Module 5 Overview

Com 325 - Bowers Page 1

We participate in informational interviews nearly every day, with our professors, bosses,

colleagues, doctors, even drive-through restaurant employees. Informational interviews are

used to relay and gain facts, observations, opinions, attitudes, and feelings and can be as brief

or extended as needed. No matter the individual specifics, one characteristic is consistent in all

informational interviews they aim to gain knowledge as accurately and completely as

possible.

Though we participate in informational interviews regularly, chances are, we are not purposeful

with our goals in many of those interactions. Chapter 5 is going to provide the necessary

information, skills, and how-to that will enable us to be more aware of our communication

while in those interviews.

First things first think back to your public speaking class and how you went about preparing

for your informative and persuasive speeches. Preparing for an informational interview is very

similar in regard to the steps youll need to take before meeting with the interviewee(s).

Before entering into an interview you must prepare. This step is essential. Preparation consists

of determining your goal, researching the topic, and structuring the interview. Scanlan

describes interviewing as a process, like writing, that involves a series of decisions and actions

designed to get the best possible information. The first step in this process is to determine

your goal (Stewart & Cash, 2014. p. 99).

Determine what it is you specifically want to learn from the interview and then begin

researching to see what information is already available. This step is crucial as it will allow you

to narrow down what key points you want to focus on during in the interview rather than

wasting time asking questions that can be answered by a simple Internet search. Doing your

homework before the interview has many benefits aside from just being prepared. It shows

that you respect the persons time who you are interviewing. It also ensures that you do not

walk into the interview with false assumptions and will help you develop intelligent questions.

Having intelligent questions will produce an added bonus; it will establish your credibility.

Once you have determined your goal and established what is already known you can begin

structuring your interview, selecting interviewees/interviewers, choosing the location and

setting, and planning the details of the interview.

All of this and more will be covered in module 5 via the textbook chapter, PowerPoint

presentation, and the discussion questions. You will be given the chance to practice the

concepts youll be learning with the Professional Interview/Information Gathering Report

learning opportunity.