What Is an Informational Interview?
This type of interview is conducted to collect information about a job, career field, industry, or company. It is not a job interview. Instead, it’s an opportunity to speak with a person working in a field you’d like to know more about. 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 People to Speak With
Your network can help. You can reach out to friends, family, and acquaintances to see if they know anyone in the industry you’re interested 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. Here is more information on how to use networking in your job search.
The Benefits of Informational Interviews
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 advantages of gaining valuable career information, the informational interview provides the opportunity to build self-confidence and to improve your ability to handle a job interview.
Insider Information
Because this conversation does not center around a job, it can be a bit more frank. Asking about topics that are typically taboo in a first formal interview (like salary, benefits, and hours) is acceptable. You may find that the person you’re speaking with will share tough aspects of the industry, as well as positive ones. You may also get tips and advice that will help you strengthen your application. For instance, if the person you’re speaking with keeps using a particular buzzword, you might want to include it in your cover letter.
Building Relationships
A big part of a successful job search is who you know. Your connections may know about jobs that aren’t 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 have 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 appropriate. Be sure 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 questions, and be prepared to steer the conversation. Be sure to be considerate of the person’s time. Aim to keep the conversation brief (about 15 to 30 minutes) unless you’ve agreed on a different time frame beforehand. And, remember: your contact might ask you questions as well. Be ready with an elevator pitch.
Informational Interview Questions to Ask
Because there are so many questions 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 questions that go beyond what you could find out through a quick online search. You can ask the person 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 require only a few minutes and will ensure that you remember the important points discussed. Later, working from your outline, you can construct a more detailed report of the interview.
Occupational Questions to Ask
Functional Questions to Ask
Follow Up With a Thank You Note
Write a thank you note to the people you have interviewed. Report back to them if you have followed up on any suggestions. You can also connect with them on LinkedIn if you have not already. By building a strong rapport with career contacts, you enhance the likelihood that they will offer assistance with your job search when you are ready for the next step in the job search process.
