Informational Interview and Analysis Paper | Assignment
For this paper, you will arrange, plan, and conduct an interview with a professional who holds a position similar to one you would like to pursue upon graduation. After the interview, you will submit a typed copy of your agenda (questions) and a 4-6 page paper where you describe what happened during the interview and what you learned about the interview experience. You should also include an analysis and evaluation of yourself as the Interviewer.
Interview Guidelines: The interview should be at least 30 minutes in length. It should not be longer than an hour. (Use polite discretion if the interviewee wishes to talk longer than 30 minutes.)
Paper Structure: Your paper should be divided into four parts. In the first portion of the paper, discuss your role as interviewer. Next discuss the role of your interviewee. Thirdly, discuss the overall effectiveness and success of the interview. Finally, attach the interview schedule at the end of the paper as an Appendix with at least 12 questions.
Part I – Interviewer: This section should be 3-5 paragraphs long and should cover the following information:
Discuss the opening of the interview in terms of comfort.
Discuss the effectiveness of questions asked both in terms of content and sequence. Be sure to comment on your use of follow up questions.
Discuss the communication skills – effective and appropriate?
Personal appearance – professional and courteous?
Evidence of preparation – was research done on this person, the job, and the company?
Part II – Interviewee: This section should be 3-5 paragraphs long and should cover the following information:
Were answers complete and to the point?
Did the interviewee ask for clarification of questions when needed?
Communication skills – was the interviewee articulate and personable?
Evidence of preparation – did the interviewee seem able and prepared to answer questions?
Section III – Overall Effectiveness: This section should be 2-3 paragraphs long and should cover the following information:
Was the interview a success? Did you acquire the information you needed?
If you had it to do over, what would you change?
Section IV – Interview Schedule
This is simply a list of the questions you asked the interviewee.
Paper Guidelines
The following material should be submitted for this assignment.
Papers should be 4-6 pages of content (double-spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font, in Microsoft Word format) plus the interview schedule as an Appendix.
Use proper grammar, sentence structure and spelling.
Use the APA format.
A typed title/cover page containing:
your name
the name of the person you interviewed
the title of the person interviewed
the company the interviewee is employed with
the location of the interview
the date and time of the interview
A typed schedule of questions used during the interview, this is the last page behind the paper.
The paper must be free of grammatical, spelling, and/or punctuation errors.
