Learning about a profession requires more than just preparation in college courses. Often, you can learn about a professional field by conducting research in trade magazines or journals, examining the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the Bureau of Labor and other government and non-profit organization websites, or interviewing people who work in that field.

In an interview, a person can reveal the daily routine and performance expectations of the profession. This person can also explain what skills you need to develop to be successful in the field. For this major assignment, you will interview a person in the professional field that you hope to enter once you graduate from college.

The purpose of the interview is to find out more about the professional field you are considering entering after graduation from someone who currently works in that field. The focus of the interview questions should be on the professional field rather than the individual. For example, a question about what the person does on a day-to-day basis is about the field, whereas a question like, “where did you go to college?” is about the person. The interview will help you understand more about what skills and experience will help you excel in the field once you enter it.

The assignment will benefit your development in the course in several ways: you will learn more about your profession, which will help you develop your application letter and résumé; you will begin networking in your professional field; you will conduct a professional interview; and you will develop summarizing skills that will benefit your research and writing in future assignments.

Assignment Details

The interview summary has several steps. Please complete them in the proper order to ensure that you finish the interview summary successfully.

STEP ONE: Choose a person in the professional field that you aspire to enter once you graduate from college. This person cannot be a parent, sibling, or grandparent, but can be a friend of a parent or another relative.

STEP TWO: For class, you will draft an e-mail based on class reading and the assignment requirements. In order to draft this e-mail, you should provide the individual with a general sense of why you are e-mailing them, what the project is, how much time it will take to complete, and thank them for considering the request. These materials are the basics for what the e-mail should contain. Based on what you read, construct an e-mail that accomplishes this goal using appropriate tone, e-mail protocol, content, organization, and mechanics. The interview should take about 1 to 1 1/2 hours to complete.

STEP THREE: Before the interview, construct a list of questions to ask the interviewee about the professional field. Do not ask the person questions that are personal as the purpose of the interview is to understand the field, not to get to know the individual (for example, do not ask where they went to college or when). The questions should help you develop a sense of what you would do on a day-to-day basis in this job as well as what skills are used in the profession. Ask open ended questions (not yes/no questions). Here are some examples that are helpful:

What are the day-to-day tasks that you do in this position?
How much of your day do you devote to writing? What type of writing does that entail?
What skills do you feel are important for someone who is considering this type of position to have? Why?
What are the specific classes or experiences that you felt prepared you to work in this position? Why?
What recommendations do you have for someone who is looking to enter this profession after graduating college?
These questions are examples and starter questions; please develop a few of your own. You should also be listening carefully to responses in case you think of a follow-up question to something that the interviewee says.

STEP FOUR: The day of the interview, dress professionally and arrive a few minutes early. Be sure to have your questions and a pad of paper to take notes during the interview. If you would like to record the interview, ask the interviewee’s permission first. Be prepared to lead the discussion as you asked for the interview. Remember to thank the interviewee before you leave.

STEP FIVE: After the interview, review your notes and/or recording. You will need to summarize the interview rather than simply transcribe the interview. To create a summary of the interview, you will write an informal report (see 3.9.79 in Pearson Business Reference and Writer’s Handbook). The informal report should follow the guidelines described in the textbook, which include an introduction with the interview questions. The informal report should also summarize the findings of the interview with a focus on the skills and experience necessary to succeed in the profession. Based on what you learn in the interview, the informal report should draw conclusions about the profession, which may include outside research from trade publications or online sources like the Occupational Outlook Handbook.

STEP SIX : After the interview, please send the interviewee a professional e-mail thanking them for the interview. Make sure to follow the e-mail protocol described in the textbook.

STEP SEVEN : To submit the professional interview packet, you will need to include 3 documents. The first document should be the e-mail you sent to the interviewee to request the interview. This e-mail should be followed by the informal report summarizing the interview. The final document should be the follow-up thank you e-mail sent to the interviewee after the interview. The professional interview packet is due to Smartsite before class on Wednesday, April 9. Please save the file as a Word document using your last name, first initial, and interview (simonr_interview.docx).

Requirements

Contains at least 1000 words single-spaced in block paragraph style
Follows the guidelines of an informal report for design and content
Offers an objective summary of the interview; avoid personal pronouns
Is organized, uses transitional phrases, and maintains business style
Includes e-mail for interview, informal report, and thank you e-mail
Avoids grammar, spelling, and/or punctuation (GSP) errors
Maintains 1 inch margins on all sides of the document and 12 point Times New Roman typeface
Centered page numbers in the bottom footer
Submitted to Smartsite saved using your last name, first initial, and interview (simonr_interview.docx) before class

The interview summary is worth 75 points or 7.5% of your final grade for the course. Remember that in order to pass the course, you must submit all major assignments (this is a major assignment) and receive a C- or higher for the final course grade.

The grading rubric for the interview summary is included below. Please review this rubric before submitting your final draft to Smartsite.