Six Steps to a Successful Informational Interview
An informational interview is a conversation you have with someone working in an area of interest to you. It is an effective research tool and is best done after preliminary online research. It is not a job interview, and the objective is not to find job openings. An informational interview is an effective way to speak with someone informally, to increase your knowledge of a company, a role, and ultimately help you choose a career path.
Here are six steps for Informational Interviewing that will ensure success:
Research Career Fields: Do some initial research on the career field or employer.
Identify people to interview: Pursue your own contacts, people you already know, even if they are not in fields of immediate interest to you, as they can lead you to others that are.
Prepare for the interview: Develop a brief introduction of yourself and your hopes for the meeting. Plan open-ended questions to ask.
Initiate contact: Reach out to the person by email or phone, or through LinkedIn. Mention how you got his/her name. Emphasize that you are looking for information, not a job. Ask whether it is a suitable time to talk, if not, ask for a convenient time to schedule a 10–15-minute appointment. But be ready to ask questions on the spot if the person says it is a good time.
Conduct the informational interview: Make sure to arrive on time or a few minutes early. Restate that your objective is to get information and advice, not a job. Give a brief overview of yourself, your education, and/or work background. Be prepared to direct the interview, but also let the conversation flow naturally. Respect the person’s time, limit the meeting to the agreed upon timeframe.
Follow Up: Keep records. Write down what you learned or what more you want to know, and any next steps you plan to take. Send a thank you note within 1-2 days to express your appreciation for the time and information given. Stay connected with this person, as they could become an important part of your network.
Visit our Virtual Resource Room at Calgary Career Hub for updated and relevant information on all topics related to job search. Check out the Tip Sheet in the Networking Category - all about Developing a Script for Informational Interviews.