Exploring Careers through Informational Interviewing Written By Betsy Bishop, Revised by Kristen Lindsay May 2008 Why conduct an Informational Interview? 1. Networking: get connected with influential people who you want to add to your network for potential references and mentors 2. Gain Information: ask questions and gather information to determine if a career is right for you and how to succeed in the field 3. Job Searching: get your foot in the door and open up the hidden job market The Informational Interview Process 1. Contact someone in the field you wish to pursue. 2. Arrange for a 20-30 minute informational interview. 2. Send a letter / email confirming interview purpose, date and time. 3. Prepare a presentation about yourself and your interest in the career field. 4. Prepare a list of questions. 5. Conduct the interview. 6. End the interview with a statement that leaves door open for future opportunities Example: If you should ever have need of an intern, or Please keep me in mind if potential positions open up 7. Ask for additional contacts at other companies or organizations. 8. Send a Thank You letter / email ASAP. 9. Maintain periodic contact. Requesting an Informational Interview in Person or by Phone If you prefer to arrange an appointment in person and cannot get past the front desk, treat receptionists as resources. They hold the key to getting inside the department of that organization if you do not already have an inside contact or referral. Ask them some of your questions. You will usually get good information. Receptionists and other support staff know much more about their company than we often realize. They know how it works, the names of key people, job requirements, etc. It is important that they understand what you want. If you ask them something that they feel could be more fully answered by someone else, they will usually give you a referral. Most of the time, your prospective interviewee will be more than willing to take 20-30 minutes to answer your questions. Sometimes the person will want to talk over the phone, but often he 1
or she will invite you to his or her workplace. When you can, choose that the interview be at their workplace because you ll learn more and make a stronger connection with the person. You may want to schedule some of your interviews with managers and supervisors who have the authority to hire. Identify yourself and explain that you are researching careers in the contact s field, and that you obtained the person s name from (if you were referred). Follow one of the outlines below for an effective approach to requesting an Informational Interview. "Hello, my name is. I m conducting career research in your field. I would like to meet and talk with you for about 30 minutes so that I can find out more about your field of expertise." "Hi, my name is and I m a student at University. I got your name from. You re in a line of work that I m interested in, and I was hoping that you could help me gain insights into the profession. I m sure that my questions could be answered in a 20-30-minute informational interview." You can use your own creativity, but the most important thing is to emphasize that you are simply trying to get first-hand information, and whatever they share with you will be appreciated. The Informational Interview Structure Before the interview: Do your homework and research the company - learn as much as you can about the organization. Write down the questions that you wish to ask. If possible, learn something about the person with whom you will be interviewing. Dress professionally. Bring copies of your resume. (Distribute only upon request.) Arrive 10-15 minutes before your appointment. During the interview: Restate your purpose and why you are talking with this particular person. Be prepared to initiate the conversation, since you are the interviewer. Adhere to the original time request of 20-30 minutes. Ask for referrals to other appropriate individuals in the field or in related organizations. 2
Keep in mind that this is an information-gathering and advice-seeking interview, not an employment interview. Let the individual you are interviewing bring up the discussion of specific job vacancies. After the interview: Send a thank-you note / email and keep the individual you have interviewed posted on your progress. Keep the door open for future contacts with this person. Evaluate your style of interviewing. What could you have done better? Use what you have learned when you conduct your next interview. Evaluate the information you received. How does it relate to your plans? Developing Your Informational Interview Questions Make a list of questions you want to ask about the person s job, career field, or organization. Open-ended questions will yield the most information, engaging the individual in conversation. Listed below are sample questions to help you prepare for your interview. Questions about the Career Field: What is a typical entry level position in the field? What general skills are needed to perform responsibilities (e.g., organizing, supervising, writing)? What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job? How did you learn these skills? How can I evaluate whether or not I have the necessary skills for a position such as yours? What abilities or personal qualities do you believe contribute most to success in this field/job? Do you have any recommendations for training or education to best prepare for this kind of work? What are the major frustrations of this job? What would you change if you could? If you had to plan your career over again, how would you have done it differently? Does your work relate to any experiences or studies you had in college? How well did your college experience prepare you for this job? What courses have proved to be the most valuable to you in your work? What would you recommend for me? How important are grades/gpa for obtaining a job in this field? 3
