The Informational Interview

An informational interview can mean two different things.  One type refers to an interview for information about a potential new career.  It is a very helpful tool if you are thinking about a possible career change and are looking for some information about a particular field or company.  Another informational interview is a collaborative discussion between you and a company representative. It is a type of "feeling each other out" type of scenario.  The company may or may not have any openings but may be able to create one based upon your credentials and match (and who you know).  This second type of informational interview is not unusual and it happens quite often in a company.

Since informational interviews are usually the result of networking contacts, it is important for you to let everyone know that you are available and are open to discussions.  A good place to start is with your family members, friends, neighbors, volunteer acquaintances, former peers, managers, vendors and career networking groups.  Another source consists of the people you know from professional organizations and those that you may have met at various trainings or conferences.  Tell them that you are looking for work and ask them for the names of people that you can contact.  Enlist their support by giving them a copy of your resume (paper and electronic) and ask them to forward it or better yet, hand deliver it to the contact with a note on your qualifications.

Whatever level position you are, there are several steps to follow in the informational interview:

1.    Do your homework on the company. Read up on new products, services, mergers, changes within the organization.

2.    Ask questions, provide examples of your accomplishments*

3.   Be aware and considerate of time constraints.

4.    Follow up with a thank you note.

*Depending on the type of informational interview, your questions will vary. 

I've posted several articles about informational interviewing in the past and they include some examples of the types of questions you may want to ask.