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INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEW GUIDE So, you’ve just completed a job simulation. How does this experience change your approach to conducting an informational interview? You can use your self-reflection sheet to ask more specific questions and gain more insight about your career of interest. -1224612309900 2416810100965The purpose of having this conversation is to: Learn more about a job or career path Confirm or challenge any ideas you have about a job or career path Learn about skills needed to be competitive for the job or career of interest Expand your professional network 00The purpose of having this conversation is to: Learn more about a job or career path Confirm or challenge any ideas you have about a job or career path Learn about skills needed to be competitive for the job or career of interest Expand your professional network Use this guide to connect with a professional and learn more about your career of interest.You’ve completed a task that a professional performs often in your career of interest.Reflecting on your experience doing the job simulation, you might ask:What types of skills (soft and technical) will you need in that job?What additional knowledge do you need to gain to be competitive for the job of interest?You completed one task of several possible tasks - does the professional perform this task? How frequently? At what stage in their career? Is this task done similarly or differently in their organization? Do they perform the task individually or in teams? What is the next step? How do you get good at performing this task? The definition of an informational interview. The term ‘informational interview’ is just another name for a conversation you have with someone else to learn more about their professional experience, while exploring your own career options. They usually last 30-45 minutes and often occur in person or over the phone. How do they differ from employment interviews? In an informational interview, you interview the professional to ask for information, NOT about an available job in their company. If you are searching for a job, build your professional network through informational interviews. Former trainees have mentioned that the same professionals they’ve interviewed are often more responsive to later requests to keep you in mind if a position becomes available. 2 of 4] Who am I interviewing? Anyone in your field of interest. Identify professionals who are in the career you’re interested in. Ask friends and colleagues for introductions or use LinkedIn to connect with professionals. Search by job title, organization of interest or current or potential contacts that will likely have valuable information they can share with you. Prepare for your conversation, and read about them and the company they work for in order to avoid asking obvious questions. What is the typical process for an informational interview? Email the contact and ask to set a time to talk Introduce yourself and your reason for contacting them Request a brief 30 minute conversation; offer to buy coffee/lunch Conduct the interview Briefly introduce yourself Use the suggested informational interview questions Take notes; try to leave each session with an additional contact Thank them for meeting you Email a thank-you note 24-48 hours later **This is very important!** Keep your contacts updated on your job search or other progress, as appropriate. It’s rare to receive good news and thank you emails in your inbox. Sending updates periodically, as appropriate, to inform them how their information helped you in your career, is a way to maintain contact with your network. How do I ask someone to do an informational interview? You can approach them via email. Often it helps to first send an email and then follow up by phone or an additional email. Check the OCPD website for more examples. Your first email might look like this: 240665150041 Subject line for email: Frida Kahlo suggested I contact you. Dear Dr. Rivera, My name is _____. I recently spoke with Frida Kahlo, who suggested that I contact you. Would it be possible for us to meet for 20-30 minutes? I am a third-year graduate student at UCSF, and am considering making a transition into editing for a scientific journal. I would appreciate the opportunity to learn about PLOS, your experiences there, and any advice you might have for someone like me looking to break into the field. I can meet you for coffee or we can talk over the phone, whichever is most convenient for you. Thanks for considering it. Regards, Pablo Picasso How do I prepare for an informational interview? You should always be dressed appropriately and be there 5-10 minutes early and ready. Have a notepad, pen, business cards (if you have them), a hard copy of your resume/CV, a copy of your job simulation prompt and deliverable, and have your phone silenced. Have an unobtrusive way to keep track of time so you can give yourself 3-4 minutes to wrap up. Be prepared and organized. Although you aren’t there to ask for a job, informational interviews have led some trainees to job opportunities. Are you meeting them at their work? Ask what type of attire is appropriate. Allow extra time to park, find the office building, and to sign in/ check in at the front desk. Are you meeting them at a café? Dress business casual, scope out the location ahead of time to score good seating. If it’s too noisy, identify an alternate location you can walk to and walk there with them. Offer to buy coffee/tea. Are you talking over the phone? Dress business casual, keep a smile on your face (it makes a difference!), make sure you won’t be interrupted by noise or distractions, sit with good posture or stand in a power pose. At the start, check whether they can hear you well, adjust as needed, and have a backup