Discipline Investigation Essay

Choosing a person to interview for the D.I.

When choosing a person to interview, keep in mind the purpose of the interview:

· to gain insight into your future discourse community

· to explore the types of work and opportunities available in your chosen profession

The person you choose must be:

· a professional in your field (preferably working in a job you hope to do in the future)

· someone at a senior level (minimum three years experience in the field, to be able to give you a broad view of the field, work and opportunities)

· someone who you can interview in person (at least the first interview should be in person)

· someone willing to share information about their background, career path and knowledge in the field particularly on the communication skills required for the field. (This should not be a problem since most people do like to talk.)

(The first two are requirements; the second two make for good interviews)

Do not interview your professor unless you plan to become a professor. (In some cases, you may have a professor who has worked or is still working in the field. In such cases, you can interview the person, but only about work in the field. If your professor has not been in the field for a long time, it will be better to find someone who will have current, working knowledge of the field.)

Finding a person:

Talk to your professor (in your major) for suggestions (your best source, they often have strong contacts in the industry)

Talk to family members

Talk to peers, seniors who have started working (their boss could be a good candidate)

Talk to members of a fraternity or association you belong to

Talk to friends, neighbors (a student of mine found someone by talking to her hairdresser, another client of the hairdresser)