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Informational Interviewing
By Wade Leuwerke, Ph.D., TSA Career Coach
Informational interviewing is a tremendous way to gather information about a job or field that you may be thinking about entering. An informational interview is essentially a meeting you would have with a person employed in a field, agency, or with a company where you may be interested in working.
The purpose of an informational interview is to learn more about an occupation, to evaluate if it might be a good fit for your next career move. People often conduct informational interviews when they are considering a career change or moving into a different type of work.
During an informational interview you ask the person a set of questions to learn more about their day to day tasks, the skills required to perform the occupation, and how you might go about entering the field. This interview allows you to gather job information directly from an individual. The interview is also a networking opportunity.
Setting up an informational interview requires some time and research. First, identify potential individuals to contact to request an interview. Ideally these individuals hold the exact position that you are interested in pursuing.
Depending on your location, the exact position may not be held by someone in your area. In this case try a broader search to identify people that you could call and conduct the interview over the phone. Alternatively, attempt to find local individuals who may have a background or previous work history in your area of interest.
Once you have identified people to talk to, initiate contact and request an informational interview. Email is a great way to request an interview. When you ask someone for an informational interview, be sure to clearly state the purpose of the meeting. Inform the person that you are interested in learning more about their occupation and would greatly appreciate 15-20 minutes of their time to ask them some questions. Be sure to indicate that you are not requesting a job interview. You may offer to buy the person a cup of coffee.
Keep in mind that most people love to talk about their job, at least those who enjoy their job, and you will get much more useful information from those who enjoy their work. If someone does not have time or expresses reservation, politely thank them for considering your request and move on to the next name.
The next step is to determine the questions that you will ask. Great questions include: what is your typical day like, what skills are critical to be successful in this job, what education or training is required for this position, what are important key words to include in a resume? An Internet search of 'informational interview' is a great way to generate possible interview questions.
When you go to the interview be sure to dress professionally, arrive on time, and be courteous. Since you requested the meeting you will be directing the conversation. Be sure to thank the person for taking time out of their busy schedule. Have your questions written down, and bring paper to take some notes. Also, be sure to maintain as much eye contact as possible. Be aware of the time and wrap up the interview at the agreed-upon time.
After the interview, spend some time reviewing any notes that you took. What were the key points the person made? What did she or he strongly recommend someone in your position do to prepare for the occupation?
Be sure to send a thank you note after the interview. In addition to providing valuable information, the person may be a great networking contact in the future.
The TSA Career Coaching Service is a great resource if you would like assistance with informational interviewing.
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