Alumni from the School of Information shared insight on the interview process in their respective career fields Wednesday evening, where they emphasized understanding trends in the industry and finding jobs that match their personal strengths as keys to success.

Elizabeth Hallmark, iSchool director of career development, said the booming information industry is one of the most exciting and dynamic fields to be in. The best way to prepare for the evolving industry is to keep an open mind, Hallmark said at the alumni panel hosted by the Association for Information Science and Technology, an organization providing students with resources for career development.

“Information touches every single industry, and there will be jobs that exist five years from now that don’t exist today.” Hallmark said. “It’s never been more important for people who have skills to be out there in the world, understand how to connect people with information, get value from it and comprehend it to make the world a better place.” 

The iSchool boasts a 70 percent employment rate within three months of graduation for its students, according to its website. It offers a variety of programs in areas including user experience design, data science and library archives. 

Hallmark said young information professionals should do their research about companies they’re interested in to be well-prepared for the job search, such as by checking Glassdoor to see what kind of interview questions they ask.

Student organizations such as ASIS&T prepare students for the industry through alumni panels and visits by company representatives. The visiting professionals network with the students and discuss skills, such as how be a successful interviewee.

“ASIS&T invites people from various industries to look at students’ portfolios and teach them tools such as prototyping,” said Arwa Ravat, an iSchool graduate student and ASIS&T representative. “Last semester, we held a session showing students the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of creating an online portfolio.” 

Information studies graduate student Katelyn Helberg said she feels the interdisciplinary program has opened up her options for future careers.

“I entered iSchool interested in librarianship because it offers an ALA accredited degree,” Helberg said. “But the school has definitely broadened my horizons into user experience and data science. They provide an extensive career network and resources.”