（上接《星星生活》第97期）
http://www.newstarweekly.com/news/viewarticle.php?t=22213

我在职业访谈系列的第一篇文章里，向大家介绍了职业访谈(Informational Interview)这种“投石问路，实地考察”的方式，这次就详细介绍职业访谈的四大要领以及准备过程。

**职业访谈四大要领

一）确定访问职业

在确定访问职业前，有许多功课要做。首先是对你本人各方面能力，经验，兴趣和长处作一个深入的评估和考察。根据你的具体情况，锁定一两个职业。然后通过网上，图书馆等先作一些研究调查，这样对你自己既是个摸索锻炼的机会，同时也筛选出谈中要提的问题，充分利用对方宝贵的时间。

职业的锁定越具体越好。比如我所感兴趣的职业导师职业，相关和相辅的职业可以引申到几十个：career counsellor, employment counsellor, career development consultant, job developer, recruiter, outplacement specialist, career management consultant, career transition consultant等等，他们之间有很多细微的差别，必须得通过搜索分析大量的资料才能确定下来最贴近的几个。

二）确定访谈对象

寻找访谈对象可以从几方面同时入手。一是向朋友，熟人，同事等打听，请他们推荐。二是查找相关的专业协会，行会，他们通常都有会员的名录。三是在网上搜索关键字查找相关企业机构，再从企业机构网站上查找。很多公司会把公司总裁，创建人，主要部门负责人列出来。另外，许多人在专业工作之余，会对外发表文章，接受传媒采访，在新闻中也很容易找到人名和工作的公司，有了人名和公司名字就比较容易找到电子邮件地址甚至电话号码。

三）切忌在访谈过程中要求得到一份工作

职业访谈中的大忌就是在访谈时要求一份工作。找工作的人太多了，而你只是去征集信息的，对方只有在完全相信你不是上门求职的情况才会接受访谈。如果让访谈对象感觉到你的目的是找工作的，结果可能令人尴尬。假如这家公司正好在公开招聘，所招聘的职位又正好是你想了解更多的，那么负责招聘或者比较了解该职位内情的人士可能会感到为难而推却你的请求。最好避免这种情况出现以增加你得到访谈的机会。

在访谈中被访问的对象有可能提到一份工作机会，比如给你一个短期的合同或者义务实习的机会。即使遇到这种情况，也应该先按原计划把访谈进行完毕，之后另外约时间详谈工作的事情。

四）访谈作好充分准备

三十分钟的时间很短，为了达到最好效果，事前的准备功夫是不能省的。对访谈对象的公司，他/她本人的经验成就了解得越多越好。我采访的其中一位曾经在IBM CANADA人力资源部做总裁多年后跳槽出去自己开公司来做的。我用她的名字做关键字在网上搜索，找到并阅读了她不同时期为报纸杂志采访的报道，行内简报和新闻发布会纪录，让我对她本人有了进一步的认识。在采访过程中，根据早先了解得背景资料，我很容易就明白她提到的一些观点和出发点。特别是英语还不是那么好的朋友，扎实准备工作绝对有助提高你的自信和访谈的成效。

**访谈前

如何联系访谈对象？确认好访谈对象后，你可以使用电话，书信或者电子邮件联系。如果你担心自己的英语表达能力不够好，为了消除紧张情绪和避免挫败感，使用书信或者电子邮件较为稳妥。这封信件和你投递简历时需要写的cover letter差不多，只不过要把想要寻求工作的那部分删除。大概内容包括：

1）自己的经历和背景；2）为什么你选择了这个人做访谈对象；3）简单介绍你对这个访谈对象的哪个方面有兴趣，是他的目前工作领域，过去经验还是所在公司，所在部门等；4）要谈什么内容，可以把你大概想问的问题归类总结成几点先告诉对方，并且直接了当，说明你在寻求指导和建议；5）最後一句确认下一步联络方式以便定下时间地点。不要留下自己电话期待对方会打来找你，一定是你主动出击，打电话给对方约时间。如果无法直接联络到这个人或者没有他/她的分机号码，请接线员或者前台小姐转告。

下面是一封简单的样板信件供大家参考。

August 10, 2002

Sarah Baker, Director of Teaching and Curriculum Design
The Learning Expert Ltd.
334 Main Street, Suite 301
Toronto ON M5V 2C3

Dear Sarah:

I was referred to you by Ms Diane Walker from the Human Resources Information centre of Toronto. I am currently exploring the career of a professional trainer. I would greatly appreciate if you can spare 20-30 minutes of your time for an informational interview, either by phone or in person.

