Career Starters (A): Informational Interview
This assignment was introduced in the Week 3 Discussion with a three-step plan of action for conducting an informational interview to learn more about your target career and what it’s like to work in this occupation. The informational interview is your opportunity to network with someone in your intended career field and develop new professional relationships. Consider this interview as an investment in your career with potential long-term benefits.
Download, save to your computer, and complete the Week 8 Informational Interview Form Download Week 8 Informational Interview FormOpen this document with ReadSpeaker docReader. In addition to filling out the Interviewee Information and the Interview Questions and Responses, summarize your key takeaways from the Informational Interview in the Reflection section with a minimum of two well-written paragraphs.
There are four steps to the Informational Interview. You should have completed Steps 1–2 and set up the appointment as advised in the Week 3 Informational Interview Discussion instructions.
- Compile a list of professionals in your target career field who have a minimum of 2–3 years in that position. Identify people who are working at a company similar to one in which you are interested. Prepare a brief introduction of yourself and the purpose of the Informational Interview.
- Revise and finalize your list of open-ended questions to ask during the interview.
- Set up a day and time for the interview and be sure to confirm. This can be an in-person interview, Zoom, or phone interview—whatever works best for the both of you. Record the interviewee’s responses to your questions either electronically or by taking notes. Afterwards, type the responses onto the Informational Interview Form. Also fill out the Interviewee Information on the form.
- Send a thank you letter, note, or email to the interviewee within 24 hours of completing the interview. And, if appropriate, be sure to connect with them via LinkedIn.
Submit your Informational Interview Form as a Microsoft Word document named InfoInterviewLASTName.docx by the last day of class, Saturday (not Sunday) of Week 8 at 11:59 p.m. MT.
Grading Rubric
CriteriaRatingsPointsCareer Starters (A): Informational Interview
Filled out the Interviewee Information section of the Informational Interview Form completely. Listed 10 open-ended questions in Column 1 and recorded (typed) the responses to the 10 informational interview questions in Column 2 (5 points each).50 to >0.0 pts
Met Requirements0 pts
Missed Requirements50Career Starters (A): Informational Interview
Key takeaways from the Informational Interview were summarized with a minimum of two well-written paragraphs in the Reflection section of the Informational Interview Form.25 to >0.0 pts
Met Requirements0 pts
Missed Requirements25
