Informational Interview: Questions to Ask on the Interview

Written by Administrator

Take Steps - Personal Strategy

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Below are some typical informational interview questions. Remember that you won't have time to ask anywhere near all of these questions, so target the ones you feel will be most useful to you personally. Pick a dozen or so that get at what you most want to know.

You may want to get permission from your interviewees to tape-record the conversations, but be aware that transcribing taped conversations can be very time-consuming.

• What is your job like? - A regular day?
- What are the duties/responsibilities of your position?
- What types of problems do you handle?
- What types of decisions must you make?
- What amount of your work day is spent doing what?
- How does the time percentage vary? Are there slow and busy times or is the work fairly constant?

• How did this career interest you and how did you start?

• How did you land your job? What experiences have led you to your present position?

• Can you suggest different ways students could obtain experience?

• What are the most important personal satisfactions and dissatisfactions connected with your occupation? What part of your job do you find most satisfying? What's most challenging? What do you like and not like about working in this industry?

• What things did you do before you entered this occupation? - Which have been most helpful?
- What other jobs can you get with the same background?

• What are the various jobs in this field or organization?

• Why did you decide to work for this company?

• What do you like most about this company?

• Do you find your job exciting or boring? Why?

• How does your company differ from its competitors?

• Why do customers choose this company?

• Are you optimistic about the company's future and your future with the company?

• What does the company do to contribute to its employees' professional development?

• How does the company make use of technology for internal communication and outside marketing? (Use of e-mail,Internet, intranets, World Wide Web page, video conferencing, etc.)

• What sorts of changes are occurring in your occupation?

• How does a person progress in your field? What is a typical career path in this field or organization? - What is the best way to enter this occupation?
- What are the advancement opportunities?
- What are the major qualifications for success in this occupation?