phone available. Double check that they still have time for you and confirm the amount of time you have for the conversation. How might I begin an informational interview? Your conversation would begin by mimicking the language of your initial approach. The point is to take 60 seconds to set the agenda for the person. For example: “Thank you for speaking with me. As I shared in my email, I’m currently completing my PhD at UCSF and am considering the next stage in my career. I’d like to ask you a few questions about your current position and to learn about opportunities in the field.” After you briefly introduce yourself, the bulk of the conversation (and your questions) should focus on the other person: their position, their background, transitional experiences that helped them get their position, their career trajectory, and their advice. How do I conduct the interview? One structure found in career development books is called “pro, me, we”, and provides a format for the interview based on the time spent on each person. -1358906667500Questions for the Professional Questions in the “pro” section of the interview could cover these categories: the present, past, future and advice. If you’re particularly interested in a certain category, feel free to focus your questions on your area of interest. These categories are suggestions for topics to get you started. Specific questions are listed below. Focus Topics A. Their Present Their current responsibilities. Information about the organization they work for. B. Their Past Their academic and professional background. Transitional experiences that helped them reach their current job and what the interview process was like. C. Their Future Where they see themselves in 5-10 years. if you’re interested in the specific organization, ask about the future of the organization D. Their Advice Their suggestions on individuals or organizations to meet/research. Advice on how to enter the field. Sample Informational Interview Questions A. Questions about the professional’s present professional experience: I understand that your role at in the organization is doing X, what does that look like on a daily basis? I recently completed a job simulation task on X and… used skills A and B. Do you use these skills in your job and how do you use them? found that Y component was exactly what I like to do. Is doing Y common in your job? found that Z component was challenging, can you tell me about how you would advise someone in your field to tackle Z? What tasks do you perform more often now versus when you first entered the field? What are common skills and qualities of individuals who are successful in your position (engaging co-workers, setting expectations, managing up)? What do you like and find most challenging about this position/for this organization? How would you describe the culture, management style, and organization here? B. Questions about the professional’s past professional experience/ career path: I recently completed a job simulation task on X. Do you think that I could mention to a hiring manager that I’ve done this task as a way to show interest in the career? What are advantages/disadvantages to the path you took to get to where you are? What transitional experiences were key to be qualified for your position (internship, coursework)? What type of training did you receive when you first began working here? Do you still receive professional development training? Was there anything you wish you had known before you started this career path?C. Questions about the professional’s future career: What are some future career paths that open up for someone in your position 5-10 years down the road? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? Where do you see the company/organization in the next 5 years? D. General advice: What advice would you give someone who wants to be break into the field? What questions do you suggest candidates ask about job expectations and available training before taking a position in your field? From the research I’ve done so far, I’ve developed a list of organizations that I am interested in. Are there organizations I’ve left off that I could look at more closely? Can you recommend anyone else who might be willing to discuss their career path with me, either with a background or interest similar to mine (in terms of interest, research area, etc.), or who works at one of the organizations we talked about? Interviewing How do I close the interview? Thank the person for their time and advice, and be specific about what you found valuable. Also ask to keep in touch. A final statement could be something like: “Thank you for sharing your perspective and background. I appreciate your taking the time to meet. I found your advice about [specific advice 1] and suggestions for [specific suggestion 1] very helpful. May I have your business card or contact you through LinkedIn? I’d like to keep in touch with you as I move forward in this process. And if I can ever return the favor, please don’t hesitate to contact me.” What should I include in a thank you note? The note is a brief (6 lines at most!) statement thanking them for their time, reflections about what you appreciated, and a request to keep in touch. It could be handwritten or by email. Subject line (if email): Thank you Dear Dr. Mozart, I wanted to thank you for the opportunity to hear about your experience as an Editor at PLOS. After our conversation I have a much better sense of the rewards and challenges of working at a scientific journal. As you suggested, I will get in touch with Sarah Joplin at AAAS next week. I greatly appreciate your time and do hope to keep in touch as I go through my job search next year. Please let me know if I can ever be of service to you. Warm regards, Aaron Copland ................
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