Good Questions to Ask a Guest Speaker About Their Job
Engaging questions that help you learn about their career path, industry insights, and professional experiences while showing genuine interest in their expertise.
1What's the most rewarding aspect of your job?
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What's the most rewarding aspect of your job?
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Why this works
Opens discussion about what motivates them professionally and helps you understand what they find fulfilling in their career.
2What's the biggest challenge you face in your role?
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What's the biggest challenge you face in your role?
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Why this works
Helps you understand the realities of their profession and what obstacles they need to overcome in their daily work.
3How did you get started in this field?
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How did you get started in this field?
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Why this works
Provides insight into their career path and helps you understand how someone enters and progresses in their profession.
4What skills are most important for success in your role?
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What skills are most important for success in your role?
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Why this works
Helps you understand the competencies and abilities that are most valuable in their profession and what to focus on developing.
5What's a typical day like in your job?
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What's a typical day like in your job?
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Why this works
Gives you a realistic picture of their daily responsibilities and helps you understand what the job actually involves.
6What's the most interesting project you've worked on?
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What's the most interesting project you've worked on?
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Why this works
Encourages storytelling and helps you understand the scope and variety of work in their profession.
7How has your industry changed since you started?
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How has your industry changed since you started?
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Why this works
Shows interest in industry trends and helps you understand how their field has evolved and what to expect in the future.
8What advice would you give to someone starting in this field?
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What advice would you give to someone starting in this field?
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Why this works
Gets valuable career guidance and helps you understand what they wish they had known when they were starting out.
9What's the most important lesson you've learned in your career?
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What's the most important lesson you've learned in your career?
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Why this works
Encourages sharing of wisdom and helps you understand what insights have been most valuable to their professional development.
10How do you stay current with industry trends and developments?
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How do you stay current with industry trends and developments?
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Why this works
Shows interest in continuous learning and helps you understand how professionals in their field stay updated and relevant.
11What's the most surprising thing about your job?
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What's the most surprising thing about your job?
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Why this works
Reveals unexpected aspects of their profession and helps you understand what you might not anticipate about their work.
12How do you handle work-life balance in your role?
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How do you handle work-life balance in your role?
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Why this works
Shows interest in their approach to managing professional and personal responsibilities and helps you understand the demands of their job.
13What's the most important decision you've made in your career?
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What's the most important decision you've made in your career?
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Why this works
Encourages reflection on career choices and helps you understand the decision-making process in their profession.
14How do you approach problem-solving in your work?
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How do you approach problem-solving in your work?
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Why this works
Shows interest in their methodology and helps you understand how they tackle challenges and find solutions.
15What's the most valuable skill you've developed?
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What's the most valuable skill you've developed?
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Why this works
Helps you understand what competencies have been most beneficial to their career and what to focus on developing.
16How do you measure success in your role?
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How do you measure success in your role?
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Why this works
Shows interest in their performance metrics and helps you understand how they evaluate their own success and effectiveness.
17What's the most important quality for someone in your field?
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What's the most important quality for someone in your field?
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Why this works
Helps you understand the personal characteristics and traits that are most important for success in their profession.
18How do you handle stress and pressure in your job?
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How do you handle stress and pressure in your job?
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Why this works
Shows interest in their coping strategies and helps you understand how they manage the demands and challenges of their work.
19What's the most exciting development in your industry right now?
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What's the most exciting development in your industry right now?
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Why this works
Shows interest in current trends and helps you understand what's happening in their field and what to watch for.
20What's the most important thing you've learned about leadership?
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What's the most important thing you've learned about leadership?
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Why this works
Encourages sharing of leadership insights and helps you understand their approach to leading and managing others.
Learning from Guest Speakers
Expert tips and techniques for getting the most out of these questions.
Best Practices
Show Genuine Interest
Ask questions that demonstrate your genuine curiosity about their profession and experiences. Show that you're engaged and interested in learning from them.
Be Respectful of Their Time
Ask thoughtful, well-researched questions that show you've done your homework. Avoid questions that could be easily answered through basic research.
Focus on Learning and Growth
Use the opportunity to learn about their career path, industry insights, and professional experiences. Show that you're interested in their expertise and knowledge.
Question Sequences
The Career Path Sequence
The Professional Insights Sequence
Common Pitfalls
Don't Ask Obvious Questions
Avoid questions that could be easily answered through basic research or that don't add value to the conversation.
Don't Focus Only on Your Career
While career development is important, also show interest in their industry, experiences, and insights. Ask questions that benefit everyone.
Don't Ignore Their Expertise
Show respect for their knowledge and experience. Don't ask questions that suggest you haven't done your research or that you're not taking them seriously.