Informational Interviews

On the QT Newsletter, Informational Interviews
October 21, 2008
InformationalInterview.pdf (47 KB)

Did you know? Students who make workplace connections as part of their college education are more successful in today’s competitive global economy. While there are a number of meaningful ways of bridging the gap between classroom and careers, informational interviews are an invaluable tool. Informational interviews provide students with first-hand information about jobs that interest them, and help them begin to build their personal career networks. One of the best ways to incorporate informational interviews into your course is to do a classroom informational interview with a professional person whose career is related to your discipline. In this way you not only give students an opportunity to experience the informational interview process, but you also demonstrate how the information they are learning in your course has relevant applications in a workplace setting. The informational activity outlined below introduces students to the initial steps in preparing for a meaningful informational interview.

Try This:

• Ask students what they know about informational interviews.
• Explain that an informational interview is a great tool they can use to meet interesting people and explore different career paths. To give them a better idea of the look and feel of an informational interview, show this four-minute clip of a group informational interview with Starbucks’ Founder and Chairman, Howard Schultz.
• Give students some background information about the person you have invited to participate in the class’s group informational interview.
• Distribute the informational interview activity sheet attached, review the assignment, and discuss the advantages of asking open-ended questions.
• After they complete the activity, have students share their open-ended questions, and from them, compose a list of questions for the class interview. If they need more information or resources on informational interviewing, assign the online Career Clues lesson, Ask Experts.

Add an Experience:
Follow the class informational interview session by assigning students an informational interview to complete on their own or with a partner. Because students are generally reluctant to contact professionals and request an interview, you will need to guide them through the process. More information on how to do this is available in the “Assign Informational Interviews” and “Role Play for Information” in the Handy Activities for Student Success Booklet. By offering students an opportunity to participate in informational interviews, you are helping them build their communication skills, make new connections, and find fulfilling careers.

Quick Quote: Informational interviewing builds relationships with people who become invested in your career, remember you, and are eager to hear about your progress.
Katharine Hansen, author, A Foot in the Door