Examples of questions you can ask to learn about a particular position, career field, or industry that you are exploring:
- What are your main responsibilities as a…?
- What is a typical day (or week) like for you?
- What do you like most about your work?
- What do you like least about your work?
- What kinds of problems do you deal with?
- What kinds of decisions do you make?
- How does your position fit within the organization/career field/industry?
- How does your job affect your general lifestyle?
- What current issues and trends in the field should I be aware of?
- What are some common career paths in this field?
- What kinds of accomplishments tend to be valued and rewarded in this field?
- What related fields would you recommend I also look into?
- How did you become interested in this field?
- How did you begin your career?
- What steps would you recommend I take to prepare to enter this field?
- How relevant is your undergraduate major to your work?
- What kind of education, training, or background does your job require?
- What skills, abilities, and personal attributes are essential to success in your job/this field?
- Can you recommend trade journals, websites or professional associations which would be helpful for my professional development?
- If you could do it all over again, what would you do the same and what would you change, if anything?
- I’ve read that the entry-level salary for this field is usually in the range of ______? Does this fit with what you’ve seen? (Don’t ask about the person’s actual salary.)
- What advice would you give someone who is considering this type of job (or field)?
- Can you suggest anyone else I could contact for additional information?
You can choose questions from the list above and/or come up with your own, focusing on what you would like to come away with from the conversation.