A Message from The Office of Career and Professional Development

Dear HPU Parent,

The professional development journey of our students never stops. HPU is continually committed to supporting the growth and development of our entire study body. In fact, even our HPU alumni like Cameron Scott, pictured above to my left, frequently return to campus to mentor our students.

Cameron graduated in 2017 and today works at the Major League Baseball Association (MLB). I knew him well and worked with him when he was an HPU student. You can watch a video about him here. He is one of many HPU success stories.

When Cameron is on campus, he has lunch with current students to share his wisdom and his career journey. The students love and benefit measurably from not only learning about the industry Cameron works in, but also by getting to know Cameron and making a new contact.

This is an important career development step that our advisors prepare students to take part in year-round. You can encourage your student to prepare for and participate in this exciting activity by following the steps below or by connecting with the Office of Career and Professional Development.

Learning from those who are established and experienced in a career field is an important opportunity for every student. We call it “Informational Interviewing” – an investigative conversation with a person who is doing what you aspire to do. We believe it is a critical part of a student’s personal and career development and is sure to enhance the chances of being gainfully employed upon graduation. Conducting informational interviews builds your professional network, which is the first step to starting a job search.

Professionals to consider contacting for informational interviews are not limited to local professionals at one’s place of work. The interconnectedness of professionals around the world allows ease in reaching out to professionals via LinkedIn or personal leads. And with technological advances, informational interviews don’t just have to happen face-to-face. Conducting informational interviews over the phone or via video conference (like FaceTime or Skype) with professionals locally, across the nation or another part of the world can be just as valuable and advantageous.

Informational interviewing is NOT a job interview and should not be treated as such. In this exchange, typically about 45 minutes, where students will ask questions about the professional’s career path and seek advice about the most effective strategies for entering the field. Students are asking professionals to tell their story, relate it to today’s job market, and offer to be a resource – a win for everyone. Most professionals are happy to do this and feel flattered when asked. They enjoy the chance to shine while offering valuable nuggets of information that otherwise may not be easily accessible.

Benefits for students who pursue informational interviewing: 

• Help clarify goals and develop effective strategies for reaching them.
• Build confidence while discussing interests, skills and goals – This is good preparation for future job interviews.
• Expand network of career-related contacts – Statistics suggest as much as 75% of jobs are developed and acquired through networking.
• Find leads for conducting additional informational interviews/job shadowing.
• Learn more about specific work settings or a specific employer.
• Get advice about career search strategies within a specific industry – Every industry has “insider” tracks which can lead to unadvertised internships and/or full-time jobs.

Questions to ask during Informational Interviews:

• Can you tell me about a typical day at your job?
• How did you get started doing this type of work? How did you find your first job out of college?
• What advice would you give someone who wants to get started in this field?
• What specific education/training will I need?
• What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of your job?
• How do you see this industry changing? What are the emerging trends and specific jobs?
• What does your company look for when hiring? What strengths and characteristics do you value?
• Is there anyone else in the field that you would suggest I talk with? (this is networking)

As a parent, you can be a valuable resource for your student by sharing contacts and making suggestions about who to approach. Become familiar with our Informational Interviewing Guide on the third tab of the linked page. This guide explains how to identify people to interview, provides scripts of what your student can say in an email or phone call when initially reaching out, and includes tips for following up so that the professional connection remains fresh and useful (a well-written thank-you note is powerful). 

A few additional steps that students can take to enhance the career exploration process:

• Embrace the fact that research, both internal and external, is key to identifying a career path and building your network.
• Attend career-related events on campus featuring successful HPU alumni and other outside guests; the HPU Access to Innovators series is a great place to start.
• Identify internships, volunteer, and summer experiences that will start the process moving away from typical jobs that teens/college students hold and move the process towards building relevant, career-focused experiences.

Any student who needs assistance with conducting an Informational Interview or identifying and developing their professional network can review the guide and reach out to schedule an appointment.

Best,

Dr. Doug Hall

Vice President for the Office of Career and Professional Development