Exploratory | Undeclared Students

One of the most effective ways to acquire information from people in a professional field in which you are interested is to conduct informational interviews. Informational interviewing is a networking approach that allows you to meet key professionals, gather career information, investigate career options, receive advice on job search techniques and obtain referrals to other professionals.

An informational interview is an interview that you initiate and you ask the questions. The purpose is to obtain information, not to get a job. Thus, never abuse your privilege by asking for a job.

The following are good REASONS TO CONDUCT INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS:

• To explore careers and clarify your career goal
• To discover employment opportunities that are not advertised
• To expand your professional network
• To build confidence for your job interviews
• To access the most up-to-date career information
• To identify your professional strengths and weaknesses

1. Identify the Occupation or Industry You Wish to Learn About
   
   Assess your interests, abilities, values, and skills, and evaluate labor conditions and trends related to your professional interests.
2. Prepare for the Interview
   
   Read all you can about the field prior to the interview. Decide what information you would like to obtain about the occupation/industry. Prepare a list of questions that you would like to have answered. Prepare an updated resume and bring it with you. (The Career Development Center can help you prepare and/or critique your resume).
3. Arrange the Interview
   
   Contact your mentor to set up an interview. It is recommended that that interview take place in person, but informational interview can also be conducted over the phone and/or via e-mail. The mentor typically verbalized their preference.
4. Conduct the Interview
   
   Dress appropriately, arrive on time, be polite and professional, refer to your list of prepared questions; stay on track, but allow for spontaneous discussion. Before leaving, ask for names of others who might be helpful to you and ask permission to use your mentor’s name when contacting them.
5. Follow Up
   
   Immediately following the interview, record the information gathered. Be sure to send a thank-you note to your mentor within one week of the interview.

NOTE: Always analyze the information you’ve gathered. Adjust your job search, resume, and career objective if necessary.

22 QUESTIONS!

Prepare a list of questions that are relevant to you and what you would like to obtain from your informational interview. Following are some sample questions:

1. (Work Environment) On a typical day in this position, what do you do?
2. (Background) What training or education is required for this type of work?
3. (Background) What personal qualities or abilities are important to being successful in this job?
4. (Work Environment) What part of this job do you find most satisfying? Most challenging?
5. (Background) How did you get your job?
6. (Potential) What opportunities for advancement are there in this field?
7. (Background) What entry level jobs are best for learning as much as possible?
8. (Salary) What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field?
9. (Potential) How do you see jobs in this field changing in the future?
10. (The Industry) Is there a demand for people in this occupation?
11. (The Industry) What special advice would you give a person entering this field?
12. (Training) What types of training do companies offer persons entering this field?
13. (Background) What are the basic prerequisites for jobs in this field?
14. (Referral to Other Information Opportunities) Which professional journals and organizations would help me learn more about this field?
15. (Background) What do you think of the experience I’ve had so far in terms of entering this field?
16. (Problems) From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field?
17. (Advice) If you could do things all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why? What would you change?
18. (Advice) With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research further before I make a final decision?
19. (Advice) What do you think of my resume? Do you see any problem areas? How would you suggest I change it?
20. (Referral to Others) Who do you know that I should talk to next? When I call him/her, may I use your name?
21. (Life Style) What obligation does your work put on you outside the work week? How much flexibility do you have in terms of dress, work hours, vacations?
22. (Rewards) What do you find most rewarding about this work, besides the money?

1.What is the Cooperative Education Program?

The Cooperative Education Program is a unique educational program in which students integrate classroom study with periods of paid, supervised work experience related to their academic majors. At Florida Atlantic University, a Co-op assignment is a structured experiential learning opportunity in which students apply concepts studied in the classroom to "real world" work situations. Students must be supervised in person, in an office/organization location (students may not work remotely).

Co-op is offered on a semester basis, fall, spring, or summer (Term I), full-time, or part-time. A Co-op assignment can be multiple times with one employer or different employers.

2. Why should you participate in the Cooperative Education Program?

• To explore career interests and work environments
• To enhance classroom learning through practical experience
• To receive training and utilize technologies in the workplace
• To clarify career objectives and execute a realistic job search strategy
• To network and secure job opportunities upon graduation
• To gain marketable experience

3. How does the Cooperative Education Program work?

Co-op at FAU is a partnership among the student, employer, and the Career Center. Students may opt to participate in the alternating or parallel program.

• Full-time (Alternating Co-op): Students alternate semesters of academic study with semesters of full-time, paid Co-op assignments. Students work full-time for a semester and return to school the following semester to continue their course studies. Students may remain with the same employer during their next Co-op or accept employment with a new company. Full-time is defined as a minimum of 35 hours per week for 10 consecutive weeks during the summer and 13 consecutive weeks during the fall and spring.
• Part-time (Parallel Co-op): Students work on a part-time basis while they are enrolled in full-time classes. Part-time is defined as a minimum of 15 hours per week for 10 consecutive weeks during the summer and 13 consecutive weeks during the fall and spring.

