A

Communication 3nine2

"Interview a Person Who Has a Job like
the One You Might Want"

Task

To conduct an information gathering interview with a professional who holds a position similar to one you hope to hold sometime between six months and five years from now

The person you interview should have moved beyond an entry-level position and would be able to speak to you about the communication dynamics of the organization. This will again serve to demonstrate your ability to apply course content and knowledge of org com principles and theories.

Procedure:

1. You should use your existing networks of friends and family as well as personal contacts, professional
contacts, internship information, on-line sources, student/professional associations, or the Career
Center to identify someone to interview. Start early!

2. Schedule a 20 minute interview with a professional (must not be a friend, relative, Bradley teacher, or
current employer) at least one week in advance of the interview.

3. Once you have identified an interviewee, develop a list of at least 5-7 questions to ask your
     interviewee, based on what you know about the person, the organization, or your future interests. This
     is your opportunity to find out what the field is really like, get tips that will help you as you prepare for
     a career, and get background information about the field or the organization.

4. You should also use this opportunity to learn more about the role of communication in this person's job
and his or her organization. Focus your questions on any areas of org com you wish to explore, but be
sure to at least address several topics.

5. Based on the interview experience, write a short paper 3 to 5 pages describing your experience
including the questions you asked, the main points that the interviewee stressed, and what you learned
from the experience.

6. Your written report should include a description of the organization. What does it do? How large is it?
Briefly provide background info of the overall organization

Strategy

1. Ask open-ended questions (rather than yes/no questions) that will encourage the interviewee to share
lots of information. Feel free to submit a set of potential questions to the instructor (10-15) for feedback.

2. A few questions should focus on communication in the organization based on any concepts or theories
we have discussed in class.

3. The interview can be conducted in person or on the phone and should last at least 20 minutes.

4. We suggest that you take notes during the interview.

5. The purpose of the interview is to extract information concerning their views of communication and to
     determine what skills are necessary for the position they hold. Other areas to consider may include
     what techniques they employ to facilitate the communication process in their position, what specific
     problems they have encountered and how they have resolved these problems as well as what the job
     entails. Specific questions may include "describe the communication between you and your
      superiors," "you and your employees," "what type of educational background is necessary for the
      job," "what do you look for when interviewing someone for a position."

6. In your paper you should present the experiences discussed by your interviewee. Describe the role
     your interviewee played in the organization. What is his/her job description? How long has the person
     been with the org.? Does the person feel well treated? What have the relationships been like with
     superiors and subordinates? How are the decisions made? How is work allocated? How are new
     employees selected? How is evaluation of employees carried out? How are salary increases and other
     benefits decided on? What work or people problems does the person encounter? What solutions have
     worked well for the person? What attempted solutions have failed? What have been the person’s
     feelings of success and of frustration? What would the person like to see changed in the
     organization? What advice would the person give you about getting along and getting ahead in an
     organization? Throughout the interview, ask for and look for examples that capture what the
     interviewee seems to think and feel.

7. Approach this assignment seriously – you may make valuable contacts that will help you with an
internship or future job. Be professional and contact the interviewee early so that they can work you
into their schedule at a convenient time.

8. Paper is due the final day of class.