Assignment 10: Interview

 

Assignment 10 - Interview

 

COURSE GOALS

  1. •Develop skills of observation, analysis, and investigation to create technical writing documents.

  2. •Demonstrate clarity, conciseness, organization, and correct grammar through technical writing.

 

OBJECTIVES

  1. •Complete an interview about job skills and training in a professional area of interst to you.

  2. •Create a memo summarizing information from the interview.

  3. •Select an appropriate and effective memo format.

 

INSTRUCTION

Interviews allow you to make direct contact with an expert in the field. Interviews can give you a feel for what a person is like beyond what you see on paper. Interviews allow for flexibility when asking and answering questions. You should interview a person who has long-term expertise and/or professional experience in a job in which you are interested. Contact me if you need help finding someone to interview.

I strongly urge you to prepare yourself for the interview by reading about the profession before your interview.

Make an appointment and show up on time. Know exactly what you want from the interview. Be prepared with questions, paper and pen, and maybe a tape recorder if your interviewee doesn't mind being taped. (ASK FIRST!!!)

Have your questions written out in advance. (You may use the following sample questions, but please know that I expect you to think of and ask at least 10 total questions).

  1. •How long have you been in this profession? What types of changes have you seen since you began?

  2. •How much could you expect to earn in an entry level position in this profession?

  3. •What education is required for this position?

  4. •What are the most important skills necessary for this job?

  5. •What are the greatest challenges of this job? Rewards?

  6. •What must you do to continue to develop professionally in this field?

For this assignment, you may do the interview over the phone, provided you have organized your questions beforehand. If you are doing the interview over the phone, be sure to ask if this is an appropriate time for the interview. If not, arrange a time when you can call back. In order to get accurate information you need to listen carefully. Ask for clarification on things you don't understand during the interview. That way you won't have to call back later.

In my experience, a face to face interview can be much more valuable than a phone interview. Information is often communicated through facial and physical gestures, something you won't pick up over the phone. Remember to dress neatly. Finish the interview with a polite "thank you" and a handshake. Remember the saying, "you don't get a second chance to make a first impression".


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MEMO

DUE DATES: January 9 AND 23, 2012
TO: Technical Writing Students
FROM: Helen Haberman, Instructor
SUBJECT: Interview Assignment

Background

Interviews are used to help employers get a better sense of who you are. Interviews are also used to educate the interviewer about a subject in which the interviewee is knowledgeable.

Assignment (65 points total)

Interview a Churchill staff member (teacher, coach, administrator, counselor, etc.), a professional business person who works in a field in which you're interested, a resource management professional or a supervisor at your work about their job. Refer to the previous page for ideas of questions to ask and interview strategies. Do NOT interview family members or friends for this assignment!!

Procedure

Research the Internet for information about conducting interviews. Check out the following web sites.

  1. •Interview Tips

  2. •CBS Anchor Katie Couric offers advice

  3. •Interview Analysis

 

The following components (20 pts.) are due on January 9, 2011:

Read about interview strategies and techniques.

Select a person or persons to interview. Make an appointment to interview them (indicate date and time). Submit this information to instructor.

Prepare a list of 10 questions for the interview that are designed to give you more information about the required job skills, education and training necessary for the profession.


The following is due (45 pts.) on January 23, 2012:

Create a write-up in memo format discussing your findings.

Click on the link here to learn about proper Memo format.

Click on the link here to read an Example of an appropriate interview write-up.

Copy and Paste your memo from your word processor into the form below or deliver to your in-folder in the classroom.

  


Evaluation

Your write-up memo will be evaluated on the following criteria:

  1. •All required elements/ interview information present(40%)

  2. •Writing is succinct, clear, focused, well-organized (20%)

  3. •Absence of any punctuation, grammar, or spelling errors (20%)

  4. •Use of an appropriate and effective memo format (20%)


Help

If you have questions about this assignment, send them to haberman@4j.lane.edu.