to cover so they can gauge their answers to the time available.
• Do not ask general questions about information that you can easily find in the library. This is wasting the person's time.
• Always maintain eye contact, smile, and nod occasionally to indicate your interest in what they are saying.
• Take notes if you wish, but do not write everything; rather note key phrases to remind you of the answer.
• Feel free to answer questions about yourself if you are asked, or to intersperse some information about yourself throughout the interview.
• Do not forget to ask for names of other contacts. This should always be the last question you ask; in this manner you will be able to expand your network.
• Thank the person for his/her time.
• Write a thank you note describing what was of value to you.

APPROPRIATE QUESTIONS FOR INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWING

• How did you get into this work? ...get started in this job?
• How did you prepare yourself for this job? ...this profession?
• What classes or projects can I do to prepare myself for this career field? ...What is the most valuable thing you learned in college?
• Knowing what you know now, would you take the same job again? ...Why or why not?
• What do you like most about your job? ...least about it? ...What do you find most rewarding?
• What skills and/or personal qualities are necessary in this career?
• What do you do in a typical day?
• What type of people do you work with?
• What are other specialties in this career field? (Get referrals if appropriate)
• How do you feel about your job? ...Are there high times, low times?
• What is your organization trying to accomplish?
• Would you advise people to enter this career field? ...why or why not?
• What, in your opinion, is the job outlook in this career field? ...What will affect its growth or decline?
• What are some related positions/organizations a person interested in this field might explore?
• Who else do you know that I might talk with? May I use your name in contacting this person?