J. Week Nine: Interview

Information Interview

You are surrounded by colleagues who have vast amounts of experience. It is very important to try and gain contacts with these individuals and learn from them. Select someone who is in a professional position inside or outside of your company (and who is not an immediate family member or close friend) who is at a career position that you might wish to attain in the coming years. Ask this person if they would be willing to sit down with you for 30 minutes to discuss their career.

Instructor Approval

Before you conduct the interview, e-mail or phone your faculty advisor for approval of your proposed interviewee (person whom you wish to interview). Advise your advisor of the name, title, and organization of your interviewee, as well as a brief description of his/her responsibilities.

Question List

Before the interview, you should also come up with a list of questions that you like answers to, e.g., "How did you get to your current position?", "What future do you see?", "What advice do you have for me, both professionally and technically?", etc.

Essay - Information Interview

After the interview, write your essay to summarize the new and useful information that you gathered about their career and how their life experience and advice can help you. Make sure you include the name, title, and organization of your interviewee. Include a paragraph on why you chose this person. Do not cut and paste questions and answers, but try and form a "narrative" showing the highlights of what you have learned.

Thank-You Note

Write a thank-you letter to your interviewee.

Handin

Attach the following as additional pages to your essay:

1. The list of questions you used
2. The thank you note you sent