Interview
See " Interview Questions" and "Interview Summary " forms in the handbook, prepare, submit and get approved by your advisers.
This task integrates with PBL Task 7 and PBL Task 8. Insert your interview questions and answers, and "Thank you letter" under the ELA component of your website.
Interviewing Tips
SETTING UP THE INTERVIEW
Students should call the person they wish to interview in advance and schedule an appointment. Don’t expect or demand that it be done the next day or the day after that. People need up to two weeks advance notice to plan their schedules. Be considerate of their time.
A student should use the following protocol when scheduling an interview:
Identify yourself by name and school.
Explain that you are doing a Capstone senior project at Harmony Science Academy – Brownsville.
Explain to the person what the Capstone project is about.
Briefly explain to the person about what you have decided to do for your project portion of the Capstone, and then explain you are writing a research paper dealing with your project and major field of study.
Politely ask if the person has time to meet with you to be interviewed. Explain that the interview is a requirement for the paper and that you must use the information and quotes from the interview in the body of the paper.
Be flexible. Do not tell the person how busy and overcommitted you are. You must be willing to fit into his or her schedule. Let the person to be interviewed pick the time and place for the interview.
Be sure and write down the date, time, and place for the interview. Repeat this information back to the person being interviewed to make certain you have the correct information.
Thank the person for being willing to give up some of his or her time and assure the person that you will be there for the interview at the appropriate time.
CONDUCTING THE INTERVIEW
It is a good idea to call the day before the interview to remind the person that you will be arriving the next day. Repeat your name, the purpose of the interview and the time that the interview is to take place. Ask the person if that time is still convenient for him or her. Express that you are looking forward to talking with the person.
Show up for the interview on time! Plan your travel time so that you are not late. It is better to arrive early than late.
Dress appropriately for the interview. Do not wear t‐shirts, caps, or sloppy clothes. Leave the chewing gum at home. Do not slouch during the interview. Look interested!
Before going to the interview, plan and write down 10‐12 relevant questions to ask. Keep the questions focused on what the paper is going to be about.
Unless it is vital to your paper, avoid asking questions about salary, job satisfaction, etc. If you must ask about salary, limit the question to what salary range a person might expect if taking an entry level position in that career. Do not ask the person being interviewed what his/her salary is!
Remember to take paper and pen so that you can take notes! If you plan to tape the interview, put in new batteries and a blank tape before you arrive and test it the day before your scheduled meeting. You must always obtain permission to tape record the interview ahead of time. Many people feel uneasy about being taped.
Do not get so absorbed in taking notes that you are not really listening to the information that the person is giving to you. Be ready to ask follow‐up questions that relate to what the person is saying.
When you have finished the interview, thank the person for his or her time. Try to get a business card so that you will have correct spelling of their name and mailing address for the “Thank You” letter / card that you mail within one week after your appointment.
AFTER THE INTERVIEW
Read over the notes and fill in any details that you can remember that you failed to have time to write down during the actual interview.
If the interview was taped, the student should listen to the tape and take some more notes.
Pull pertinent quotes and facts from the notes to use in the research paper.
If there are questions in your mind about something you wrote down or did not understand, it is a good idea to call the person you interviewed and ask for clarification. This will help avoid providing false information or incorrect quotes in the paper.
Write a thank you letter and mail it within 5‐7 days after the interview. In the letter, mention the Capstone Project, Harmony Science Academy - Brownsville, the topic of your paper, the date of the interview and your appreciation for them in granting you the interview. In a second paragraph, point out some useful information the person gave you that you intend to use in your paper.
Limit the thank you letter to one page or less. Business correspondence should be concise and to the point.
Below forms are intended to give information. Forms in the handbook shall be used for submissions.
Interview Questions
Student Name________________________________ Date___________________
CTE Faculty Advisor__________________________ Pathway_______________
(To Be Approved By Your CTE AND English Faculty Advisors)
Required Background Questions:
Please describe your job title and responsibilities.
What is your educational background?
Does your job require a college degree or special certification?
How long have you been employed in this industry / position(s)?
Original, Student‐Generated Questions: Please list a minimum of 8 appropriate questions that you would like to ask the industry professional. 1._______________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________ 3._______________________________________________________________________ 4._______________________________________________________________________ 5._______________________________________________________________________ 6._______________________________________________________________________ 7._______________________________________________________________________ 8._______________________________________________________________________
Approval by CTE Faculty Advisor_________________________________________
Approval by English Faculty Advisor_______________________________________
.
Interview Summary
Student Name________________________________ Date___________________
CTE Faculty Advisor__________________________ Pathway_______________
(To Be Reviewed By Your CTE AND English Faculty Advisors)
Who did you interview?___________________________________________________
Date of interview?________________________________________________________
What is their job description and job title? ___________________________________
How does their expertise support you in preparation for your research paper and project? _________________________________________________________________
Provide at least 5 of the original, student‐generated questions that were asked and the responses that you received.
1._______________________________________________________________________
2._______________________________________________________________________
3._______________________________________________________________________
4._______________________________________________________________________
5._______________________________________________________________________
Approval by CTE Faculty Advisor _________________________________________
Approval by English Faculty Advisor_______________________________________