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Informational Interviews
An informational interview is a career research and job search tool that offers face-to-face contact with people who can provide you with relevant information, suggest potential job leads or even offer you a job. Valuable career information and strategies can come from meeting people who are in a career field or organization that is of interest to you.
Conduct an Informational Interview
- Prior to contacting people directly, do some research. Gather basic information about the career field or the organization and identify what information you hope to learn.
- Review our Informational Interviews guide and select relevant questions to guide your discussion.
- Find potential contacts using a variety of resources: LinkedIn, Ten Thousand Coffees, professional associations, networking events, professors or other professionals you know and Career Centre events.
- Reach out to your contacts by email and ensure that your correspondence is professional and concise. Introduce yourself and politely indicate your reason for connecting with them. Remember, you are not asking for a job, but a meeting to collect information.
- See our Informational Interviews guide for more sample email or telephone scripts.
- Your goal for the meeting is to gather information, build rapport and ask for guidance.
- Arrive at the meeting with some knowledge of the field and of the specific organization.
- Ensure that you arrive at least 10 minutes early for the interview.
- Dress and conduct yourself professionally as if you were at an actual job interview.
- Remember, this is your interview, so you will be expected to initiate the questions and facilitate the discussion.
- Be prepared to talk about yourself as well. Prepare your elevator pitch (self-introduction).
- Be sure to exchange business cards as you will need this information for follow up and they may use your information for future opportunities.
- Do not overstay your welcome. If you agreed to 20 minutes, track the time, indicate when the agreed-upon time has passed and be prepared to leave. However, the professional may have more time available, so ensure your schedule will allow for a longer conversation to take place.
- Taking notes will help you to stay organized after the meeting and shows respect to your contact.
- Relax and enjoy the discussion; be friendly and genuine and smile.
- In order to build your network, request names of other contacts. Consider asking “Is there anyone else you would recommend with whom I could speak in a similar or related area?”
- Ask if you may use your contact’s name when contacting new referrals.
- Remember you have knowledge as well. Look for ways to give back and share information and resources.
- Always send a brief thank-you note or email after the informational interview to make a professional impression. Mention something you learned or found interesting about the meeting.
- Inform your initial contact when you follow up with a referral or suggestion.
- Keep track of whom you have met with so that you can refer back to your notes in the future and identify action steps in your career development.
- Keep your contacts informed of your progress.
Informational Interview Sample Question
- What do you like best about this line of work/organization?
- If I were to apply to your organization in the future, what could I do to increase my competitiveness?
- What do you feel are the most important skills, interests and attitudes that would make a person satisfied with and/or successful in this job?
- What were some of the best decisions that you made as a student with respect to your professional life?
- What work/volunteer experience would benefit me in targeting this career area?
- What are some of the frustrations/difficulties you experience?