4. What is the application process?

• Upload your resume on-line through Handshake
• Submit your Co-op Application by the end of drop/add period of the semester

  Please note: Submitting your application to the Career Center is the first step in Co-op process. It is essential that you submit your application early enough to allow ample time to research and secure a position prior to the start of the subsequent semester.

• Call the Career Center office on your campus with any questions.  Office contact information is listed below.

5. Who is eligible for Co-op?

• A fully enrolled degree-seeking student at FAU and in good standing (not on probation; suspension or dismissal).
• Completed 30 credits of undergraduate coursework or 9 credits of graduate coursework in current program.
• Full-time FAU enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate degree seeking program and demonstrated progression towards degree.
• Transfer students must complete one semester at FAU.
• FAU cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 undergraduate or 3.0 graduate.
• International students (F-1 status) must have maintained valid F-1 status and full-time enrollment for at least two consecutive semesters prior to the Co-op start date.  To review the requirements for CPT (Curricular Practical Training) for F-1 students please view the following webpage: http://www.fau.edu/international/current/CPT.php.
• International students must obtain from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) an I-20 and meet all USCIS and/or ISSS requirements.
• Students must apply a semester prior to their participation (i.e. apply during the spring semester for a Co-op in the summer).
• Students may not currently be on a GA, TA, or RA contract with their department.

6. How does a student secure a position?

The Career Center strongly encourages students to begin their search for positions early. Career Advisors are available through the same day career advising program as well as by appointment to assist students in designing a job search strategy, refining their resumes, and preparing for interviews. In order to receive elective credit, the academic department must give written approval; otherwise, Co-op credit is an additive credit. International students must register for a course either through the Co-op program, The Career Center's Professional Internship or a departmental internship in order to comply with federal guidelines. All I-20 forms must be updated prior to beginning a Co-op assignment. Acceptance and placement into a Co-op assignment is not guaranteed. All employees must be approved by the Career Center before being accepted into the program. Please note, positions that are full-time with benefits are not eligible for the Co-op Program.

7. How are students graded?

Students are asked to evaluate their work experience and review their learning objectives. Employers are also asked to provide feedback on the student's performance. Students are graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory based on a midterm and two final evaluations. Only students who Register for a Co-op course will have it notated on their transcript.

Attend one of the following internship workshops to learn about your options (workshops are not mandatory). 

Additionally you can stop by our office during same day career advising hours and speak with a Career Advisor to learn about the programs and how to search for opportunities. 

Boca Raton Campus Internship Workshops

Davie Campus Internship Workshops

Jupiter Campus Internship Workshops

Co-op/Internship Course Registration Deadline: Friday, January 9, 2015

Co-op/Internship Program Eligibility:

• Full-time degree seeking FAU enrollment in an undergraduate or graduate degree and demonstrated progression towards degree.
• Student must have completed 30 credits undergraduate or 9 credits graduate coursework.
• Transfer students must complete one semester at FAU.
• FAU cumulative GPA of at least 2.7 undergraduate or 3.0 graduate.
• International students (F-1 status) must have maintained valid F-1 status and full-time enrollment for at least two consecutive semesters prior to the Co-op/Internship start date.
• International students must obtain from International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) an I-20 and meet all USCIS and/or ISSS requirements.
• Students must apply a semester prior to their participation (i.e. apply during the summer semester for a Co-op/Internship in the fall).
• Attend a Co-op/Internship Workshop and follow the Co-op/Internship Program process below.

Co-op/Internship Program Process:

• Follow the Co-op/Internship application steps.
• Submit a Co-op/Internship application.
• Upload your resume on-line through Handshake.
• Call the Career Center office on your campus with any questions.

How are students selected by the employers?

As part of the Co-op/Internship application process, students upload their resumes into Handshake. Employers then contact students they are interested in to set up interviews. The Career Center also encourages students to search for positions. Students who accept Co-op/Internship employment offers must complete the required enrollment in their departmental Co-op/Internship course if they are international students or are seeking elective credit. In order to receive elective credit, the academic department must give written approval; otherwise, Co-op/Internship credit is an additive credit. All I-20 forms must be updated prior to beginning a Co-op/Internship assignment. Acceptance and placement into a Co-op/Internship position is not guaranteed. A student can find his/her own Co-op/Internship employer. However, the employer must be approved by the Career Center before being accepted. Please note, positions that are full-time with benefits are not eligible for the Co-op/Internship Program.

How are students graded?

Students are asked to evaluate their work experience and review their learning objectives. Employers are also asked to provide feedback on the student's performance. The Co-op/Internship assignment is recorded on the student's transcript and is graded satisfactory/unsatisfactory.