Wednesday's Assignment

Information Interviews

Information interviews are considered an integral part of a job search. They are interviews that you (the job seeker) arrange with people who are already working in the occupation you are interested in so that you can gather information about employment trends, possible jobs/career paths to explore, and further sources of information to research. Information interviews can help you find out more about the field you want to work in, practice your interviewing skills, build confidence in your ability to discuss your work expertise, interests and goals, and build your contact network. It is important to be prepared and professional during information interviews: always make an appointment and be punctual, have a list of questions you want to ask, take notes if needed, and keep records of the contact information you gather. After an information interview, it is a good idea to send a thank-you note and acknowledge the person’s time and the advice they gave you.

Task 1:

Click on this link and listen to two conversations in which job seekers request information interviews. For each conversation, answer the questions below.

1. How does a job seeker connect himself/herself to the interview contact?
2. What information about himself/herself does the job seeker provide?
3. What does the job seeker request?
4. How does the job seeker react to his/her contact’s response?
5. How effective was each job seeker’s request?

Task 2:

When making a telephone call to request an information interview, you can create a telephone script to guide you. Prepare a dialogue using the prompts below.  Record yourself on this link, save it, copy the link, and then publish it on your blog for your instructor’s feedback.

• Introduce yourself
• Explain to your contact how you heard of him or her
• Give details about yourself and your situation
• State the purpose of your call Arrange a meeting
• Thank the contact

Task 3:

There are a lot of useful websites when it comes to looking for a job. Click on this link, type in the name of an occupation, and then select a location. Read the information about the occupation. Give a short presentation of your findings to the class. Discuss which parts of the tool you found useful and why.

On your presentation, you need to elaborate on the following areas:

1. Education requirements
2. Experience needed
3. Salary
4. Main duties
5. Any other aspect that you have found useful for you