Informational Interview

In M1 Assignment 3, you identified a professional in the field of psychology to interview. You selected an interviewee employed in a psychology-related job that interests you and developed a list of ten questions.
For this assignment, you will conduct an interview with your chosen psychology professional using those ten questions.
Tasks

• The interview must last a minimum of 30 minutes. As specified in Module 1, you must ask interviewees about their work, academic preparation, and advice during the interview. Be certain to include the interviewee’s answers to your questions on the following topics:
  • The experiences, skills, and knowledge necessary for success in psychology careers or graduate school
  • Relevant professional organizations
  • His/her views on professional ethics and academic integrity
  • The role of psychological research in his/her work
  • His/her greatest challenges and rewards
  • His/her reasons for choosing his/her field

Once the interview has been completed, prepare a 3- to 4-page summary detailing the responses you have received from the questions you asked as well as a discussion of any impact the interview has had on your decisions regarding possible future employment possibilities.
When discussing the impact the interview had on you, be sure to:
Discuss at least two strengths and two weaknesses you recognized in yourself after conducting the interview.
Identify at least one step you can take to address those weaknesses so that you strengthen your ability to attain your chosen career goal.
Submission Details

• Save your 3- to 4-page Microsoft Word document

The Interview and Questions
Charley Lang is a professional licensed psychologist in marriage and Family therapy. He has an experience of 20 years in this field. He is a director of addiction studies and psychology at Antioch University. His main role is training future therapist through courses like Contemporary Modes in Psychology and Human sexualities. He first began his work life as an actor has encountered many people with different issues in life which motivated him to become a therapist. His specialties include couple, individual and LGTB counseling, diverse identity and lifestyles, non-traditional relationships, addiction and recovery, coping skills and life transition. His daily tasks include but are not limited to the following, offering treatment and therapy for issues involving, drug addiction, family issues and relationships, support cares and counselling, developing and valuing service provisions for clienteles and assessing client’s abilities, behaviors and needs using different methods such as narrative, strength-based and Solution Focused briefs.
He is based in Los Angeles California 90004. One can reach him through his number (323) 310-9878 and his email on his website…I am passionate about helping people solve issues they are facing in life and I have a desire to be a professional counselor. I believe having an interview with Charley land will help me gain insight into what this profession involves, the requirements for being a professional in psychology and most important, and the motivation to pursue this career. I always experience some sense of self-fulfillment and joy in cases where I have helped people go through problems like emotional traumas. There have always been without professional knowledge. I believe my interview with Charley Lang will help me realize and encourage me in my pursuit of being a professional counselor.
My interest in counseling people is also intrigued by the fact the world is changing and people view relationships like marriage, couple relationship, and children relationship differently from the past. The rate of cases like domestic violence and child abuse are increasing rapidly and is becoming a global problem (Woolfe et al., 2003). I want to be part of the team that will help in changing such a worldview and brings order in relationships and this can only be achieved through changing peoples’ mindset about their view on such relationships.
Some of the questions I jotted down before the interview include,
1. Is counseling to you a passion or just a job that earns you money?
2. What drove you to take psychology as a career?
3. Do your responsibilities as a therapist focus more on the present and past and do you offer short term or long-term therapies?
4. What reward do you value most in your career, is it the salary you get or the sense of self-fulfillment you have accomplished?
5.What aspect of counseling do you feel is your area of expertise?
6.What are some of the challenges you experience in your career?
7. Do you think your career has a meaningful Impact in people’s lives and in making the world a better place?
8.What does it take for one to be a professional psychologist?
9. Apart from counseling and therapy, what other areas of psychology can one pursue as a career?
10. Does the knowledge and skills you have gained throughout the years help you as a person in solving your problems before you help others?
11.People don’t view psychology as a career option unlike business and engineering majors, what is your take on that?
12.What advice would you give to students taking psychology or a person with interest to pursue psychology as a career?
13. Do you family members and friends expect you to have a problem free life considering you are an expert when it comes to psychology and counseling? 14.What motivates you daily to help others through their problems, even when you have some in your life?
15. If given a chance, would you take a career in another major?
Charley Lang views professional ethics and academic integrity as a value that ought to be upheld in a career. This value to his is most challenged when he is facing an issue of the dilemma during a clientele problem. He says every psychology professional should adhere to the professional codes of ethics accorded to them as it plays a big role in their work life. Being ethical and moral and expressing high integrity in one work earns you respect and confidence from your clients and it should never be an area to gamble about for a serious professional (Koocher & Keith-Spiegel 2008).
His reason for choosing to be a psychologist was the fact that as an actor, he played so many roles that expressed issues existing in real life like domestic violence which encouraged him to help such victims.
When conducting an interview, etiquette is one virtue that needs to be upheld in creating rapport and ensuring respect (Jorgenson 1992). So, my approach to this interview would be to knock on the door and not just barge in and is allowed to entire, I would then show civilization and respect as I introduce myself to Him and the purpose for my appointment. I would then wait to offer a seat. I would then request a chance to have an informal conversation with him. I would then first create a rapport with him maybe by inquiring about how his day is before proceeding with the questions. Finally, after the interview, I would express my gratitude with a word of thanks for his time, wish him all the best in his career and finally wish him a great time for the remaining part of the day.
 
Reference
Jorgenson, J. (1992). Communication, rapport, and the interview: A social perspective. Communication Theory, 2(2), 148-156.
Koocher, G. P., & Keith-Spiegel, P. (2008). Ethics in psychology and the mental health professions: Standards and cases. Oxford University Press.
Woolfe, R., Dryden, W., & Strawbridge, S. (Eds.). (2003). Handbook of counselling psychology. Sage.