human service professional interview

The purpose of this project is to provide students the opportunity to reflect on the information learned from an interview with a human service professional (e.g. licensed professional counselor, psychologist, social worker, law enforcement, etc.). Interviews may not be conducted over email—students should communicate with the identified professional via phone, in-person, or on-line platforms to connect. The interview will provide students with the opportunity to utilize interviewing skills used in Humans Services courses to conduct their interview. The first part of the assignment provides a summary of the interview and should be at least 1 full page in length. The second part of the assignment is your personal reflections from the interview and should be at least 1 full page in length. As part of developing professional skills, the final part of the assignment is a copy of the appreciation email or note the student wrote to the professional they interviewed thanking them for their time and sharing their experiences.

Specific instructions for this assignment are as follows:

Set up an interview with a human service professional who has been practicing for at least three years.
Conduct a semi-structured interview and explore the following areas:
What are some of the specific roles and tasks associated with your position?
What are the greatest rewards and challenges in your job?
Can you provide a description of some of types of crisis or traumatic situations you have handled?
How do you handle the stress associated with the crisis you encounter at work?
What type of training did you receive to prepare you for handling crisis that happen on the job?
What suggestions or advise do you have for someone who is interested in pursuing a position in your field?
The above interview questions are simply guidelines. Students will also develop and ask additional questions as part of their interview.

The first half of the paper should introduce the person you interviewed, where they work, and how long they have been in the Human Services filed. The first part of the paper is a summary of the interview (not a transcript) and the information that you learned. This section should be at least one full page, double spaced.

The second half of the paper is your personal reflections about the information you received. Personal reflections should address the following:
How did the information you received compare to your initial expectations?
What did you like best about the job?
What did you like least about the job?
How do you think you will be able to handle facing the traumatic events identified by your interviewee?
How do you currently handle the stress associated with your daily life (e.g. school)?
How do you think you would respond to the crisis situations described in the interview?
How do you think you can best prepare yourself for responding to crisis situations?
A copy of your follow-up letter of appreciation or email to the interviewee is to be included with your paper.