Assignment 1: Power & Politics in Your Dream Job

Conduct one informational interview with a person who is either currently in a position that you aspire to, or is qualified to speak about the political environment that surrounds it.

Write a 2-3 pages report about what you have learned about the political and power dynamics of your dream job in the interview.

Questions your report should cover include:

• What is your dream job?
• Is the person that you interviewed currently working in your dream job? Or does he or she know enough about it to talk to you about it?
• Why did you choose the person that you interviewed?
• What are the power dynamics of their job?
• How would you describe the political environment that surrounds their job?
• How do they achieve their goals? Do they think it is easy or difficult to achieve their goals? Why?
• How do they influence their bosses? Subordinates? Colleagues?
• How important are relationships in the job that they are doing?
• Do you think the interviewee's background, job and/or experience might have shaped their views about their job's political dynamics?
• What advice can they give you for being successful if you were in their place?
• What are the main insights that you gained from the interview?
• What sources of power and influence will you require to be successful in your future job?
• What is your plan for developing the sources of power and influence skills necessary to be effective in your future job?
• 10% of the total assignment grade will be deducted for each day (calendar day) that the assignment is late.
• Assignments submitted one week after the due date will not be accepted