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Decide What Questions to Ask in an Informational Interview - alis
Use this exercise to help you choose the most useful questions to ask in your informational interview.
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Decide What Questions to Ask in an Informational Interview

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To be effective in an informational interview, you need to be clear about the kind of information you're seeking. 

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Tips for a Successful Informational Interview

An informational interview is a useful way to get up-to-date, accurate facts about an industry, occupation, organization, or educational program.

Complete the following exercise to gather a list of questions to take with you to an interview that will get you the details you need from your informational interview. 

Some of the questions in this exercise may not be relevant or valuable for your interview. Once you've completed the exercise, remove any questions that won't give you information to help you make your choice. 

Top questions to ask in your informational interview

Occupational information

What does this occupation involve on a day-to-day basis?

What set of values does this occupation reflect?

How do people enter this field (both the usual and unusual approaches)?

What do you like and dislike about this occupation?

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Industry information

What kinds of people are attracted to positions in this industry? What are their values? What motivates them?

What are the cyclical patterns of this industry?

What changes and challenges are the industry facing?

What credentials or training programs are most respected within the industry?

What are the unspoken expectations for people who work in this industry?

What industry organizations or associations would you recommend? What publications would be helpful to someone interested in this industry?

Employer-specific information

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