TIME FOR INFORMATION INTERVIEWS!!!!!

For 2010, I have a whole list of goals I want to achieve in order to get me to the career I want. One of my goals is to conduct Informational Interviews with individuals at and around Charlotte that has positions I would like to work upon graduation from grad school.

So you may ask......"Camille, what the hell is an Informational Interview?" Well it is exactly what it sounds like - an interview designed for obtaining personal occupational information. The interviewee can gain insightful and intimate inside view of a career field that many publications cannot produce. The informational interview gives one the first hand experiences and impressions of someone in the occupation, and is directed by one's questions.

This sort of networking makes a less stressful situation and you get to ask all of the questions. Also, for career changers, such as myself, it gives you the ability to find out what's involved in the career you are considering before entering it. I already know that on paper becoming a Career Counselor is what I want to do but I know that there maybe other jobs out there that will make me happy as well.

For the past 3 months, I have been gearing up for this "Informational Interview Campaign" by doing a couple of things I wanted to share:

• UPDATED RESUME - I have updated my resume to fit the job I hope to change into by researching the job I would like to have and pulling out skills that are most important to the profession. Do this step before the interview if possible. If your previous job skills are not transferrable to the new career....keep thinking....because every skill is transferrable!!

• NETWORKING BUSINESS CARDS - These are like a business card, but for people not currently employed. To take your networking card to the next level, you can have highlights from your resume printed on the back of it.

• CONTACT ORGANIZATION - I highly suggest that before you even attempt to conduct these interviews, you will need to have a system already in place for organizing all of your contacts. I produced a database on Access that has columns for each contact's name, address, phone numbers, fax, e-mail address, where you met the contact, the date you met them, your follow-up communication and how the contact helped you. If you would like a copy of this database you can e-mail me and I will send it to you!!

I have also gotten my questions ready for this interview. Most of my questions are about the day-to-day activities that one will have to do in the selected occupation. The specific questions I plan to ask is the following:

1. Could you describe one of your typical workdays for me?

2. What skills are required in your position on a day-to-day basis?

3. Are too many or too few people entering into this field?

4. What qualifications do you seek in a new hire?

5. How do most people enter this profession?

6. What professional journals and organizations should I be aware of?

So there it is folks!! My first interview, of 30 candidates, is tomorrow at 9 am with a Student Counselor at Central Piedmont Community College - Central Campus. I look forward to this experience!!

WISH ME LUCK!!