Here are questions for an informational interview to learn about the person and their career:
- How did you get into this career field / position / company?
- What did you do before you entered this field?
- What was your career path to reach your current position?
- What is your current title?
- What do you do in your current job?
- What is a normal day like?
- What are your responsibilities? What percentage of time do you spend on each of these?
- What skills do I need most to be successful in this position / career?
- What types of problems do you deal with?
- What types of decisions do you make?
- How much of your time do you spend on (fill in the blank with the information you want)?
- What do you like and dislike about your job?
- How’s this job / career different from what you expected?
- What are some of the most interesting projects you have worked on?
- What are the most challenging aspects of your job?
- What are the most frustrating aspects of your job?
- What aspects of your job are routine / repetitive?
- Is the work environment competitive? Cooperative? How so?
- How much interaction do you have with clients, colleagues, supervisor, staff?
- How much time do you work alone? In teams?
- What other social or networking responsibilities are part of this field?
- How is your work important to your department / company?
- How much job security does this type of position have?
- What hours do you typically work? Do you need to work at night? On weekends? At home?
- What are the keys to your success in this field?
For 100 more questions for informational interviews, see the article Great Questions to Ask at an Informational Interview
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