Question Options to Ask

“Do Your Homework. It’s Your Future” 

Since a job shadow and informational interview is a non-hand on experience, it is a good idea to ask questions to learn more about a specific career. Look through the list of questions below to get an idea of what things to ask. You may want to choose 8-10 questions to ask during your experience. The idea is to ask about those things that are important to you. You should come away from this experience with a good understanding of job.

Introduction

• What is your occupation and job title?
• How long have you worked for this employer? How long have you been in the job?
• How did you become interested in this type of work?
• How did you become interested in this field? How did you get started? 
• Why did you choose this career?
• How did you choose this employer to work for?
• Why did you decide to work for this company? What do you like best about it? How is this company different from the competition? What is the corporate culture like? 
• How did you get your job with this company?
• How did you know this was the right career for you?
• What makes you excited about your job?
• What would you be doing if you didn’t work for this company/in this field?
• If you could do it all over, would you choose this career again?
• What experiences have you had that have been invaluable in learning your job? 
• From your personal experience in this field, what attributes do you think are essential for success?

Work Advancement 

• What additional training or qualifications are necessary for advancement?
• What are some of the job possibilities for experienced workers in the field?
• Is turnover high in this field?
• What kinds of professional development does your company offer? Do employees in this field generally get 
• advanced degrees or special training?
• What are the advancement/growth opportunities?
• Do people normally move to another facility/organization or do they move up in the facility/organization?

Salary Questions – Do not ask them for their salary! 

• Ask general questions about their knowledge of average salary; what the variance might be for experience, employers, regions, industries.
• What’s the most valuable reward you’ve reaped from this job?
   

Work Qualifications

• What kind of training, education, or course work is required?
• What skills are needed in this field? What skills should I be concentrating on at this point in my education? 
• What type of education and training prepared you for this career field?
• What classes did you take in high school that prepared you for your job?
• Did you have to interview, take any tests, complete an internship or apprenticeship for this position?
• What skills or talents are most essential in this career?
• What types of skills are necessary for succeeding in this career?
• What skills are the most important in your job?
• What personal qualities are important?
• What kinds of prior experiences are necessary?
• How did you prepare yourself for this work?
• How are technology demands increasing or changing?
• Is there anything you wish you would’ve done to better prepare yourself?
• What is the best educational preparation for this field? Is a recent graduate’s GPA important in hiring decisions? 
• What websites and tools do you use to stay current with your career and your profession?

Nature of the Work

• What are the specific duties and responsibilities?
• What’s something that most people don’t know about this career?
• Can you describe a typical day/week at work?
• What do you like about your job?
• What part of this work do you find most rewarding?
• What part of your job do you find most interesting or rewarding? What parts do you dislike or feel dissatisfied with? 
• What do you like least about your job? (Tread carefully when asking this question.)
• What’s the hardest part about your job?
• What are the toughest issues that you deal with?
• What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your job?
• What’s the biggest challenge you’ve faced at work?
• What are some of the difficulties in working in this field and what motivates you to stay in spite of them? 
• What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in this job?
• What kinds of problems do you deal with? What kinds of decisions do you make? 
   

Working Condition

• What type of setting, hours, atmosphere, etc. can be expected?
• How much of your day is spent behind a desk? Out in the field?
• Is your workflow steady or do you alternate between being very busy and very slow?
• How is your work-life balance with your job?
• How does your employer differ from its competitors?
• What obligation does this type of workplace upon you outside of the ordinary work week?
• Are you, or how much are you required to work outside normal business hours?
• What do you like most about working for this employer?
• Have you worked for any other employers?
• How much flexibility do you have in terms of hours of work, dress, vacation, etc.?
• How has this career field changed since you started?

Work Entry

• What types of employers hire people in this field? Where are they located?
• What kind of jobs did you have before this one? How did they help prepare you for this work? Which jobs were most helpful? 
• What skills are looked for in entry-level employees?
• How much demand is there for entry-level jobseekers?
• What type of education and training would you recommend for someone just starting out in this career? For someone who wants a job title like yours?
• How do I find out about internships/job openings in this field?
• Do you offer experiential learning opportunities such as internships, co-ops, and summer jobs? What level of college students do you consider for these positions? Whom can I contact for more information? 
• What types of summer jobs or internships should I seek out as I continue my education?
• What’s the biggest stumbling block you see with younger jobseekers?
• What does your employer—or employers in general in this field—look for in younger jobseekers?

Employee Outlook

• How rapidly is the present career field is growing?
• Do you expect the workplace to change much in the next five years?
• What kind of growth patterns are you seeing in this field that I should consider in my decision? 
• What is the employment outlook for this career field? 
• What other careers or industries could you work in with your education and experience?
• If the work you do was suddenly eliminated, what different kinds of work do you feel you could do?
• What is a common misconception people have about what you do?
• What do you see as the biggest changes that have happened in this career field? That will happen in the future?
• How has technology changed this career? What kind of technology do you use to do your job? What’s the most common technology used in this industry?
• How has the state of the economy affected this career?

Referral Questions – Always Ask Them

• Do you know of any comparable job titles I should be exploring in this field? 
• Based on our conversation today, what other resources would be helpful to I research?
• What are the professional associations in this field? What professional journals do you read? What professional organizations do you belong to?
• What else should I know in order to make an informed decision about this field? What advice do you have for someone considering this career?
• Is there anything else that I have not seen today, or that we have not talked about, that you think is important for me to know as I continue my quest for the ideal career?
• Can you recommend someone else for me to talk with in this field? When I contact this person, may I use your name?
• Would you be willing to critique my resume?