These guidelines can be used for both GST 303 and 498 level students required to complete this assignment.

Interview with a Professional Paper [5-6 pages]

During your placement, you should have the opportunity to observe one or more professional employees, all of whom can be excellent resources for information regarding the career field. You must interview at least two professionals for this assignment.  You may either choose professional staff from your workplace OR professionals within the field you are pursuing. You can also obtain names through our resources, through the Alumni Sharing Knowledge program (ASK) at King Alumni Hall, or through your own network of contacts.  If you choose a staff member, he/she does not have to be your immediate supervisor. do not interview students (including graduate students) or clerical/support staff. Even though support staff are critically important in workplace functioning, the goal of this topic is for you to gain information about professional staff positions. Essay form should be followed for this assignment with your interview questions attached to your essay. This paper should be 4-5 pages in length.

Make sure you inform the professionals that each interview will take approximately 30 minutes.  Set up an appointment several weeks in advance of the due date that is convenient for the individual. Call in advance if you must reschedule the interview.  Prepare ahead of time a list of questions for your interview to ensure that all the information is covered. These questions should address points of interest to you, your current workplace, and your future career plans. The following are some guidelines to follow.

1. Introduction- Introduce yourself, expressing appreciation for the person’s time.
2. Length of Interview- If you have not already done this, confirm at the beginning of the interview how long the individual has to meet.  If you still have questions to ask at the end of the time limit agreed upon, ask the person if you could make another appointment.
3. Recording Information- Ask the interviewee if he/she minds if you take notes or tape record during the interview to ensure that you remember the conversation completely.
4. Ending the Interview- Thank them for their time and insight into the field.
5. Follow up the interview with a letter thanking the individual for their time.

SAMPLE INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Job Qualifications: What credentials, educational degrees, licenses, etc., are required for entry into this kind of work? What kind of prior experience is absolutely essential? How long have you worked for this organization? How did you prepare yourself for this work?

Job duties/ Present job: How long have you worked in this job? Describe how you spend your time at work during a typical workweek? What are your major responsibilities? What are the toughest problems you must deal with? What are the most frequently recurring problems? What do you find the most rewarding about the work itself, apart from external motivators, such as salary, fringe benefits, travel, etc.? What do you enjoy about your job?

Life Style/ Job Satisfaction: What obligations does your work require of you, outside of the ordinary workweek? Do you enjoy these obligations? How much flexibility do you have in terms of dress, hours of work, vacation schedules, place of residence, etc.? Why do people choose this type of work over others? What kinds of job-related values are sought in this type of work (security, high income, fringe benefits, vacation time)? Do people in this line of work change jobs frequently? What are the most important forms of compensation in your work other than salary (e.g. bonuses, commissions, pensions, security, vacation time)? What do you like most/least about your job?

Personal Issues: What sacrifices or compromises did you have to make to get where you are today? How do you balance work, leisure, and family demands?

Career Future/ Alternatives/ Career Development: If things develop, as you’d like, what sort of ideal career do you see for yourself? How rapidly is your present career field growing? How would you describe or estimate future prospects? If the work you do was suddenly eliminated, what different kinds of work do you feel that you could do? What types of employers hire people with your background? What advancement opportunities exist within this organization? In what professional development activities have you participated?

Job Hunting: How do people find out about these jobs? Are they advertised in the newspapers (which ones?), by word-of-mouth (who spreads the word?), by the Personnel Office? How does one move from position to position? Do people normally move to another organization (company, division), or do they move up in the organization (company, division)? If you were to hire someone to work with you today, which of the following factors would be the most important in your hiring decision and why? [Educational credentials; Past work experiences; Personality, personal attributes; Specific skills, talents; Applicant’s knowledge of your organization, your department, your job; Other]

Advice to Me: How well suited is my background for this type of work? What educational preparation do you feel would be best? What types of courses would be helpful? What kinds of experiences, paid employment or otherwise, would you most strongly recommend? If you were a recent college graduate and had it to do all over again, what would you do differently to prepare for this occupation? Would your advice be any different for a woman versus a man?

Other Questions/Employer Information: What is the organizational hierarchy? Is there a lot of overtime? In what ways are you compensated for this? Does the organization provide formal on-the-job training? How often are performance reviews given? What criteria are used? Is it possible to transfer from one division to another? Are there any new product lines or new programs being developed? Is the organization expanding- how does it compare with its competitors? What is the normal routine of a …like? What is the average time to get to …level in the career path? What is a typical range for entry-level salary? What level of increase might be expected after one year? What is the best method for getting an employment interview with your organization (resume? walk in? call?)?