The informational interview is essential in your networking and job search toolbox. It is simply a meeting between two people to connect, share ideas, ask questions, and discuss work, backgrounds, business challenges, opportunities, career goals, and more.
These meetings are casual, informal conversations, often over coffee or lunch.
The more people you meet, you increase the odds that you may tap into the hidden job market. Sometimes jobs are not posted on the public job sites like Indeed and ZipRecruiter. People do hire candidates from their network of contacts.
Informational Interviewing Before the Internet
In the 1990s I wanted to move to New York City. I made several trips to network, make connections, and get advice on finding a job in New York while living in St. Louis. This was way before the internet was invented so I researched companies at the library, wrote letters, and made phone calls to schedule these meetings.
I worked for the St. Louis Cardinals, so I focused on entertainment venues and any business that sounded interesting. I can’t believe how many people agreed to meet with me! I was able to complete informational interviews with people at:
Madison Square Gardens
Radio City Music Hall
Metropolitan Opera
ABC Television
CBS Radio
New York Mets
Major League Baseball
This list is insane to me! If I could do this remotely, without the internet, sending snail mail letters, you can easily do this with tools like LinkedIn and the world wide web!
Benefits of Informational Interviewing
Taking the time to meet new people and conduct informational interviews is one of those steps that will set you apart from other job candidates, especially if you are starting this process in high school or college. Most adults I work with on their job searches don’t make this a priority! I believe it has many benefits.
Learn about new career paths.
If you are a student, you have yet to learn about all the different kinds of jobs that are out there! As little kids, we think of jobs like doctor, lawyer, police offer, nurse, teacher, or vet. Now with social media students see careers as unboxers, professional gamers, and influencers but let’s be realistic and find ideas that aren’t one in a million. Use these informal conversations to explore your field of interest.
Suppose you have already begun working and are considering a career change. These informational meetings are a great way to hear firsthand from people working in different fields and in various jobs. Your new career path can become a reality as you make new connections who may be able to alert you about future job openings.
Build your professional network.
This is where it’s important to have already created your LinkedIn profile. After you meet with people in real life, connect with them on LinkedIn. I have over 900 LinkedIn connections. I have leveraged my network to find creative resources for special projects, helped recruiters find job candidates, hired vendors, and made friends!
Reach out to me on LinkedIn, mention you read my blog, and I will be happy to connect with you too!
Get job search advice.
When I lost my job back in 2009, I reconnected with many of my former colleagues to ask for help and advice. Everyone said yes. In my experience, everyone recognizes how hard it is to ask for help. They may, in turn, ask you how they can help
I suggest you make a list of thoughtful questions to ask each person. This will vary depending on their expertise, job title, and company. You may need different information from each person. You may want information about their job if it is something that interests you. Or you may ask about the company culture if the company is on your target list.
Build interviewing confidence.
An informational interview is not a job interview but it can be the best way to gain low-stress interview experience, practice your elevator pitch, and answer interview questions with a live person. Every meeting is an opportunity to go through the motions of preparing for the interview, researching the person, making your list of questions, and having a professional mindset.
9 Informational Interview Tips
I want to share a few ideas and tips to help you with the logistics, process, and conversations that go along with the informational interview.
Ask for a meeting.
I think you will find that most people want to help when you ask. They appreciate the vulnerability it takes. It’s very easy to use LinkedIn to make the initial contact. So, hopefully, you have already created a LinkedIn profile and have begun connecting with people. (If not, check out my blog on LinkedIn Profile Tips for Highs School Students.)
Use the messaging feature. Keep it simple. Something like this:
Hi Chris, I am interested in learning more about [the company, her specific career field, her industry, etc.]. I think you may be able to provide some valuable insights. Would you be interested in meeting for coffee in the coming weeks? 30-45 minutes?
Hi Chris, My position was eliminated last week and I am looking to connect with people in my network through informational meetings. Would you be interested in setting up a phone call/video meeting to chat?
Confirm the details.
When they say yes, be sure to confirm the date, exact location, time, and contact information. Work around their schedule and let them choose a good time that works for them. If you are meeting in person, be sure to get the phone number so both of you can text if something changes last minute.
Research the person.
Do a quick search to review their LinkedIn profile. Check out any of their posts to get ideas on what you might talk about. Search for them on Google too. You might find you have a common interest with a charity or community organization.
Make a list of questions.
Being prepared will help you make a good impression. People will be willing to meet you but they might not know how to help. Make a list of open-ended questions. You might be able to reuse the list for multiple meetings. Here are a few you might consider:
What kind of internship would you recommend that I look for if I want to eventually work in [your target job, industry, company].
Describe your typical day as a [their job title].
What particular skills do you think are important to work in your field?
What personality traits would you look for in [your target job]?
Is there a professional association I should join to meet more industry professionals?
What is the salary range for an entry-level position or for someone with my background?
Do you know of any employment opportunities with XYZ company?
Show up early.
If you have scheduled a coffee meeting, it’s a good idea to arrive early, buy your coffee, and grab a table. When your contact shows up, they can get their own coffee. Neither of you feels obligated to pay for the other. This is a relief especially if you are a student or unemployed.
Eat before or after.
While this is an informal conversation, it is not the time to try the new cupcake of the week. This person has taken time out of their busy schedule to help you. A good way to waste their time is to eat during the meeting instead of taking notes. This leads us to the next tip.
Take notes.
Be respectful of this person’s time and take notes. Bring your laptop or take notes with a pen and paper. You will forget almost everything they share if you don’t. Plus, you can use your notes to personalize a thank you note after the meeting. Ask for their business card so you have their proper title and business email address.
Ask for another introduction.
If you are serious about this process, then ask each person to introduce you to one or two more people in their network. This is an effective way to learn more about the many different jobs out there and expand your own network. Or network your way into your target company where you might find a new job.
Ideally, this person will send an introductory email to both you and the new person with a short introduction. All you have to do is reply and start the conversation.
Please don’t ask if you don’t intend to follow up. You can simply thank each person for their time. This is one of those tasks that may push you out of your comfort zone to reach out to a complete stranger. That is exactly why you should try it! It would be great experience to build your interpersonal skills for when you eventually get your new job.
Send a thank you.
This person took time away from work or family, answered your questions, and shared advice. They deserve a thank you. You can use the LinkedIn messaging tool, send an email, or even write a handwritten note. Nobody does that anymore so it’s a great way to stand out! If you need help, check out this post "How to Write a Thank You Email After an Interview."
I know the idea of informational interviews may be a little bit scary. I applaud you for at least reading this article and getting prepared. And now I encourage you to try it! Take a deep breath and go for it!
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