Career Mentor Paper - What is a typical day like for an entry

“Informational Interview”

Career Mentor Paper

Your Career Mentor must be someone who has experience your field of interest and has been involved in hiring. Your mentor should have a minimum of three years of experience in the industry, and a background or knowledge of the hiring process for entry level candidates in their field. Interviews can be conducted by phone, in person, or virtually.

Arrange the interview. With permission to use the name of the person who referred you, arrange the phone, video, or in-person interview. Contact the person to set up an interview by telephone, by an email followed by a telephone call, or by having someone who knows the person make the appointment for you. An example follows:

Hello Mr. Jones, my name is YOUR NAME. Sally Smith indicated you would be a good person for me to speak with for information and advice on the NAME industry. I’m a class at Trine University and am gathering information for my job search. If possible, I’d like to set up a short meeting with you in the next two weeks.

Treat the appointment as you would a job interview. Prepare for the interview by researching the company in which your contact works. Dress professionally. Print out your list of questions you’d like to ask your contact. Bring copies of your resume with you to the interview. Consider emailing a confirmation of your appointment with your professional resume attached to the message as background information about you.

Informational/Referral Interview Questions (Source: PWC Personal Brand Week: Relationships & Mentoring Top 10 Tips II)

1. What is a typical day like for an entry-level professional in your organization/profession?

2. Tell me about how you made the decisions in your career path—why you chose this field, why you took positions and left positions.

3. What do you like best about your occupation? What do you like least?

4. What does your company/industry look for in the people they hire?

5. What activities, classes or other parts of your college experience best prepared you for your career?

6. What is the best decision you made as an undergraduate with respect to your professional life? Is there anything you would do differently?

7. What skills and experience are most impressive in your field?

8. What media outlets (blogs, magazines, newspapers, Twitter feeds, etc.) should I be reading or watching to be in the loop in the industry? What organizations and online groups do you recommend I belong to?

9. What do you think is the future outlook for your industry? What kinds of changes are taking place in this type of work?

10. Would you be willing to review my résumé and offer your opinion and advice?