INSPIRE A Husky: Informational Interview Coaching
What is the Inspire a Husky program?
Acknowledging the critical role networking plays in securing job opportunities, Inspire a Husky provides essential career coaching and robust support to empower you in building your professional network. Our dedicated Career Design team will guide you through the process of identifying potential connections, including Husky alumni and other prospective employers. We provide expert assistance in setting up and conducting informational interviews and offer ongoing support for effective follow-ups with your contacts. 100% of students who have completed INSPIRE Informational Interviews highly recommend this service to their friends.
What are Informational Interviews?
Informational Interviews offer you the unique opportunity to connect one-on-one with Husky alumni and employers to learn more about careers, industries, internships, or majors of interest. You can ask a variety of questions (just remember, not a job request!) to gain clarity and receive valuable advice, all while developing your network.
Who can participate? Do I need to be from a certain college/major/concentration?
This service is open to everyone—any college, concentration, or major. All you need is to be a Northeastern University student seeking guidance from a Husky alum or employer.
How does it work?
Career Design is with you every step of the way, starting with helping you identify your interests. We’ll then show you how to connect with alumni and other professionals through LinkedIn, NUSource, and other resources. We’ll even help you craft your introduction and potential questions to ask.
Our support is ongoing, meaning if you get stuck along the way, we’re here to help you move forward. After your informational interview, we’ll meet with you to reflect on the experience. Inspire a Husky is here to boost your confidence and skills for your journey at Northeastern and beyond.
When do the informational interviews occur? What should I expect?
INSPIRE Informational Interviews typically last between 20 to 30 minutes and can be conducted either in person or virtually using platforms like Zoom or Teams. The interviews often are held with Husky alumni or employers and are typically scheduled during business hours. In-person meetings should be conducted in public settings like workplaces or coffee shops. To begin the process, checkout NUworks or our Events page for more information on upcoming INSPIRE virtual workshops.
If you’re wondering ‘will people really take time to talk with me?”
The answer is, yes! Many professionals have gone through the same early career challenges you face and are eager to support those entering the workforce.
How do I get started?
Join us at the Inspire a Husky virtual workshop, where you’ll have the chance to:
- Clarify your career goals.
- Discover effective strategies for connecting with alumni and employers for informational interviews.
- Craft your initial introduction.
- Identify insightful questions to ask.
- Gain insights into your next steps.
INSPIRE workshops are offered monthly and posted on NUworks every semester. Following the workshop, you’ll also have the opportunity to meet with a Career Coach from our team, who will provide support and help you reflect on your informational interview experience. This meeting is the perfect time to discuss how this interaction has influenced your goals and create a practical action plan moving forward.
How do I sign up?
Alumni and Employers:
If you are an alum or an employer and willing to participate in student informational interviews to allow students to learn from your own career journey, please contact:
Kate Famulari, [email protected]
Ellen Goldman, [email protected]
Student Testimonials from their INSPIRE Informational Interviews:
“My meeting (with a Husky alum) was a wonderful experience and was so helpful. I’m excited to declare my major.”
“I hope that I’ll be able to pay this forward someday and help someone else like you (my information interviewee) so generously helped me.”
“My information interview was very interesting and I learned a lot about the roles I will explore”
“I have a good template of questions that I can ask people. I have a better feel to how I should be facilitating the conversation. I know how to word questions so that they do not come off as offending or inappropriate, and I am already caught up in the flow of information interviews!”
“As a result of my INSPIRE Information Interview meetings I have increased my confidence in making connections on my own.“
“I have learned that this is a very real way to move forward towards my goals.”
“By participating in INSPIRE, I have increased my knowledge and skill in networking to expand my professional relationships and community of connections.”