Informational Interviews

What are the informational interviews for and how should you approach them?

If the only thing you really want from the meeting is a contact for someone closer to your desired occupation, then forget it. Really, don’t waste Mrs. Connection’s time. Nobody wants to be used as a stepping-stone on someone’s path to success. Don’t ask people to spend their precious time with you if you are not at all interested in them and what they do. They'll notice for sure, and it’s just not cool. Here is what you can do instead:

• If you learned about Mrs. Connection from your friend, ask him to ask her for a contact that is more appropriate for you. This way you’ll be maximizing on the relationship that your friend already has with Mrs. Connection and you’ll be able to get an informational interview with someone you really care to talk to.
• You can also send an e-mail to her and say something like this: “Hello Mrs. Connection, I’ve been referred to you by my friend X because you work at a company I’m interested in. Would you mind connecting me with someone from the Department of ABC who would be willing to tell me more about what they do? I’m curious if there is an opportunity for us to collaborate.”

If there is a position you are looking for and you’d like to have an informational interview to learn more, ask to talk to someone from the team. Be very clear that you’d like to learn more and see if there is a fit between their needs and what you have to offer. They can refuse, so be ready for that as well.

Mutual benefit is the key here. How can both you and the person you want to have the interview with benefit from a 30 minute conversation? What’s in it for them? People love to help, but we need to care about them first. Here are simple ideas:

• “It seems like you are working in the area of Y, which I’m very passionate about. I would also like to give you an opportunity to learn about me and explore the possibilities for future collaboration…” What they’ll get is the opportunity to talk to someone who shares their interest.
• “I’d like to talk to you, because I see you as an expert in this area. I would like to learn more about it and about opportunities where I my experience could be valued.” What they’ll get is the opportunity to talk to someone who values their expertise.

After an interview, don’t forget to thank them. Be specific. You can be thankful for “getting a great overview about the industry”, “uncovering difficulties in building career in …”, “spending 30 min answering my questions…” and so on. Offer something in return. “Please let me now if there is anything I can do for you.“, “I wish you all the best with that project with the tight deadline.”

Be human. Care. Give before you take and you’ll be remembered when the opportunity shows up.