BUS 303
Assignment 3
Fall 2018
BUS 303
Assignment 3: Informational Interview
Deliverables (combine these into one document)
1. A 2-3 page, single-spaced report about your interview, written in memo format
2. An APA-style reference list
3. A list of interview questions
4. A copy of the thank you note sent to the interviewee
Due Date and Submission Instructions
• Monday April 8–Upload all pages to Blackboard and bring a paper copy to class
Learning Goals
• Learn to identify appropriate sources of career information
• Gain experience contacting and persuading a professional to meet with you
• Expand your knowledge of your profession and industry
• Practice active listening in an interview setting
• Learn how to synthesize and organize relevant information
• Become familiar with the professional memo format
Assignment Summary
An informational interview is a meeting with a working professional who can give you an inside view of
an occupation, organization, and/or industry that is of interest to you. You will identify an appropriate
interviewee; research their industry; schedule an interview; build a list of appropriate questions; conduct
an in-person interview and take notes; send a thank you note; and write a reflective report about what
you learned and how it applies to your professional future.
Your interviewee should be a person with at least five years of professional experience and someone
you have not interviewed before for other Mason assignments. As this assignment is meant to help
build your network, you may not interview Mason professors, current colleagues, friends, or family
members.
Assignment Details
The first 2-3 pages of your assignment, formatted as a memo to your professor and typed singlespaced, (1000 to 1500 words) should include:
(1) Your Professional Goals and the Purpose of the Interview (1 paragraph): Briefly describe
your career interests and 2-3 career goals and then explain why this interviewee is relevant to
those goals.
(2) Biography of Interviewee (1-2 paragraphs): Sum up the interviewee’s professional biography,
including his/her professional background, current title and responsibilities, organization, and a
summary of the interviewee’s career journey, from beginning to date.
(3) Industry Overview (2-3 paragraphs, based on research): Provide an overview of the industry
(not your interviewee’s company), including market size, types of careers in the industry, nature
of work in the field, types of writing and communication skills required, and other skills needed.
Incorporate information from both the interview and additional research you have done. Use 3-5
sources of information for this section and provide in-text citations using APA formatting. (You
will also provide a list of references at the end of the paper.) A good place to start your research
is the GMU Library BUS 303 InfoGuide: http://infoguides.gmu.edu/BUS303
(4) Interview Process (2 paragraphs): What worked well with the process of preparing for and
conducting your informational interview? Why? What didn’t work well? Why?
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Assignment 3
Fall 2018
(5) Reflection (2-3 paragraphs): This is the most important part of your memo. Synthesize 2-3
meaningful highlights or “take-aways” from the interview and reflect on their implications for your
career.
Next, include the following items as three separate pages at the back of your memo:
(6) Interview Questions: A list of 10-12 questions you thoughtfully prepared prior to the interview,
in the order that you intended to ask them. (It’s okay if you don’t end up asking them exactly as
you planned—but it’s important to have a list.) You need to write these questions yourself; do
not plagiarize a list of questions from the internet. Think about what you would really like to
know from this person. One question you should definitely ask is, “What are employers in your
industry looking for in new college graduates?”
(7) Thank You Note: A copy of the thank you note (handwritten or emailed) that you sent to the
interviewee, preferably within 24 hours of the interview.
(8) Reference List: A list of 3-5 sources you used for your industry overview. Be sure to use APA
formatting.
Audience
Your primary audience for this memo is your professor.
Evaluation Criteria
1. Was the interviewee thoughtfully selected based on the career goals articulated, and did the
person meet the criteria of an appropriate person to interview?
2. Did the author effectively synthesize relevant information about the interviewee, the
organization, and the industry?
3. Did the author provide appropriate industry research?
4. Did the author demonstrate thoughtful reflection about the interview process and include both
successes and challenges of conducting the interview?
5. Did the author effectively summarize the most important interview findings and reflect on the
applications of those findings to his/her career?
6. Was the report written as a professional memo in the specified format, with topical headings by
section?
7. Were the interview questions purposeful, logical, and carefully crafted?
8. Was the thank you note timely, thoughtful, and professional?
9. Was the writing clear, concise, coherent, proofread, and polished?
Identifying the Interviewee
First, identify an executive or working professional who can provide a valuable, informed, and practical
perspective about your potential career and the types of skills and knowledge required to succeed in
that career. If you are not sure about your career plan, take advantage of this opportunity to interview
someone whose career or job you find appealing. Use tools such as LinkedIn, Handshake, and the
GMU library databases to identify potential interviewees; here’s a helpful video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mABh4Y6Jovo.