How do you think my university s reputation is viewed when it comes to hiring? What is the job outlook for entry-level professionals? What are alternative methods to gain entrance to the field (e.g., part-time, mid-career change, volunteer work or other kinds of training)? In your opinion, what does the future hold for this field in terms of new and expanding opportunities? Questions about the Organization: What are the short- and long-term goals of the organization such as growth, new products or services, and expansion of facilities? What types of training programs are available? Describe the various positions you have held between your first and present position with the company. Can you outline a typical career path from entry-level to top management? Why did you choose this particular company / organization? How does your company differ from its competitors? Why do customers choose this company? Are you optimistic about the company s future and your future with the company? What does the company do to contribute to its employees professional development? What can you tell me about the corporate culture? Other Questions: Describe a typical day in your job? What types of decisions do you make on a daily basis? Do you experience busy periods at certain times of the year? Why did you get started in this career field? What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position? Can you suggest some ways a student could obtain necessary experience? What are the most important personal satisfactions and dissatisfactions connected with your occupation? What part of this job do you personally find most satisfying? Most challenging? What do you like and not like about working in this industry? What sorts of changes are occurring in your occupation? 4
How does a person progress in your field? What is a typical career path in this field or organization? What were the keys to your career advancement? How did you get where you are and what are your long-range goals? How would you describe the working atmosphere and the people with whom you work? What is the average length of time for an employee to stay in the job you hold? Are there incentives or disincentives for staying in the same job? Is there flexibility related to dress, work hours, vacation schedule, place of residence, etc.? What work-related values are strongest in this type of work (security, high income, variety, independence)? If your job progresses as you like, what would be the next step in your career? If your work were suddenly eliminated, what kinds of work do you feel prepared to do? What obligations does your employer place have on you outside of the ordinary work week? What social obligations go along with a job in your occupation? With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research further before I make a final decision? Who else do you know who is doing similar kinds of work or uses similar skills? What other kinds of organizations hire people to perform the functions you do here? Do you know of other people whom I might talk to who have similar jobs? Do you have any advice for someone interested in this field/job? Are there any written materials you suggest I read? Which professional journals and organizations would help me learn more about this field? What special advice do you have for a student seeking to qualify for this position? These are my strongest assets (skills, areas of knowledge, personality traits and values):. Where would they fit in this field? Where would they be helpful in this organization? Where might they fit in other fields? Where might they be helpful in other organizations? If you feel comfortable and it seems appropriate: Would you mind taking a look at my resume? References: 5
Quintessential Careers Website: http://www.quintcareers.com/informational_interviewing.html Job Trak Website: http://www.jobtrak.com Powell, C.R. (2000). Career Planning Today. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company: Dubuque, Iowa. About.com Job Searching: http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/infointerviews/a/infointerview.htm Science Careers Magazine: http://sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_magazine/previous_issues/articles/2009_0 3_20/caredit.a0900039 6
Sample Letter to Confirm Your Informational Interview 310 East Market Street Tiffin, OH 44883 February 12, 2006 Emma Politzer Human Resources Department ABC Company 1234 Something Ave., Suite 227 Cool City, OH 12345 Dear Ms. Politzer, The purpose of this letter is to confirm our appointment on Wednesday, March 3, 2004 at 11:30am. At that time we will meet for an informational interview about the field of waste management. Your company has an outstanding reputation and I look forward to learning more about your specific career path within the field. I am currently studying water quality at Heidelberg College. I have found that I have a great deal of curiosity and interest in the health and quality of the disposal of waste and its impact on the community. I am interested in speaking to you further about this topic and any other insights you may have from your years of employment. If you have any need to contact me prior to our interview, please call me at 419-555- 2000 or email me at icareer@heidelberg.edu. Sincerely, Ivanna Career Ivanna Career 7
Sample Informational Interview Thank You Letter 310 East Market Street Tiffin, Ohio 44883 August 30, 2006 Mr. James Esteem President Excellent Corporation 2999 Awesome Avenue Mytown, Ohio 44444 Dear Mr. Esteem: Thank you for taking time to meet with me yesterday to discuss the field of tax accounting. You provided a wealth of information and advice that will help me determine the best approach to take in planning my own career path. As you suggested, I plan to secure a part-time job or internship next semester to help me further investigate the accounting field and gain related skills, particularly experience with auditing software. Thank you for referring me to Mr. Dorian Goodacre and Ms. Kelly Kendall-Hunt. I look forward to speaking with them soon. I will keep you posted on the status of my career exploration as I build my skills and experience. Sincerely, Brett Appleton Brett Appleton 8