I am a new immigrant from China and I worked as an English teacher of a private high school for 5 years then a private training company for 2 years before I came here. At the same time I worked as a part-time TV host of a weekly English communication program. I love teaching especially in adult education and I am seriously considering getting into the education and training field in Canada. From your profile on your company website I learn that you were a high school teacher in your early years and you are now an expert in a private management training company. I will be thrilled if I have the opportunity to learn from your experience and perspective.

The questions I may ask fall under these three areas: What is your current job like?

What is the best way to enter this field? What qualifications, educational requirements and skills are most important for this occupation?

I will call you on August 15 at 10AM to set up a mutually convenient time for this informational meeting.

Sincerely,

Ning Su

如果你没有对方的电话号码，只有电子邮件地址，最后一段可以改成：

Please reply to this email and let me know whether or not you are available for the interview. Please let me know how to contact you and the best time for me to call you to schedule an appointment. Look forward to hearing from you.

可能的话，尽量要求到对方工作的地点去进行访谈，这样可以亲身感受对方工作的环境，面对面交谈也比较容易沟通，避免冷场。

**访谈中

访谈的当天，记得穿着得体，带上纸笔作记录。见面寒暄之后，感谢对方抽出时间与你会面。这种私下访谈的气氛比面试轻松自然得多，尽量亲切随和，多一些个人的交流。

访谈中可以问哪些问题？网上搜索可以找到很多，大概精简如下：
・What is your job like? What are your main duties/ functions/ responsibilities?
・How did this type of work interest you and how did you get started?
・How did you get your job? What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position?
・What are the various jobs in this field or organization?
・Why did you decide to work for this company?
・What sorts of changes are occurring in your occupation?
・How does a person progress in your field? What is a typical career path in this field or organization? What is the best way to enter this occupation?
・With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research further before I make a final decision?
・How is the economy affecting this industry?
・What can you tell me about the employment outlook in your occupational field? How much demand is there for people in this occupation? How rapidly is the field growing? Can you estimate future job openings?
・What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field? Is there a salary ceiling?
・Are there a lot of visible minorities doing this type of job?
・How important is English language skills for getting such a job?
・From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field?
・What are the educational, requirements for this job? What other types of credentials or licenses are required? What types of training do companies offer persons entering this field? Is graduate school recommended? An MBA? Does the company encourage and pay for employees to pursue graduate degrees?
・What courses have proved to be the most valuable to you in your work? What would you recommend for me?
・What abilities or personal qualities do you believe contribute most to success in this field/job?
・What are the typical entry-level job titles and functions? What entry level jobs are best for learning as much as possible?
・Do you know of other people whom I might talk to who have similar jobs?
・Do you have any advice for someone interested in this field/job? Are there any written materials you suggest I read? Which professional journals and organizations would help me learn more about this field?
・What kinds of experience, paid or unpaid, would you encourage for anybody pursuing a career in this field?
・These are my strongest assets (skills, areas of knowledge, personality traits and values):___________________________________. Where would they fit in this field? Where would they be helpful in this organization? Where might they fit in other fields? Where might they be helpful in other organizations?

访谈时仔细倾听，作些笔记。你可以带上一份最新的简历，在合适的时候请对方过目加以评点。（是否请对方看简历视当时交谈的时间，气氛和对方的态度而定）。

说好三十分钟就不要拖时间，除非在你表示时间到以后对方主动表示可以延长。最后可以请求对方给你推荐两三个访谈对象，并且允许你在联系新的访谈对象时提到推荐人的名字。

**访谈后

记得要写信表示感谢。就和一般面试后的感谢信一样，你感谢对方百忙之中抽空来给出建议和指导，可以引用当时对方的某句话来表明自己的确用心在听和受益匪浅。告诉对方如果他/她还想到什么其他有用信息的话，可以通过什么方式联络到你。大多数人都希望自己的劳动有成果。比如你后来联络到对方所推荐的其他人，在这方面有了更多进展，甚至找到了相关工作等等，你都可以给访谈过的人发个简短的信保持联络。

另外，把访谈的记录和结果整理出来，以便你自己归类使用。

希望各位朋友能够尝试一下这种途径，并且来信和我分享你们的故事。祝大家好运！

（星星生活专栏作者：Jasmine，电邮：[email protected]）