Q Two Informational Interviews. Informational interviews are an effective way to meet people in a professional field of your interest. You will conduct two brief interviews with two individuals who have a career in the occupation/industry that you wish to learn more about. You will write an essay about the information interview experience (one essay for each interview). The essay should be at least one page (12 point font, 1-inch margins, double-spaced). The following are example questions to ask during an informational interview. You may use as many or as few as you choose (some of these are not appropriate for some jobs, so choose them before your interview). You just need to ask them enough questions to provide a description of their job or career. You may turn in their responses with your essay. 1. What are your main responsibilities as…? 2. What is a typical day (or week) like for you? 3. What do you like most about your work? 4. What do you like least about your work? 5. What kinds of problems do you deal with? 6. What kinds of decisions do you make? 7. How does your position fit within the organization/career field/industry? 8. How does your job affect your general lifestyle? 9. What current issues and trends in the field should I know about/ be aware of? 10. What are some common career paths in this field? 11. What kinds of accomplishments tend to be valued and rewarded in this field? 12. What related fields do you think I should consider looking into? 13. How did you become interested in this field? 14. How did you begin your career? 15. How do most people get into this field? What are common entry-level jobs? 16. What steps would you recommend I take to prepare to enter this field? 17. How relevant to you work is your undergraduate major? 18. What kind of education, training, or background does your job require? 19. What skills, abilities, and personal attributes are essential to success in your job/this field? 20. What is the profile of the person most recently hired at my level? 21. What are the most effective strategies for seeking a position in the field? 22. Can you recommend professional associations, trade journals, or magazines which would be helpful for my professional development? 23. If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? If not, what would you change? 24. I’ve read that the entry-level salary range for this field is usually in the range of __________? Does this fit with what you’ve seen? (Don’t ask about the person’s actual salary). 25. What advice would you give someone who is considering this type of job (or field)? 26. Can you suggest anyone else I could contact for additional information?