Informational Interviews

• Gain valuable information and insights to use as you decide among career or job possibilities.
  
  
• Increased confidence after completing several information interviews. We promise you!  Confidence gains are the single most reliable result of informational interviewing.
  
  
• Get tips and 'insider info' on how to prepare for and land your first professional role. 
  
  
• Discover career paths you didn't even know existed. 
  
  
• Learn what it's like to work at your 'target' organization.
  
  
• Expand your professional network, meet individuals who may help you in your future job searches. The people you interview will sometimes recommend you to others, thereby obtaining you additional information interviews and contact.

The best way to prepare for an information interview is as follows:

• Research, research, research. Research the company and/or occupation and learn as much as you can before you schedule an interview. 
  
  
• Decide the questions you most need answered in person - questions that you were not able to answer from your research.

As you plan your informational interviews, consider these things. This can inform where you begin.

• I'd like to know more about this occupation.
  
  
• I'd like to know more about this organization
  
  
• These individuals may have information about the field I am interested in learning about.

Talk to everyone you know about your area of interest to see who they know!

The people you already know, even those in fields not in your career path, can lead you to others who might be good interviews? This includes family, friends, faculty, coaches, former employers, even your favorite customer! 

Identify WT alumni to contact; once a Buffalo always a Buffalo, right? LinkedIn is a terrific place to find appropriate individuals to reach out to. If you're not familiar with the platform, check out our LinkedIn workshop to get started. 

Get contact information for your first interviewee. Email or phone number, whichever you prefer. Know that you might have to try both to make contact. 

Be sure that you have researched this person and his/her organization. You don't want to be caught in a conversation without having done your research.

Develop a brief intro, an elevator pitch of sorts, to introduce yourself to the potential interviewees. 

• Start with a quick introduction including your name, your classification at WT (or when you will graduate) and your degree/major.
• Then share your career goals or what it is that you are wanting to learn more about.
• Finally give a brief overview of your experience.

Keep it short but include personal details to encourage the reader (or listener, if you call) to want to meet with you. 

Choose questions that are appropriate for your intended occupation and where you are in your studies and decision-making. You'll want to ask questions about the work, how to get started, and perhaps specific job search strategies.

Below are some sample questions:  (click here for a printer friendly document)

What is a typical day (or week) like for you?

What is your most favorite part of the job?

What is your least favorite part of the job?

How does your role fit within the organization/industry?

Are there current issues and trends in the field that I know about/be aware of?

Are there common career paths in this field? How do most people start?

What kinds of accomplishments tend to be valued and rewarded in this industry?

Are there related fields I should consider researching?

What first got you interested in this field?

How did you begin your career? What was your first job out of college?

How do most people get started in this occupation? What are common entry-level job titles?

What advice do you have for someone preparing to enter this field?

How relevant to your work is your undergraduate major?

Beyond a bachelor's degree, what kind of education, training, or experience does your job today require?

What knowledge, skills, abilities, and personal attributes are necessary to succeed in this occupation/industry?

What are the best job search strategies for entering this field or for getting hired by this company?

If you could go back to college and start over, would you take this same path? Why or why not?

My research indicates that an average entry-level salary range for this field is usually ______? Does this seem realistic to you?

What advice would you give someone who is considering this type of job (or working for this company)?

Is there anyone else you'd recommend I contact for more information?

Contact the person by email or phone (see sample script below.)

Let the contact know how you got his or her name, "My professor, Dr. Jim Johnson, gave me your name."

If calling, ensure the contact has time to talk to you right now, "Do you have a couple of minutes to talk?" 

Make sure to emphasize that you are only looking for information, not a job.

Have your calendar ready so that you can schedule a mutually convenient 20-30 minute appointment at a later time. Don't expect the contact to be able to talk right then. 

BUT, also be ready to ask your questions in case the person says it is a good time for him/her right now.

Sample telephone script:

Hello, my name is _______________and I am a junior majoring in ________________ at West Texas A&M University. As part of my career research, I have been researching occupations of interest and I am most interested in exploring work as a _________.  Would you would be willing to meet with me to answer a few questions about the work that you do?  What would be a good day and time for you to meet with me for about 30 minutes tops?  

Be respectful of the interviewee and his/her time 

• Arrive on time and keep track so you don't go over the allotted 30 minutes.
• Dress neatly and professionally, as you might for an actual job interview. 
• Be ready to answer questions and take notes, have them printed out along with a notepad to record their responses.

Be clear that you are not looking for a job offer, just information.

Provide the brief intro, your elevator pitch, that you developed earlier. 

Don't be so intent on getting all your questions answered that you don't allow the conversation to naturally flow. Sometimes you get the best information just by listening to what the interviewee thinks is relevant. 

Ask permission to contact them in the future with other questions, perhaps ask them if they'd be willing to look over your resume down the road. 

Remember to ask for other people's names to contact, it is so much easier to call the next person if you can say, Brad Bradley recommended that I visit with you. 

Just like a real interview, you should follow up with a thank you note or email within a day. Express your appreciation for his/her time and mention something they shared that you found particularly useful or interesting. 

Keep a record of who you talked to and when, what you learned and what questions you now have. 

Connect with the interviewee on LinkedIn and follow their company and/or professional organizations. Let them know when you follow up on their advice and what success you had. You may meet a future mentor through this activity.  

Check out our new workshop on "Having Prototype Conversations" which is a designer way of saying "informational interviews". Join us as we dive into prototypes and how this design style can help you with conversations at the upcoming expos or as you prepare for internships, jobs, or even as you are trying to decide a major.