Department of English
Mentor Sample Questions
English Alumni Mentor Starter Questions
Welcome to the English major's Alumni Mentor website! Below are some sample questions you may wish to ask a Mentor.
Please remember: this is not an interrogation. You are speaking to someone who majored in the same subject as you are right now, and who will be interested in you -- and you should be in him or her.
So, don't just run through this list of questions. Use them as a basis for a real conversation, and tailor them accordingly.
Advisor's Career Field
- How do people find out about jobs in your field? How are they advertised? Is word of mouth more important?
- What would help me to learn more about this field?
- What entry-level opportunities are there in this field?
- How well suited is English for this type of work?
- What else should I be doing? What other courses or experience do I need?
Advisor's Career Path:
- Five or ten years ago, did you expect to be where you are now?
- How did you prepare for this kind of work? How do most people prepare for it?
- If you were in college now, what would you differently?
About the Alum's Present Job:
- How did you choose this career field?
- What do you find most rewarding about the work?
- How long do most people stay in your job?
- Do you see your current job as a step to another one?
- What are the most difficult aspects of your job?
- If you were ever to leave this kind of work, what would drive you away from it?
- When you hire people, what matters to you most in terms of qualifications and personal attributes?