Learn from people doing the work
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The idea in everyday life
Conduct two respectful informational interviews that surface daily reality, entry paths, tradeoffs, and useful next tests.
Ask for perspective, not a job; patterns across people matter more than one person's certainty.
One step at a time.
Use the sample or information you have permission to use. Keep your work as you go. You can pause between steps.
- 1
Recruit two people through existing contacts, alumni, associations, community groups, or concise cold outreach that makes the small request clear.
- 2
Ask about a typical week, hard and rewarding tasks, entry mistakes, changing skills, work conditions, hiring evidence, and advice they would test today.
- 3
Send thanks, record themes without exposing private details, and separate shared patterns from one person's preference.
See how it works.
Both workers tell Riley that writing clear recommendations matters as much as software, changing the next practice plan.
Did you cover these?
- Your work includes two interview notes, a cross-interview pattern table, follow-up thank-you messages, and three revised career assumptions.
- Check this common mistake: Turning the conversation into a request for employment or copying one person's unusual path as a universal formula.
- Your notes capture concrete tasks and tradeoffs, and the conversations produced at least one new test or source.
What to finish
Two interview notes, a cross-interview pattern table, follow-up thank-you messages, and three revised career assumptions.
Watch for this
Turning the conversation into a request for employment or copying one person's unusual path as a universal formula.
How can I tell I understand it?
Your notes capture concrete tasks and tradeoffs, and the conversations produced at least one new test or source.
Quick knowledge check
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Answer all 3 questions above and get at least 2 right. You can review the explanations and try again.
Go to the knowledge checkOptional course overview video · same video as Lesson 1
To College or Not to College
From Crash Course. Watch here or open it on YouTube .
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