Step 4 Meet with a Professional
Talk with someone working in a field or career you’re considering. Get clarity about your career path and gain helpful insights you can’t find online.
A career conversation is an early step you can take to determine if a career aligns with your interests.
Get Helpful Insights Before You Apply
A career conversation is a 45-60 minute informal but professional conversation where you ask questions to learn about a career path, day-to-day work, and to ask for advice for students entering the field.
Drop into LifeLab for guidance to create an outreach plan.
How to Meet with a Professional
Learn what happens during a career conversation, who to reach out to and what to ask.
For additional information and support for planning your outreach, make an appointment with a CCR career educator.
You lead the conversation.
A career conversation is not an interview – it’s a low-pressure opportunity to learn if a career path is right for you. You might discover the role aligns perfectly with your interests or you might learn it’s not what you expected. Both outcomes are valuable! These insights are helpful to have before you apply for an internship or full-time role.
Before the Career Conversation:
- Complete your Handshake profile
- Have your resume ready – you may have a chance to get feedback
After Your Conversation:
- Follow the professional on LinkedIn
- Write a thank you note that mentions something specific that you appreciated from the conversation
Connect with professionals currently working in roles or industries you’re considering.
University of Arizona alumni are often willing to help current Wildcats and can provide Arizona-specific insights.
How To Find Professionals:
- Use Handshake and LinkedIn to search by job title, company or industry
- Ask family, friends, faculty or advisers for introductions
- Connect with Arizona alumni through LinkedIn’s alumni search tool, and the Arizona Alumni and University of Arizona LinkedIn profiles
Examples of questions to ask during a career conversation:
About Their Career Journey
- What is your career story?
- How and why did you choose this profession?
- Was your major in college relevant to your role? Why or why not?
- Why do you think you got this position?
About the Day-to-Day Work
- What is the most surprising thing about your job or the field in general?
- What have you learned from this role?
- How flexible is your role?
- What activities outside of the field help you on the job?
About Skills and Success
- What kinds of skills does someone need to succeed in this position?
- What is the interview process like?
- Do you have a mentor? How have they helped you?
About Challenges and Change
- What are some of the challenges that you often face?
- How has the role/field/industry/company changed since you started?
- Where do you see yourself in five (ten, fifteen, etc.) years?
Advice for Your Path
- What suggestions do you have for me if I decide to pursue a similar career
- What is one thing you wish you would have known before you started?
Start by connecting with Arizona Alumni.
They remember what it was like to be in your shoes and want to support students navigating similar paths. LinkedIn offers multiple opportunities for connecting with Arizona alumni. You can search by title, keyword or company.
How to Find Arizona Alumni
Use LinkedIn’s alumni search tool.
- Navigate to the University of Arizona LinkedIn page
- Select the Alumni tab
- Filter by location, industry, company, degree, or graduation year
You can also search for Alumni on the People tab on Handshake, or on the Arizona Alumni LinkedIn Page
Career conversations are rewarding.
There are many benefits to meeting with a professional:
- Career Exploration and Clarity: Learn about day-to-day tasks, company culture and the realities of a career – essential information for determining if a particular path aligns with your interests and goals.
- Skill Development: Improve skills like communication, adaptability, active listening, and problem-solving – essential for future success in any field.
- Professional Networking: Connect with professionals to build a network that can lead to mentorship, advice, and future opportunities – essential for building your professional community.
- Industry and Role Insights: Gain specific knowledge about different industries, roles within those industries – essential for understanding which skills are needed for success.
- Enhanced Self-Awareness: Better understand your own skills, values, and interests by discussing them in a supportive environment – essential for assessment of possible career paths.
- Reduced Uncertainty and Anxiety: By providing a safe space to discuss career uncertainties, these conversations can build resilience and confidence – essential for feeling more prepared for life after graduation.
- Guidance on Next Steps: Receive actionable advice on how to gain experience, find internships, or pursue further education – essential for taking the next steps to becoming a strong candidate.
Look for people whose career paths interest you, even if their journey looks different from what you’re planning.
“My career conversation helped me learn more about a career I was thinking about pursuing. In the end, I realized it wasn’t for me. What a relief to have this information now!“
I gain confidence when talking to others.
For Early Career Explorers
Job Shadow Program – One Day Experience
Spend a day in a professional workplace to explore a career or industry firsthand. Ideal for first or second-year students.
Advize – Recorded Interviews with Professionals
Watch short, focused interviews with thousands of relatable professionals across industries,
including 50+ University of Arizona alumni. Search by industry, major, company or skills.
Career clarity, professional connections and next steps.
Career conversations build confidence and shine a light on possible career paths.
If you’re not sure where to start or how to reach out to professionals in your area of interest, drop into LifeLab.
