The Informational Interview

The informational interview can be a useful tool that you can use during your job search to expand your network.

This is an interview that you request rather than the other way around which is the usual process ie. where the company requests the interview.

Typically, an informational interview is when you meet with people who can positively influence your job search and build up your network of contacts.

It doesn't necessarily result in a job interview per se where you meet to discuss a specific job but it might simply involve meeting with a person in your chosen industry for perhaps 20 minutes to learn more about the industry, more about their job, more about their company, etc and to find out what you can learn from this person.

Once you've identified someone who can positively influence your job search who you'd like to meet with, you should call (or send a letter or email) this person and:

1. Request a short (ie. 20 minute) meeting with them in person to learn more about them. People generally like to talk about themselves and if you can illustrate that you know something about this person and are interested to learn from them, they might be more amenable to taking time out to meet you. Show them that you respect their time by requesting a short meeting a set period of time which why I'm suggesting 20 minutes.

2. Have a short list of questions you'd like to discuss with this person. You should set the agenda for the informational interview since you're the one requesting it. You could ask this person questions like:

3. Treat the informational interview like a real interview and dress for success. Dress like you'd dress for a regular interview, show up on time and stick to your requested timeframe (ie. 20 minutes). If the person you're meeting with is willing to go past 20 minutes, no problem, that's better for you.

4. Don't ask for a job. You don't want to put this person on the spot and ask them for a job that they might not even have, especially since you specifically asked for information from this person, not a job. You never know, if you impress them, a possible opportunity could arise in the future.

Whatever the outcome of the information interview, remember to thank your interviewer with a short follow up note or letter.