Clustered Informational Interview Questions for Liberal Arts Students (Combined)
I. Day-to-Day Work, Skills, and Career Path
- What do you do on a typical day? (Day-to-Day)
- What skills do you use most often in your work? (Skills)
- In what ways does this position require the use of specific skills? (Skills)
- What made you decide on this career? (Career Path)
- Is the career as you expected? How does it differ? (Career Path)
- What courses, training and experience have been most helpful to you in your present work? (Career Path)
- What do you feel is the best preparation for this kind of work? (Career Path)
- How well suited is my background for this type of work? (Career Path)
- How do your liberal arts studies contribute to your work in this field? (Liberal Arts Skills)
- What specific skills from your major have been most beneficial? (Liberal Arts Skills)
II. Critical Thinking, Communication, and Research
- Can you describe a recent challenge you faced in your work and how you tackled it? (Critical Thinking)
- How important is critical thinking in your field? (Critical Thinking)
- How often are you presented with situations that require creative solutions? (Critical Thinking)
- How much do you collaborate with others in your role? (Communication)
- What communication styles are most effective in your field? (Communication)
- How do you approach writing and presenting information in your work? (Communication)
- How important is research and data analysis in your work? (Research)
- Can you describe a recent project that involved research or analysis? (Research)
- What resources do you use to stay informed about current trends in your field? (Research)
- Can you give an example of how you use writing skills in your daily work? (Liberal Arts Skills)
- How do your critical thinking skills benefit you in this field? (Liberal Arts Skills)
- How have your communication skills been utilized in your career path? (Liberal Arts Skills)
III. Work-Life Balance, Practicalities, and Career Development
- How does your work combine with your personal life? (Work-Life Balance)
- How much flexibility do you have in terms of dress, hours of work, vacation schedule, place of residence, etc.? (Work-Life Balance)
- What is the salary range for various levels in this field? (Practicalities)
- How do you stay up-to-date on the latest skills and knowledge in your field? (Career Development)
- What professional development opportunities has your company offered you? (Career Development)
- What advice do you have for a liberal arts student who wants to pursue a career in this field, but doesn’t have a directly related major? (Career Development)
- How does your company promote work-life balance for its employees? (Work-Life Balance)
- What resources does your company offer to support employee well-being? (Work-Life Balance)
- How do you manage stress in your fast-paced work environment? (Work-Life Balance)
IV. Job Market, Advancement, and Industry Insights
- Is there a demand for people in this field? (Job Market)
- Do you view this field as a growing one? (Job Market)
- Where would you suggest that I look for job vacancies in this field? (Job Market)
- What job titles should I be looking for? What entry-level jobs are best for learning as much as possible? (Job Market)
- What types of training do organizations give to people entering this field? (Job Market)
- What opportunities for advancement are there in this field? (Advancement)
- What are some of the biggest trends happening in your industry right now? (Industry Insights)
- What are the core values of your organization, and how are they reflected in your work? (Industry Insights)
- What do you enjoy most about the company culture here? (Industry Insights)
V. The Future of Work
- What skills do you think will be most important in your field in the next 5-10 years? (Future of Work)
- How do you think technology will shape the future of this industry? (Future of Work)
- What advice do you have for navigating a constantly changing job market? (Future of Work)
VI. Opportunities and Networking
- Is there an opportunity to obtain a summer job or internship in this field? Where? (Opportunities)
- Can you recommend others I should contact regarding this type of work? May I use your name when contacting them? (Networking)
By using this combined list with reorganized themes, you can ensure a well-rounded and informative