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Informational Interview essay instruction

PURPOSE: Informational interviewing is a process by which you can collect data about jobs, occupations, and organizations by interviewing people in their respective fields. It should not be construed as a job interview! It may result in a valuable job contact, but for the moment its purpose is to obtain information and career advice.

Dr Negar is an Educational Consultant, who currently works in her own company which was founded in 2013, Global Student Placement Network (Global SPN), Is an international consultant Offering a wide range of academic and educational services to individuals, institutions, companies and organizations. Services include International Education Consulting; College Placements; Campus Tours; High School and English Language Program Placements; Employment and Career Coaching; Postdoctoral Support Services; Student Recruitment and Marketing. I chose Dr. Negar Davis as my mentor because of her great knowledge and expertise in public/student affairs.

I met with Dr. Negar Davis on Saturday, October 29th to interview and discuss some questions and obtain information and career advice from her as I chose her to be my informational interview mentor.. I drove from Los Angeles to San Diego to meet with Dr. Negar as she invited me to her place at 8941 Gowdy Ave. The questions that I came up with and that Dr. Davis responded to were:

· What knowledge, skills or experience are necessary to qualify for your position?

First, you must have the passion for what you do and do the best at it. Initially, the knowledge comes from the theoretical aspects of learning the scope of the work and understanding the fundamental skill sets. Second, you apply those theories to practical real life situations and step-by-step one grows and develops in the profession. Theories learned and applied in the classroom become second nature to what needs to get done in the moment of time when decisions have to be quick, concise and most important right. Working in higher education doesn’t suit everyone as with any other profession. In higher education, one is surrounded by lifelong learning which can be a challenge for some but excitement for others. Hence, for those who thrive in higher education the skills keep growing and are never ending which add to the experience that keeps growing with time. Consequently, there is never a moment that you think you have seen it all and know it all. You simply don’t as every day brings a new surprise and a new situation that one has to once again think and act quickly to make it a win-win for everyone involved.

· What are the skills and abilities that are needed to be effective in your job function?

The most important skills are to be a good listener and observer to fully understand the needs of the students and able to work well with people from different cultural, ethnic and linguistic backgrounds. Other skills would be interpersonal communication and flexibility in dealing with situations as needed. In general, leadership and organizational skills are a part of being effective and efficient in handling the responsibilities.

· What are the possible career paths opportunities in this field?

This work requires international education skills working in academic or student affairs as an administrator, advisor or faculty. The benefits of working in higher education are that there are many paths to choose from although the bulk of the work is serving students.

· Who do you interact with on a regular basis and how often?

I interact with students and their families, administrators, faculty, admissions officers, company leaders, advisors, counselors and other student service providers depending on the situation I am dealing with. Working with students and their families is the most rewarding as the work is to provide advice and much needed assistance in making the right choices.

· What salary ranges are associated with jobs in this field?

In the U.S. salaries in higher education are generally lower than in industry. However, depending on the level of education and experience the salaries could range from $80,000 to $160,000 per year.

· What is the most challenging thing you face in your field? What do you like and not like about this field?

As with any job and dealing with people, one can occasionally deal with difficult people who can be demanding and at the end never happy with the outcome. In order to avoid this it is important to have an assessment of the person and the needs and making the process clear from the beginning. Also, because of time spent it is important for the client to understand how much work to expect and where the limit is.

On the positive side, it is the most joyful experience to see the excitement of the student and the families and especially when they successfully complete their education and enter the workforce.

· How has your field/job affected your lifestyle?

As an employee or business owner, you have to give it all you have in order to see success. The difference though is that as a business owner, you will never stop working as even during your downtime you keep thinking of how to take the business to the next level and make it more efficient. Hence, there is absolutely no free time which naturally affects the lifestyle.

· What are the educational requirements for entering through this field? What other credentials/license are required? What type of training do we experience in this field?

This field requires international relations, teaching, communication, counseling degrees and depending on the types of work it will require a master’s or doctoral level degree. Entry-level positions require some college or certificates. It will also help tremendously if the person has experience living, working or studying abroad as it will enhance the intercultural communication skills. The training typically happens on the job by shadowing an experienced staff and gradually working independently.

· What special advice you can give me in order to qualify for this field?

I would recommend an internship where you would get hands on experience and understanding the nature of the work. Internships oftentimes lead to full-time positions within the same companies. If internship is not an option, then I would start as an advisor or student recruiter as entry level positions. These experiences will quickly lead into becoming admissions or college counselors. This will then lead to higher positions within student or academic affairs.

· What is something you wish you knew or a skill you wish you had before entering this field? What do you wish you had done differently starting out?

As a business owner, you must understand business practices and your competition regardless of the work. You must also be able to understand the markets and how to penetrate into the market and brand your name. Understanding the work you do and how to do it is most important but equally important is the business development and marketing of the business.

· Is there anything else you think I need to know?

You should decide as early as possible the kind of work you would like to do and how. For example, some people do not like to have a fixed schedule whereas others cannot be without a set structure. You need to decide only the type of work and environment you prefer and go after that dream. Never give up the passion and lose sight of the passion for what you want to do.

· Who else would you recommend or refer to me to speak with?

I suggest you speak to staff at the International Admissions or Student Services Offices to get a feel from their work and experiences. This will give you a good perspective between working in higher education as an employee or establishing your own business providing educational services.

Write approximately a 2-3 page summary of the interview in the body of the paper (after you read that all what I have mentioned above, THEN write the summary of the interview using the info I gave you. SINGLE SPACED 2-3 PAGES!