Icebreaker Questions

The first five minutes of an informal interview dictate the pace. Preparing open-ended questions helps bypass early awkwardness and moves the discussion into substantial topics.

To Open the Conversation:

• "I saw on your profile that you recently transitioned from [Field A] to [Field B]. What was the most surprising part of that pivot?"
• "How did you initially find your way into [Current Industry]?"
• "What is a typical Tuesday like for you in your current role?"

To Dig Deeper (Middle of the Chat):

• "What is the most common misconception people have about your job?"
• "If you could go back to when you were in my position (recent grad, career switcher, etc.), what advice would you give yourself?"
• "What skills have you found to be the most valuable in your role, outside of the obvious technical ones?"
• "What is the most challenging project you've worked on recently, and how did you handle it?"

To Wrap Up:

• "Based on what I've shared about my background and goals, do you see any glaring gaps I should work on?"
• "Is there anyone else in your network you think I should reach out to as I continue exploring this field?"
• "Are there any books, podcasts, or resources you usually recommend to people starting out in this space?"