Information Interviewing

Making decisions about career options requires accurate information. One of the best ways to obtain such information is to talk to people who are currently working in your field of interest. This method of gathering information for career exploration is called Information Interviewing.

Info Interviewing/Job Shadow Online Workshop

Purpose of Information Interviewing

• To learn about career fields from an insider's perspective.
• To determine if a particular career is right for you.
• To make connections with people and expand your network of contacts. 
• To develop a skill which will be useful throughout your life when you want to change jobs or simply learn something new.

The Information Interviewing Process

Research and Prepare

Go to the Career Resource Center on either campus and read as much as you can about the career. Write down questions that arise during your research and take them with you to the interview. To determine which questions will be most helpful, ask yourself the following: What information do I need in order to make a decision? Will the answers to these questions help me feel more self-confident, motivated and focused about my career-direction? Your information interview questions should be open-ended, starting with words like "how," "what," "why," "when," and "in what way."

The following are some additional questions you might want to ask the individual:

• What do you like most about your job and why?
• What do you like least about your job and why?
• How did you decide to get into this field and what steps did you take to enter the field?
• Describe a typical day (week, year) in your job.
• What are some examples of the projects you work on and problems you solve in your work?
• How do you divide your time between working with people, data and machines?
• Describe the work environment(s) in which you work? (Location, amount of pressure, aesthetics, pace, variety, amount of supervision, flexible work schedules, amount of overtime, etc.)
• What type of stresses do you experience on the job?
• What training would you recommend for someone wanting to enter this field now?
• What are the employment trends in this field? Is the field expanding? Taking any new directions?
• What personal qualities do you feel are most important in your work and why?
• What are the opportunities for promotion?
• What is the salary range for a person in this field? Entry-level to top salary?
• What related occupations might I investigate?
• What undergraduate courses do you recommend for a good educational background in this field?
• Can you give me the names of two other persons who share your enthusiasm for this kind of work? How can I contact them?
• What suggestions do you have for an individual wishing to enter this field of employment?
• What kind of work/internship/volunteer experiences would be helpful to prepare for such work?

Identify people to interview

• Start with your friends, relatives, parents of friends or neighbors involved in the field. They can talk with you about their occupation or refer you to a potential contact.
• Contact Saint Ben's and/or Saint John's alums through the CAreer NEtworking (CANE) files which are located in the Career Resource Centers on both campuses.
• Your professors and career counselors may be able to suggest names of people to call.
• Check business directories and other resources available in the Career Resource Centers.

Contact the person for an interview

People generally enjoy talking about their work and being asked for advice if they are approached respectfully and with understanding about the very real time pressures under which they work.  Demonstrate the following characteristics when you call for an appointment.

• Introduce yourself clearly, telling him/her how you got his/her name.
• Indicate that you seek personalized information about their field before you decide to enter it.
• Sound enthusiastic and delighted to reach them.
• Refer to the research you have already reviewed about the field and/or company.
• Request an appointment several days in advance.
• Ask for a specific amount of time (i.e. 20-30 min.) for the appointment.
• Try to arrange the interview at the person's work site so it is easier for them and so that you can determine first-hand how it might feel to work there.
• Make sure they know you are not calling for a job.

Tips on Conducting the Information Interview

• Regarding dress: Be professional and consider the type of environment.
• Arrive at your interview ahead of time. Give yourself plenty of time to park and locate the office.
• Be confident and friendly with people you approach.
• Smile and give a firm handshake as you meet people.
• Take a few minutes to get acquainted with your contact person. Then reiterate the purpose of your visit and indicate that you have prepared some specific questions you want to ask.
• Have paper and pencil handy to take notes as necessary. Keep your notes brief so that you can maintain eye contact.
• Stick to your agreed upon time-frame.
• Near the end of the interview, ask, "If you were in my shoes, what would you be asking or doing?" "Can you recommend anyone else who might be helpful?"

Follow Up

After you leave, find a quiet place to sit and write down key information you received from this person. List new ideas and questions which have come to mind. Follow up with a handwritten thank you note which mentions something of specific value that the person said during the interview. If your handwriting is difficult to read, you may wish to type the note instead. To gain additional first-hand information, consider contacting a professional in your interest area to inquire about possibilities for "shadowing" them on the job.