Interviewing Principles and Practices

InformationalInterviewWithMentorAssignment

Deliverables:
Interview audio
Interview transcript
Paper I
Paper II

Purpose:
Career informational interviewingisagreatwaytolearnthe insidescoop onyourfield,developyourprofessionalnetwork,andgetgeneraladvicefromseasonedprofessionals.This

assignmentwillallowyoutopracticeinterviewingand,perhapsequally importantly,learnvitalinformationaboutyourintendedfield.

Instructions:
You shouldidentifyaprofessionalinyourintendedfieldthatyoucaninterview.
Choose a personwhoisestablishedintheirfield(ratherthanarecentgraduatewhohasjustenteredthefield).You willmakecontactwiththeintervieweetoarrangeatimetomeet

(seesuggestionsonprocessbelow).
You willconducta30–minuteinterviewandtranscribe the first 15 minutes. You should turn in that transcript along with a copy of your audio. Transcription will take

significantly longer than the length of the recording —plan for it to take at least three times as long and budget up to five or six minutes of transcription per

minute of audio if you have not transcribed before.

You will also writetworeflectionpapers(doublespaced12pointTimesNewRomanfont with one-inch margins)thataddressthefollowing.

Paper I:CareerLessonsLearned(atleasttwopages)

1. Whodidyouinterview?
2. Whatistheirjob?
3. Whatinsightsdidyougainaboutyourintendedfield?
4. Howwillyouusetheinformationyoulearned?
5. Includeoneortwodirectquotesfromtheinterview(thus,youwillneedtorecordthisinterview).

PaperII:InterviewingLessonsLearned(atleasttwo pages)

Assess your strengths and weaknesses as an interviewer:
•   Whatwerethestrengthsofyourinterviewtechniques?
•   Whatareareasthatyoucouldimproveintermsofinterviewtechniques?
•   Howcanyoualteryourplan/approachtoimproveforthenextinterview?
Highlight specific moments in the interview that went well and explain why it worked. Did the source offer you detailed, descriptive information that engaged your

questions? This is a sign that you asked “good” questions and adopted an empathetic persona, important skills for interviewers in any profession. Did the interviewee

offer short, one- or two-word responses and refuse to say any more? What could you have asked to prompt further reflection? What information do you wish you had but

never asked your source about? This reflection paper is as much for your benefit as mine; thus, focus on things you believe would make you better at this interview a

second time around.

Process:Conducting anInformationalInterview
Copiedfrom:https://career.berkeley.edu/Info/InfoInterview.stm

Overview

Often themostcurrentinformationaboutacareerfield,especiallyinaspecificgeographiclocation,maynotbeavailableinprintoronlineresources.The

bestinformationcomesfrompeoplewhoareactuallyworkinginthatcareerfield.
Aninformationalinterviewisaninformalconversationwith someoneworkinginanareaofinteresttoyouwhowillgiveyouinformationandadvice.It

isaneffectiveresearchtoolinadditiontoreadingbooks,exploringtheInternet andexaminingjobdescriptions.It isnotajobinterview,andtheobjectiveisnottofindjobopenings.You

mayfeelawkwardmakingarrangementstotalkwithpeopleyoudon’tknowabouttheirwork.However,

mostpeopleactuallyenjoytakingafewmomentsoutoftheirdaytoreflectontheirprofessionallifeandtogiveadvicetosomeonewithaninterestintheirfield.

RealLifeExample:Finding a Person toInterview

A studentdevelopedaninterestinmarketingbutwasn’tsurehowtofindpeopleinthefieldtotalkto.She hadworkedasaclerk/typistinthepayrollofficeofUniversityExtension

forseveralyears.She decidedtotalkoverhercareerinterestswithhersupervisor,whopointedoutthatExtension

hadamarketingdepartmentandthatshe’dbehappytointroducehertothedirector.This”rightinyourownbackyard”referralledtoagreatinformationalinterviewandlotsofothercontacts.

Benefits ofInformationalInterviewing

• Getfirsthand,relevantinformationabouttherealitiesofworkingwithinaparticularfield,industryorposition.This kindofinformationisnotalwaysavailableonlineorinprint.
• Findoutaboutcareerpathsyoudidnotknowexisted.
• Discoverwhatotherswithyoursamemajoraredoingintheircareers.
• Gettipsabouthowtoprepareforandenteragivencareer.
• Improveyourcommunicationskillsandconfidencespeakingwithprofessionals.
• Learnwhatit’sliketoworkataspecificorganization.
• Gainknowledgethatcanhelpyouinwritingyourresume,interviewingforjobsinthefield,andyourotherjobsearchactivities.
• Initiateaprofessionalrelationshipandexpandyournetworkofcontactsinaspecificcareerfield;meetpeoplewhomayforwardjobleadstoyouinthefuture.

SixStepsForInformationalInterviewing

1.ResearchCareerFields

• Dosomeinitialresearchonthecareerfieldoremployerusinginternetandprintresources.

2.Identify peopletointerview

• Pursueyourowncontacts.People youalreadyknow,eveniftheyaren’tinfieldsofinteresttoyou,canleadyoutopeoplewhoare.This

includesfamily,friends,teachingassistants,professorsandformeremployers.
• Callorganizationsdirectlyorvisittheirwebsiteforthenameofsomeoneworkingwithinaparticularareaofinterest.
• Readnewspaperandmagazinearticles.
• Contactprofessionalortradeassociations.

