Career Networking Through Informational Interviews: Helping Technical Communication Students Make Meaning

As teachers of technical communication courses, we found our students reluctant to improve their networking skills even when they claimed to understand that networking is important to career success. We assigned our students to conduct an informational interview with someone in their chosen career field. Before and after the interview, we asked students to complete reflective questionnaires. We analyzed student responses using the qualitative data analysis (QDA) method. After the interview assignment, students' attitudes toward networking were significantly more positive than they had been before the interview. Additionally, students increased their knowledge of professional communication skills. We concluded that the networking interview assignment is an effective and meaningful career preparation experience.