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Open 9-5 M-F
during semester,
9-4 during breaks.
Advisors on duty
noon to 2, or
by appointment
Career Services
The College at Brockport
350 New Campus Drive
Brockport, NY 14420-2974
(585) 395 2159
fax: (585) 395 2708
101 Rakov Center
Web site:
rkincaid@brockport.edu
Division of Enrollment
Management & Student Affairs
Question about Career Services? Ask Ellsworth!
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INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS
One of the best sources for gathering information about what's happening in an occupation or an industry is to talk to people working in the field. This process is called informational or research interviewing, and may be done in person or by phone. An informational interview is an interview that you initiate - you ask the questions. The purpose is to obtain information, not to get a job.Reasons to Conduct an Informational Interview:
- Explore careers and clarify your career goals
- Discover employment opportunities that are not advertised
- Expand your professional network
- Build confidence for your job interviews
- Access the most up-to-date career information
- Identify your strengths and weaknesses
How to Conduct an Informational Interview:
1. Identify the Occupation or Industry You Wish to Learn About - Assess your own interests, abilities, values and skills, and evaluate labor conditions to identify the best fields to research.2. Prepare for the Interview - Read all you can about the field prior to the interview. Decide what information you would like to obtain about the occupation/industry. Prepare a list of questions you would like answered.
3. Identify People to Interview - Start with lists of people you already know - friends, relatives, alumni, co-workers, supervisors, neighbors, etc... Professional organizations, the yellow pages, organizational directories and public speakers are also good resources. You may also call an organization and ask for the name of the person by job title.
4. Arrange the Interview - Contact the person to set up an interview by: telephone, an e-mail, a letter followed by a telephone call, or by having someone who knows the person make the appointment for you.
5. Conduct the Interview - Dress appropriately, arrive on time, be polite and professional. Refer to your list of prepared questions; stay on track, but allow for spontaneous discussion. Before leaving, ask your contact to suggest names of others who might be helpful to you and ask permission to use your contact's name when contacting these new contacts.
6. Follow Up - Record information gathered. Be sure to send a thank-you note to your contact within one week of the interview.
Sample Questions for an Informational Interview:
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Prepare
a list of sample questions ahead of time to take to the interview.
Here are some sample questions: 
