An informational interview is an
amazingly powerful tool.
It can help
you learn about
different types of work you’re
interested in.
And by providing an
inside perspective,
it may even connect
you to opportunities
you couldn’t see
from the outside.
So let’s take a look a what
informational
interviewing is all about.
An informational
interview is not a job
interview,
and it’s not a trick
you play to get
a job.
If you’re asking for a job and
they do have one,
then they’ll likely
start judging
whether you’re a good fit.
And if they don’t have one, then
that conversation ends there.
The key to a successful
informational
interview is curiosity.
With sincere
curiosity and good
questions about
about your
interviewee’s life and
experience,
you gain insights
into their successes
and failures, how
they got where they
are, and what’s
important to them.
Your curiosity will lead to an
authentically
engaged conversation,
which also opens
the door for the
interviewee to get curious about you.
The professional you’re speaking
with might say something like
"wow, you’re asking
some really good
questions.
And in that transition,
informational
interviewing becomes
even more valuable
for someone looking for work.
Informational
interviews give you
an opportunity to
see what kinds of
work resonate with
you, and help you
determine
what communities you
would like to be a
part of.
In a good informational
interview, the
professional you speak
with gets a lot out
of the conversation, too:
they get to discuss their life
and their work with someone
who’s curious about
their experience
and values their expertise.
Plus they get the
pleasure of talking
with someone who’s
genuinely interested
in what they do.
How do you do it well?
Here are five
tips to get you started.
First, do your
homework - take some
time to research
LinkedIn or other
online platforms
to learn about the
professional you’re
interviewing.
Consider what questions
you have about
their life and work.
The second tip is
to try to meet in person!
On the phone is ok, but face to
face is best.
Three:
Always try to buy the coffee or
lunch - your interviewee
is giving you
their time.
Paying is a good way of
showing your appreciation
and beginning
to create a connection.
Four:
Ask your interviewee who else
they recommend you talk with.
If the
interview has gone
well, they may
be willing to
connect you to other
professionals you
could learn from -
and who might have
opportunities for you.
Finally, tip number five:
after the interview, send a thank you.
Email is ok,
but a hand-written
note is even better.
And if they asked
you to keep them
posted on your progress, do so!
