Career Questions To Ask

General Questions

• What kind of education / training did you do before entering this occupation? Which were most helpful?
• Are there any experiences that you have had (work-related or otherwise) that have helped you develop in your career?
• If you could go back in time, would you do anything differently in your preparations for this career?
• What do you look for or find most impressive in potential employees?
• Are there any professional journals/ career-related literature/organizations that would help me to learn about this field?
• How much do employers value internships? volunteer work? summer jobs? unrelated work experience?
• What coursework have you found most helpful?
• How can I get experience in this field while I am still in school?
• How is a typical job interview in this industry conducted?
• Are there any professional groups that I can join that would be beneficial to me?
• What is the typical entry-level position(s) for this job?
• How important is it to have the "right" degree or courses to have a chance to develop a career like yours today? What are other qualifications that you as an employer/employee consider important?
• Does your organization offer summer or part-time employment (or volunteer opportunities) for students who are looking for related experience? Can you suggest other work/volunteer experiences that would be advantageous to have?
• How did you get your present job?
• What are some of the "do's and don'ts" in trying to develop a successful career in your field?
• What personal qualities do you need to succeed in this career?

Career Pros and Cons

• Would you choose the same occupation if you were just starting out? Why or why not?
• Do you have any special words of warning or encouragement as a result of your experience?
• If you could change any aspects of your career, what would you change?
• Why did you enter this occupation? Was it all that you had expected it to be? Was it better or worse?
• What is your favorite thing about this occupation?
• Do you consider this to be a low/medium/high stress job? What are some of the major stresses in your work?

Job Duties

• Could you outline your primary job responsibilities and indicate the percentage of time that you devote to each?
• Is there such a thing as a typical week in your job and could you briefly describe it?
• Are there any duties that you perform on a regular basis? What are they?

Other Questions

• What other occupations can you get into with the same background?
• If you had to choose another related occupation, what would it be?
• Are there any other occupations that you would suggest for me to explore as an alternative to this one?
• Can you recommend any other individuals within/outside this organization who are involved in similar or related positions that I could talk to for more information?