Informational interviewing

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The Career Express - Spring 2005 articles

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STEPS to Successful Career Planning

The STEPS model - Implementation

How to market yourself

Interviewing

The Keys to Interviewing: Informational Interviewing

Purpose:

	To get advice and information about that career field.
	It is not an opportunity to ask for a position or about current job openings.
	At a later date, the contacts you made will be helpful in your job search by networking.
	When making an appointment with the professional, be very truthful and clear about your purpose.

Reasons to do informational interviewing

	To investigate and/or gain insights in a specific career field.
	To receive "up to date" information and to get a sense of the "job setting".
	The information gained in the interviews can form the basis for making a career decision. It may be used to expand options or to eliminate some preliminary choices.
	People are usually more candid in their comments when talking to a person one-to-one rather than what may be written in a publication.
	Learn from knowledgeable people how to best prepare for particular careers.
	For future job seekers, it is a good way to prepare for job interview questions.
	Through these "contacts" you can begin to develop a network of contacts within this career field. (75-80% of jobs in the United States are found through some form of networking.

Preparation

	Know what skills you have (in as much detail as possible), where and how you would most like to use them.
	Learn as much as you can about the organization.
	Have your questions written down.
	Do your homework through research - look at brochures, annual reports, employee handbooks, etc. (ASU's Career Education Center)
	Learn about the career in general - look at salary, working conditions, promotional possibilities. (ASU's Career Education Center)
	Practice how you are going to introduce yourself to people in the field by preparing a Capsule Biography.