Discover the Emma Members Database
Looking for career advice? Want to know more about a career path or industry? An experimenting mindset allows you to explore potential career options, understand different people’s perspectives and gain insights into their experience. You can learn from Emma alumni through the Emma Members Careers Database (www.emma.cam.ac.uk/careers), which grants unique access to a professional network.
The database allows you to filter according to areas of expertise and subjects read at Emmanuel. The alumni have agreed to be contacted for careers guidance and networking and can be identified via the Networking & Careers section. By tapping into this valuable resource, you can expand your knowledge of their work context and benefit from any recommendations and tips for applications that they may wish to share.
Here are some suggestions of how to conduct ‘informational interviews’ effectively:
Preparation
Identify what you hope to learn about a specific industry, company, organisation or role.
Research the person you’ll be speaking to and their background and select topics to show evidence of your interest and knowledge during the conversation.
Draft a list of questions to ask such as the interviewee’s career pathway to date, key decisions they may have taken, insights into ‘a day in the life’, skillset that are particularly relevant, advice for newcomers, company culture etc.
Conversation
Contact the relevant professional to request an informal careers conversation. Be clear about your intentions and politely request a (virtual) meeting or call at a time of their convenience.
Maintain a professional demeanour throughout the interaction. Take notes and show interest in their expertise.
Be mindful of the interviewee’s time constraints and stick to the agreed-upon timeframe. Thank them for their time and insights.
Follow-up
After the interview, send a prompt thank-you email expressing your gratitude for the interviewee’s time and insights. Reference interesting points from the conversation that resonated with you.
Maintain a professional relationship by connecting on LinkedIn and keep them updated on your career progress as relevant.
Reflect on the information gained from the interview and use it to fuel your career development momentum.
Curious conversations
When you focus on learning from other people's experiences and expertise you tap into an unlimited source of knowledge. Having a curious career conversation each month is a healthy career habit to form.
Please do make use of this valuable community and resource to ask questions and help navigate the multitude of career options.
