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Meeting With an Alum: If You Arrange to Meet with an Alum, be Sure to: - Confirm your meeting a few days in advance
- Dress professionally
- Arrive on time
- Bring your resume for feedback, if appropriate
- Be professional and courteous
- Ask questions that demonstrate your research and interest
- Take notes, but be sure to ask permission to do so first
- Express your thanks and appreciation
- Determine any follow-up
- Ask for a business card
- Be sure to get their address so you can send a thank you note
Sample Questions for Informational or Research Interviewing:
The questions asked during an informational phone call or meeting will vary according to your career interests, the industry, and the specific background of the alum. Be sure to develop questions specific to the alum's career field, industry or employer. Below are some examples of general questions to add. Informational interview questions generally fall into 3 categories - questions concerning the individual, questions about the organization or profession, and questions about your match to the career field and suggested follow-up.
Questions About the Individual: - How did you get into this field and how did you decide that this was the kind of work you wanted to pursue?
- What was your educational background and how has it helped or hindered you?
- What are your responsibilities and what do you do during a typical day or week?
- What skills, talents, and traits are useful and necessary to do your job?
- What are the satisfactions and challenges of your work?
- What do you like best and/or least about your career field?
- What's the typical career progression in this field or what options might your position and background lead to?
Questions About the Organization/Industry or Profession: - How would you characterize this organization as an employer?
- What are the goals of your department within the organizational structure?
- What are the requirements/skills sets for entry jobs?
- What's the current demand for people in your field? Geographic considerations?
- How is the market for entry level opportunities?
- What salary range might one expect at an entry vs. experienced level?
- What forces or trends do you see currently affecting your job or industry; future trends?
- What are the best sources for learning more about your career field, organization and/or industry?
Send a Thank You: - Let the alum know if the discussion has been extremely helpful in reinforcing your interest in or decision about the particular field.
- Thank the alum; let them know that you plan to follow-up on his/her suggestions.
- Always send a hard copy or email thank you note after receiving assistance by email, phone, or in person.
- Follow-up on any advice that was given - send a resume for his/her review, follow-up on suggested reading material, initiate internship contacts, etc.
- Periodically stay in touch with your contact(s), if you wish, to let him/her know how you are progressing and/or seek ongoing advice, as appropriate.
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