BUS 303 Module 5 SLP
BUS_303_module_5_slp
1 Employment Communication
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Conduct an Information Interview The first step in this Session Long Project is to read the following: Information Interviews Informational Interviewing Tutorial. This is the best introduction to information interviews we could find on the web. It tells you everything you need to know to conduct one. Informational Interviewing Tutorial. Accessed February 17, 2011, at: http://www(dot)quintcareers(dot)com/informational_interviewing.html How to Build Your Network This is an eye-opening article about career networking. It introduces some of the key concepts of social networks and shows how they apply to improving your professional network. Uzzi, B. & Dunlap, S. (2005). How to Build Your Network. Accessed February 17,2011, at:http://www(dot)kellogg(dot)northwestern(dot)edu/faculty/uzzi/ftp/uzzi's_research_papers/uzzi_dunlap%20hbr.pdf Case study source: Schiavone, K. (2012, June 24). Foot-in-door syndrome? Los Angeles Times, p. B4.
Assignment Instructions:
Please read “After Interview” information below: “After Interview Actions are Crucial” Never underestimate the importance of following up after an interview. Beth Gilfeather is founder of Seven Step Recruiting in Boston and offers advice that can help seal the deal. 1. Compose an effective thank-you note. E-mails are perfect because they can arrive quickly and are less likely to get lost. But if the potential employer is an old-fashioned type, a handwritten note may be the best choice. Make sure to send a note to each person you spoke with, and send it within 24-36 hours after the interview. 2. Don't overdo the follow through (for assignment purposes, use this step only if it applies to you right now). If you haven't heard anything about the job by the date you were told you would, wait one more week before you send an e-mail. If no date was supplied, send a follow up e-mail one week after the interview. A delay does not always mean disinterest. 3. Keep up your pursuit even if you did not get the job. If you are truly interested in the organization, continue to look for openings by following it on social media. Discussion: How can you be certain about names, titles, and e-mail addresses of the people with whom you interview? How frequently should you contact a potential employer with e-mails or phone calls? What's the line between being persistent and annoying? Next: Assume that you are building/reshaping your personal network after having read the Harvard Business Review’s, “How to Build Your Network” article by authors Uzzi Dunlap. Conduct an information interview using the instructions in the above reading. Write a thank you note to the person you interviewed by following the 3 steps in the “After Interview Actions” article above. Try to identify an information broker or superconductor (explained in Uzzi & Dunlap article) and conduct an information interview with her or him. If you are interested in changing your job or advancing, this is a wonderful opportunity. If you aren't interested in these, find someone in a career that you find interesting, explain to your interviewee that you are doing this for a class, and that you need to act as if you are interested in exploring his or her career. Write a paper, approximately 3 to 5 pages, describing: 1. The person's name, position and organization 2. Why you chose this person to interview 3. Your interview questions 4. What happened in the interview 5. The names of at least two people you were referred to 6. The person's reaction to your resume Finally, on your personal letterhead (you can make up an address for privacy concerns), write a post-interview thank you letter (1 page) to the person you interviewed. This paper's grade will be based on how well it incorporates concepts from the readings. Summarize your interview in approximately 2 pages and answer this question in your summary: “How frequently should you contact a potential employer with e-mails or phone calls?” Submit your assignments by the module's due date. Assignment Expectations: Conduct an information interview (3-5 pages) and write a thank you note (1 page) email to the interviewee. Summarize your interview in approximately 2 pages and answer the question, “How frequently should you contact a potential employer with e-mails or phone calls?”. Submit the interview, the thank you note, and the summary by the module’s due date. |
Informational Interview
Name:
Institution:
As a student taking environmental science, I have always had the passion in environmental conservation. In particular I have always had the goal of becoming a credible environmental scientist.After my graduation I would like to pursue this line of work, however I have informational gap on the deliverables of the field and the profession. This therefore, has resulted in the need for the current informational interview with one of the environmental officer at the environmental protection agency in the United States. In this interview i am expectant that I will get all the information that I need to make an informed decision about the career choices I will make in the future. Environmental sciences being one of the most crucial branches of the natural sciences presents a myriad of options of in the career sector and having the right information to make the right decision is quite crucial, if one plans to make a impact, not just at the career level but at the personal level as well.
Professor Wain Spenceris an Environmental Engineer at the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States of America. He has had massive experience in his 33 years of working with different organisation within the states and other continents including Africa, Australia and the United Kingdomamong others. His academic background extends to more than four bachelor’s degrees, including the environmental science, his first, environmental engineering, sustainable management and mining engineering among others. Other than the fact that he has lectured for more than 20 years at several of the leading universities around the world, he has also been very instrumental in the formulation of the environmental regulations, by participating in the process as a delegate or heading the various delegations around the world. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of a leading environmental consultancy firm called theEnviroguard Consultancy Limited in the United States (Quintessential Careers, 2013). Professor wain has had massive experience in the field and after getting introduced to hi through one of the lecturers at the faculty, struck me as one of the few people in the field that are willing to share information and provide guidelines on career perspectives. It is therefore worthy of note that his experience and readiness to help with the career advice warranted him for the choice.
Among the questions that we discussed at the interview include the following;
Functional questions
What is the most satisfying aspect of your work?
What are the most dissatisfying aspects of your career today and would wish to change given a chance?
What are major responsibilities that you have on your daily routine?
What the greatest challenges that you have faced in your career and educational background?
What career path did you take from the time that you joined the university up until the time that you took the steps to join your current career?
What is the basic culture that is practised in this line of work?
Occupational questions
What are the typical duties that are assigned to the environmental scientists on the day to day basis, weekly and monthly?
What are the common and special skill sets that are required to carry out the various duties of the profession to completion and perfection?
What kinds of courses other than the degree in environmental science are required to meet the skills set in the occupation and which are indispensible assets?
What are the specific degrees and qualifications do employers look for when hiring in this occupation?
Are there opportunities for advancing the educational and occupational levels in the field?
What is the minimum experience required and how can one gain the required experience to get consideration for the position?
Other than the experiential and educational requirement for the position are there other requirement that may enhance the chances of landing a job in the occupation?
Other than the government, what other organisations offer the same job?
What are the settings and worker may one interact with during their working hours?
Which are the best geographical locations that offer the best chances of career advancement and quintessential experience?
Are there frustrations and challenges that one should be prepared to face in the field on the daily basis and in the future?
What other aspects of the field that I may have left out, but you feel would greatly assist in my career path of choice?
I met professor Wain in his office and he was very welcoming from the word go. After expressing my gratitude for offering to m...