Information Interview with an Information Broker: Career Insights
This paper presents the results of an informational interview conducted with Mr. Josh Stevens (a pseudonym), president of Online Verification, Inc., a company specializing in background checks for corporate and private clients. The interview covers how Stevens founded his business after recognizing a market gap in credential verification, what a typical workday looks like, the career development opportunities he offers employees, and his personal motivations for the work. The paper concludes with a brief reflection on the interview experience and includes a formal thank-you letter to the interviewee. The account offers practical insight into the information brokering profession and entrepreneurial career development.
- Introduction: Overview of information brokering and interview subject
- Results of the Interview: Stevens' career path, daily work, and motivations
- Conclusion: Synthesis of Stevens' entrepreneurial career and outlook
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What makes this paper effective
- The paper uses a clear, organized structure — introduction, detailed interview results, and conclusion — that mirrors the format of a professional report, making it easy to follow.
- The writer faithfully summarizes interview responses in attributed, quotation-supported prose, preserving the subject's voice while keeping the narrative readable.
- The inclusion of a formal thank-you letter demonstrates professional correspondence skills and rounds out the assignment as a complete career-exploration exercise.
Key academic technique demonstrated
The paper models effective use of primary source reporting. Rather than relying on secondary literature, the student conducted and documented an original interview, synthesized the responses into coherent paragraphs, and used direct quotations selectively to support key points. This technique — primary data collection through structured interview — is a foundational skill in career research and qualitative inquiry.
Structure breakdown
The paper opens with a brief introduction establishing the subject and purpose. The body section walks through each interview question in sequence, covering the subject's career origin story, daily operations, staffing, educational background, and job satisfaction. The conclusion synthesizes the interview's main takeaways. A formal follow-up letter appended after the conclusion demonstrates professional communication etiquette.
Introduction
Today, professional researchers who are capable of providing timely and accurate information about markets and even individuals are in high demand. One such information broker who has identified a niche opportunity and leveraged it to grow an online business is Mr. Josh Stevens (not his real name), who provides in-depth background checks for his clientele. This paper presents the results of an informational interview with Mr. Stevens, followed by a summary of the experience in the conclusion.
Conclusion
As president of Online Verification, Inc., Mr. Josh Stevens provides his clientele with valuable information concerning the backgrounds of people that are of interest to them. The results of the telephonic interview showed that Mr. Stevens is an entrepreneur who identified a niche opportunity and grew his business from a sole practitioner to a growing enterprise. This information broker has taken advantage of innovations in technology to establish a web presence and communicate with his clientele, while his business continues to rely on telephone communications as well. In the final analysis, Mr. Stevens is carving out a place for his services in ways that will likely continue to grow his business in the future.
The following is the formal thank-you letter submitted to Mr. Stevens after the interview.
March 17, 2013
Mr. Josh Stevens
President, Online Verification, Inc.
Dear Mr. Stevens:
Thank you very much for participating in a telephone interview with me last week. Your business sounds highly interesting, and it is clear you provide a valuable service for your clients. The results of your interview have been summarized and reported to my university.
Best regards,
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