Skillfully used, an informational interview is believed to be one of the most valuable sources of occupational information. While the conversation might cover few of the same ground information on a company website, it presents opportunities for a flexible inside view of a job field unmatched by other sources.
What Is an Informational Interview?
This kind of interview is conducted to collect information about a job, career field, industry, or company.
It isn’t a job interview. Rather, it is an opportunity to speak with a person working in a field you’d like to know more about.
Through an informational interview, you can seek out about a particular type of job, a person’s career path, or details on an industry or company. Through the conversation, you can (hopefully) discover what a person’s job is like, what they do, what responsibilities they have, and what it’s like to work in their job at their company.
How to Find Individuals to Speak With
Your network can assist. You can acquaintances to see if they know anyone in the industry you are fascinated in exploring, and can make a connection. If there is a specific company you’d like to work at, consider cold-contracting someone through LinkedIn to request an informational interview. You can also follow up with people you met during networking events or job fairs.
The Pros of Informational Interview
The informational interview communicates the firsthand experiences and impressions of someone in the occupation, and is directed by your questions.
Interviewing Without the Stress
An informational interview is less stressful for both you and the employer than a typical job interview. You are the one in control.
You can discuss what is done on a day-to-day basis and relate it to your own interests and feelings. Beyond the benefits of gaining precious career information, the informational interview provides the opportunity to build self-confidence and to improve your ability to manage a job interview.
Insider Information
Because this conversation doesn’t center around a job, it can be a bit more frank. Inquiring about topics that are generally taboo in a first formal interview (like salary, benefits, and hours) is acceptable. You might find that the person you are speaking with will share tough aspects of the industry, as well as positive ones. You may also get tips and advice that will assist you strengthen your application. For example, if the person you are speaking with keeps using a particular buzzword, you might want to include it in your cover letter.
Building Relationships
A big part of a victorious job search is who you know. Your connections might know about jobs that are not posted yet, or can make valuable introductions. Through this informational interview, you are expanding your network.
How to Conduct an Informational Interview
You should regard each interview as a business appointment and conduct yourself in a professional manner.
If you’ve made clear, in advance, the explicit purpose of your interview you will, in all probability, find your contact an interested and helpful person.
Remember the appointment time and appear promptly for your interview. You should neither be too casually dressed nor overdressed. Regular business attire is suitable. Be certain you know the name of the person you are meeting, the correct pronunciation of his/her name, and the title of his/her position. Do some research on the person and their company.
Come with queries, and be prepared to steer the conversation. Be definite to be considerate of the person’s time. Aim to keep the conversation brief (about 15 to 30 minutes) unless you have agreed on a different time frame beforehand. And, remember: your contact might inquire you questions as well.
Be ready with an elevator pitch.
Informational Interview Queries to Inquire
Because there are so many queries you can ask in the informational interview, individuals sometimes take notes during the meeting. A limited amount of note-taking is justified provided that your contact is agreeable and that it doesn’t interrupt communication between the two of you.
During the interview, try to ask queries that go beyond what you could find out through a quick online search. You can ask the individual about their journey to this position, for a description of their day-to-day responsibilities, and for tips they would offer you as someone interested in working in the field.
After the interview, sketch out a brief outline of the topics covered and the information you discovered. This will need just a few minutes, and will insure that you remember the important points discussed. Later, working from your outline, you can construct a more detailed report of the interview.
Follow Up With a Thank You Note
Write a thank you note to the individuals you’ve interviewed. Report back to them if you have followed up on any suggestions. You can also connect with them on LinkedIn if you’ve not already.
By building a powerful rapport with career contacts, you increase the likelihood that they will offer assistance with your job search when you are ready for the next step in the job search process.