Informational interviewing
Ever wondered what a general contractor’s typical day is like? Are you curious about what a geologist does? Have you considered a career as a dietician, but you don’t know much about a dietician’s work environment? Are you considering a career change from teaching to retail store management and want to find out more about a manager’s typical duties? All of these questions are reasons to conduct an informational interview.
What is an Informational Interview?
An informational interview is an interview with someone in your targeted field, ideally in the exact position that you are considering. During the interview you can learn firsthand about the career and position that you are considering.
When you conduct an informational interview, you can address a broad range of topics – from the elements of a typical work day/week/month to the outlook for advancement in the career and growth in the industry. If you are a student, you can use the informational interview to help you choose elective courses and specializations as well as your major and minor course of study. By discussing working conditions and future prospects with a professional in the field, you will gain insight into the likely consequences of career decisions that you are considering. Find out all you can to help you make informed career decisions. You don’t want to study for four or six years to discover that the career you’ve chosen is radically different than what you had imagined. Likewise, you don’t want to trade a successful career for a risky opportunity in which you have little chance to succeed. Choosing a career is one of the vital decisions in your life, and you should decide your career based on as much information as you can collect. The informational interview is one such information-gathering tool.
Why Should You Conduct an Informational Interview?
Unlike a job interview, the goal of an informational interview is not to obtain a job offer. Instead the informational interview is designed to help you learn about a career and a specific position. You are the interviewer, not the interviewee. You should come away from the informational interview with a clear idea of what the interviewee’s typical job duties are, what his normal working conditions are like, and what his vision of the prospects for the profession are. Ideally, you should talk to several people in your targeted field at levels above and below your targeted position. This will give you a 360° view of the position. You do not have to conduct all of your informational interviews within the same company. In fact, a better idea is to canvas several companies so that you obtain a broader view of the position and the profession. Remember the goal is to gather information that will help you decide on a career. You are on a fact-finding trip through your potential future career.
When you are interviewing for a job, you are being carefully examined and everything that you say and do is being studied. Your interviewer is trying to make a decision about your potential with her company. Alternatively, when you conduct an informational interview, you are asking the questions and will be making the decisions about future career plans. That doesn’t mean that you don’t have to take an informational interview seriously and conduct yourself in a professional manner. Even though you aren’t interviewing for a job, you are discussing the profession with a potential future colleague – perhaps a future supervisor or even a future employee. Make the best impression that you can. Later, when you are job hunting, your informational interviewees may agree to become part of your job search network, if you managed to impress them positively.
Here are some points to consider when planning and conducting an informational interview:
- Be punctual, don’t make the interviewee wait for you, be prepared 10-15 minutes beforehand and use the time to make any final preparations for the interview
- Be prepared, organize your questions, and record the responses with a handheld recorder (with your interviewee’s permission) or take notes
- Give an accurate estimate of the time you will need to ask your questions and ask the most important ones first – stick to your time estimate, don’t abuse your interviewee’s time.
- Let the interviewee do the talking, use active listening skills to indicate that you are focused on her answers, ask intelligent follow-up questions when appropriate
How Should You Conduct an Informational Interview?
The first step in informational interviewing is determining whom you should interview. Research the profession that you are interested in to determine the typical job titles used for the position you are targeting. Then, locate companies that employ people with those titles. You can use the Internet, business guides, and local directories to locate likely companies. To locate individuals to interview, you can call the company’s Personnel or Human Resources department, and explain what you are doing. They will be able to direct you to the appropriate individual. Alternatively, you can call the main telephone number for an individual department, and ask if you can talk to someone with the appropriate title.
Listen carefully and note the potential interviewee’s name, title, and telephone extension. The next step in the process is very important. You need to convince the potential interviewee to spare some time to talk with you. There are various reasons why someone might agree to help you. The first is basic altruism – some people are naturally inclined to help those who ask for it. Many people are passionate about their profession and enjoy talking with others about it. Often, people are flattered to be asked sharing their accomplishments. People you interview might also be looking for new talent for their profession and will see you as a potential employee. Whatever the motivation, be professional and direct when explaining your intentions and asking for assistance. Be very clear that you are not looking for a job, just information about the job.
You should also make use of your network and contacts to reach people who you might be able to interview.
During the interview the questions you ask could be around the following topics:
o Primary job duties
o Skills and knowledge needed
o Work/other experience valued in the industry/company
o Work environment
o Salary and rewards
o Significant challenges and common obstacles
o Outlook for the profession
o Potential career path
o Likely entry points
o Collegiality
o Any other general advice
Following up
After you have conducted your informational interview, send a follow-up thank you note to your interviewee, expressing your appreciation for his time and assistance. Keep the contact information and your notes from each interview for future reference. As you proceed in your career planning and job searching, keep your contacts informed of your progress and solicit any advice or leads for job opportunities. If you have made a strong, positive impression on someone in your targeted profession, he may become a valuable resource in your job search.
Source: Sandbox Advisors, RMP