3.Prepare fortheinterview

• Developashort(15–30second)overviewofyourself,includingyourreasonsforcontactingthisperson,asawaytointroduceyourselfanddefinethecontextofthemeeting.
• Planopen–endedquestionstoask.

4.Initiatecontact

• Contactthepersonbyphone(seeSampleTelephoneScriptbelow)oremail.
• Mentionhowyougothisorhername.
• Askwhetherit’sagoodtimetotalkforafewminutes.
• Emphasizethatyouarelookingforinformation,notajob.
• Askforaconvenienttimetohavea20–30minuteappointment.
• Askifyoushouldcometohis/herofficeoranotherconvenientlocationfortheinterviewee
• Bereadytoaskquestionsonthespotifthepersonsaysitisagoodtimeforhim/herandthats/hewon’tbereadilyavailableotherwise.

SampleTelephoneScriptRequestingAnInformationalInterview

Hello.
My nameisJaneWilson andI’m a juniormajoringinEnglish atUCBerkeley.Is thisagoodtimeforyoutotalkbriefly?
I heardyouspeakataneventsponsoredbytheUndergraduateMarketingAssociation lastsemester.AlthoughI amnotcurrentlylookingforajob,I

havebecomeveryinterestedinpublicrelationsandwouldliketofindoutasmuchasI canaboutthefield.
Would itbepossibletoschedule20to30minuteswithyouatyourconveniencetoaskyouafewquestionsandgetyouradviceonhowbesttopreparetoenterthefield?

5.Conduct theinformationalinterview
• Dressneatlyandappropriately,asyouwouldforajobinterview.
• Arriveontimeorafewminutesearly.
• Restatethatyourobjectiveistogetinformationandadvice,notajob.
• Giveabriefoverviewofyourselfandyoureducationand/orworkbackground.
• Bepreparedtodirecttheinterview,butalsolettheconversationflownaturally,andencouragetheintervieweetodomostofthetalking.
• Listenwellandshowgenuineinterestinwhatthepersonhastosay.
• Takenotes
• Respecttheperson’stime.Keep theappointmentlengthwithinthetimespanthatyourequested.
• Askthepersonifyoumaycontacthimorheragaininthefuturewithotherquestions.
• Alwaysaskfornamesofotherpeopletotalktoforadditionalinformationoradifferentperspective.
Note:You canbringaresume,butdon’ttakeitoutrightawayorleadwithquestionsaboutitoryourintervieweemaythinkyou’reactuallyfishingforajobopportunity.You

maywishtoaskforinputaboutitatsomepointintheinterview,butfirstmakesureyou’veestablishedacomfortablerapportwiththeperson.

6.Followup
• Keeprecords.Right

aftertheinterviewwritedownwhatyoulearned,whatmoreyou’dliketoknowandyourreactionsintermsofhowthisindustry,fieldorpositionwould”fit”withyourlifestyle,interests,skillsand

futurecareerplans.
• Sendathankyounotewithin1–2daystoexpressyourappreciationforthetimeandinformationgiven.Based

onwhethertheinformationalinterviewwasrelativelyinformalormorebusinesslike,thismaybeabriefhandwrittennote,anemail,orabusinessletter.
• Keepintouchwiththeperson,especiallyifyouhadaparticularlyniceinteraction;lethimorherknowthatyoufollowedupontheiradviceandhowthingsaregoingasaresult.This

relationshipcouldbecomeanimportantpartofyournetwork.

GradingRubric

1.Answers questionsinanintegratedfashion(20points)
You addressalltheelementsoftheassignment:Who didyouinterview?What istheirjob?What insightsdidyougainaboutyourintendedfield?How willyouusetheinformationyoulearned?
Include oneortwodirectquotesfromtheinterview(thus,youwillneedtorecordthisinterview).What werethestrengthsofyourinterviewtechniques?What

areareasthatyoucouldimproveintermsofinterviewtechniques?How canyoualteryour plan/approachtoimproveforthenextinterview?
Youpresentyourreportinaninterestingandintegratedfashion.Forexample,youwon’tsimplyposeaquestionandanswerit;rather,youwillassessyourinformationandpresentitinaclear,organ

ized,andunifiedmanner.
2.MeetsFormatRequirements(10points)
3–4pages,double-spaced,12point,TimesNewRoman
At leasttwopagesofcareerlessonslearnedandatleastonepageofinterviewinglessonslearned.
3.Mechanics(10points)
The reportisclear,concise,andorganized.The reportisfreeofspellingandgrammarerrors.
4.CareerLearning(30points)
You demonstrateathoughtfulconsiderationoftheinterview.You avoidlearningplatitudes(thingsthatsoundgoodbutmeanlittle).
5.InterviewingLearning(30points)
You demonstrateathoughtfulassessmentofyourownperformanceduringtheinterviewandunderstandyourstrengthsandweaknesses.You avoidlearningplatitudes

(thingsthatsoundgoodbutmeanlittle).
TotalPoints:100

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