After researching the individual, organization, and industry, courteously request an informational
interview and try to schedule it as soon as possible. The interview must be held in person and be with
someone who works outside of the university and your family business. When you contact the
prospective interviewee, introduce yourself professionally, explain the purpose of the interview and ask
for 30 minutes of his/her time. Schedule the interview as soon as possible because interviewees often
have to cancel and reschedule due to other commitments. You may need to contact several potential
interviewees in order to find one who can do the interview.
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Assignment 3
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Preparing for the Interview
Before the interview, learn as much as possible about the interviewee (via the company website,
LinkedIn, etc.), the interviewee’s industry (current trends, market needs, recent news, types of jobs and
careers, average salaries, etc.), and the organization for which he or she works (company website,
company “About Us,” “Investor Relations,” or “News” pages, Glassdoor.com, etc.). If possible,
download or request the interviewee’s résumé in advance.
Prepare your list of 10-12 questions to ask your interviewee. Avoid vague questions such as, “Is social
media useful for you?” It is more useful to ask specific but open-ended questions, such as, “My
research shows that many marketing professionals are using social media as a major component of
their organization’s marketing strategy. How is your organization using social media to attract new
clients? What types of technical skills are necessary to effectively implement social media marketing
strategies?”
Conducting the Interview
Dress professionally, arrive at least 15 minutes early, and be prepared to guide the discussion. During
the interview, take some notes to help you remember the conversation but do not ask the interviewee to
slow down so that you can take detailed notes. As the interview is coming to a close, take a minute to
skim your notes and ask the interviewee to clarify anything that is ambiguous. Before leaving, ask
permission to contact the interviewee later to clarify a point or two, if needed. Request a business card
and give the interviewee your card, if you have one.
During the Interview
✓ Be pleasant and purposeful. You are there to get information, so don’t be shy about asking
questions.
✓ Use the list of questions you have prepared, starting with the less complex and difficult ones,
and then moving to the more challenging questions. Be flexible and be ready to ask appropriate
follow-up questions, based on the interviewee’s responses.
✓ Practice active listening and let your interviewee do most of the talking.
✓ Be mindful of the time and do not take more time than you scheduled, unless the interviewee
agrees.
After the Interview
Immediately after leaving the interview, use your memory to help you expand your notes. No matter
how good your memory is, you might forget some important points if you do not complete this step right
away. Once your notes are complete, begin jotting down ideas about what you learned from the
interviewee and how you might apply this knowledge to your career. Send the interviewee a thank you
note within 24 hours, and keep a copy to turn in with your memo.
Memo Format
A memo is a professional document used in organizations to share important workplace information.
Memos should be clear and concise and they should be divided into sections marked by headings. We
will talk about memo formatting in class. While most organizations have their own templates, to create a
memo for this assignment you can use a memo template from Microsoft Word.
To organize your memo effectively, include topical headings (use this assignment handout for an
example). Single space the text within paragraphs and add a vertical space between paragraphs. All
text should be left-aligned, 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, with one-inch margins.
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George Mason
University
Memo
To:
Dr. Karen King
From:
Your Name
cc:
Name
Date:
Date
Re:
Subject
Introduction Section
Start with a paragraph to provide a brief overview of what will be covered in the memo
First section – create a heading to describe content in one to six words
Describe information here in paragraph form. One or more paragraphs.
Second section – create a heading to describe content in one to six words
Describe information here in paragraph form. One or more paragraphs.
Third section – create a heading to describe content in one to six words
Describe information here in paragraph form. One or more paragraphs.
Fourth section – create a heading to describe content in one to six words
Describe information here in paragraph form. One or more paragraphs.
Fifth section – create a heading to describe content in one to six words
Describe information here in paragraph form. One or more paragraphs
Memo Attachments
(1) List of 10 – 12 interview questions
(2) Copy of your thank you note
(3) Reference list (3-5 sources) used to create the Industry Overview
Memo Format
A memo is a professional document used in organizations to share important workplace
information. Memos should be clear and concise and they should be divided into sections
marked by headings. We will talk about memo formatting in class. While most organizations
have their own templates, to create a memo for this assignment you can use a memo template
from Microsoft Word.
To organize your memo effectively, include topical headings (use this assignment handout for
an example). Single space the text within paragraphs and add a vertical space between
paragraphs. All text should be left-aligned, 12-point Times New Roman or Arial font, with oneinch margins.
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