SUGGESTED INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWING QUESTIONS

1. What are the specific duties and responsibilities?
2. Describe a typical day/week?
3. What are the toughest problems you deal with?
4. What part of this work do you find most rewarding?

1. What kind of training, education, or course work is required?
2. What skills or talents are most essential in this career?
3. What personal qualities are important?
4. What kinds of prior experiences are absolutely essential?
5. How did you prepare yourself for this work?

1. What type of setting, hours, atmosphere, etc. can be expected?
2. What obligations does this type of work place upon you outside of the ordinary work week?
3. How much flexibility do you have in terms of hours of work, dress, vacation, etc.?

1. What types of internships/part-time jobs would you suggest before entering this field?
2. Where would I look for related experiences in this career, such as internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer positions?" (try to get specific names of places and people)
3. What types of employers hire people in this field? Where are they located?

1. What additional training or qualifications are necessary for advancement?
2. What are some of the job possibilities for experienced workers in this field?
3. Is turnover high in this field?
4. Do people normally move to another company/organization or do they move up in the company/organization?

1. How rapidly is the present career field growing?
2. If the work you do was suddenly eliminated, what different kinds of work do you feel you could do?
3. How would you describe or estimate future prospects?

1. What is the average starting salary?
2. What are the salaries for experienced workers?
3. How much do salaries vary in this career according to the employer, region, or industry?

1. Based on our conversation today, what other people do you believe I should talk to?
2. Can you name a few people who might be willing to see me? May I have permission to use your name when I call or contact them?
3. What are the professional associations in this field?

1. What skills do you think I have? Can you give examples of when you've seen me use them.
2. What are some interests I seem to have. How might these be important to my career?
3. Based on what you know about me (and perhaps my family), what are some values you think I should consider seriously when I seek a job?
4. What is your perception of me as an employee? What fields do you perceive me in? Why?

1. Are there regrets you have about how you made any of your career decisions? Can you give me suggestions as to how I might avoid having those same regrets?
2. What are some of the best things about the decisions you've made in your career? How did you do it?
3. If you were a college graduate again and had to do it all over again, what would you do different? What would you do the same?
4. What educational preparation do you feel would be the best?
5. What kinds of experiences, paid employment, internships, or volunteer, do you most strongly recommend?
6. Is there anything I should be asking that I've forgotten?

1. Based on our conversation today, what other people do you believe I should talk to?
2. Can you name a few people who might be willing to see me? May I have permission to use your name when I call or contact them?
3. Can I check back with you in a few weeks to let you know what happens as I follow up on the information you've shared with me today?