Advertising and television often glamorize certain occupations while failing to notice others. Hearing such enthusiastic reports of the job description, we sometimes tend to assume the career would be perfect for us. Not everyone understands the realistic view of what a career requires of an individual. We also ignore careers which are not highlighted in the news. An informational interview is a beneficial technique in determining what a career would realistically be like. It is a means to explore and understand a career. Unlike a job interview, the informational interview is conducted by the person interested in the occupation. The following topics discuss the point of the interview, what type of questions to ask, what might occur during the interview, and the steps to use when organizing the information.
Tips
After deciding to give the informational interview a try, find someone who is currently working in the field of interest. The interview does not have to be with a person in a hiring position. Try to speak with several people with multiple levels of expertise. Try to schedule the interview three days in advance. This will create an opportunity for you to formulate specific questions, and it gives the interviewee prior notice to allot time for the interview.
To maintain professionalism, as well as confidence, remember the following:
- Arrive at least ten minutes ahead of time.
- Make a good first impression. Dress professionally.
- Review your questions right before the interview.
- Remember that you are the one asking the questions.
- Stay focused.
- Address the interviewee confidently. A brief, “Hello, how are you?” followed by a casual lead into your purpose is appropriate.
- Come prepared to take notes. If the interviewee agrees, record the session.
QuestionsNext determine what kind of questions to ask. Questions should be open-ended, letting the interviewee really explain the depth of their field. Open-ended questions involve “who,” “what,” “when,” “where,” “why,” and “how.” For example, if you’re interested in the teaching profession, questions might be:
- What inspired you to become a teacher?
- What, in your opinion, is the best educational preparation?
- What part of your job is the most challenging, most dangerous, and most problematic?
- What experiences have you had that are invaluable to you now as a teacher?
- How did you get your job?
- What is a typical day like?
- In spite of the difficulties, what makes you stay?
- What is a common reason for teachers to leave this field?
It is also wise, as stated in “Why Do Informational Interviews,” to always ask for a referral, as in “Who else do you think I should talk to?” and “May I use your name?” (88).It is important to ask questions pertaining to the career desired. During the interview, refrain from asking too many personal questions. Stick to the questions that will get useful information. For more information on open-ended questions and how to conduct an interview, visit Tips for Interviewers.
Overcoming Difficulties
The following are examples of situations that might be encountered during an interview:
Silences: This is why open-ended questions are needed. They should cut down awkward intervals of silence.
Short, curt responses: This can be a reflection of a person’s personality or indicate that the person is busy. To make sure that they have enough time to meet with you, it is beneficial to arrange the interview in advance.
Long responses: If not benefiting from an answer or if your interviewee rambles, the best advice is to politely interrupt and ask another question, preferably one which is more precise, so that the interviewee cannot make such a long response (89).
Using the Information
The interview is over and there is an enormous amount of information. A good way to clarify thoughts and organize the notes taken is to organize it into an outline. The outline should highlight positive and negative aspects, and the introduction and conclusion should analyze the career, based upon what you discover. There are several methods of writing such a paper.
You might introduce the paper with a brief description. “I interviewed Ms. Becky Roberts because she is a high school English teacher, which is a career I’m interested in pursuing. Some things I discovered I liked were . . . and some aspects of the career I did not like were. . . .” The body of the paper which follows can be one question at a time with the responses, followed by an opinion. “I asked Ms. Roberts what a common reason most teachers quit teaching was, and she said because they ‘burn out.’ I do not really like the idea that I could burn out.” The conclusion would re-emphasize an overall opinion based upon the information in the body of the paragraph. “I thought I would like being a high school English teacher, and after speaking with Ms. Roberts, I am still enthusiastic about it.”
Another way to write the paper is to keep the introduction and conclusion the same as mentioned earlier, but to format the body a little differently. Instead of proceeding question by question, combine questions with similar answers. “I asked Ms. Roberts what a main problem in the teaching field was, and she replied, ‘burn out.’ According to her, this is also a reason why many teachers stop teaching. I don’t like the idea of burning out at all.”
Remember that an informational interview is not necessarily written for a teacher or a particular class. The organization and written expression of feelings toward the career should help determine whether or not you would like it.
