During the course of a given day, you have many opportunities to learn from people about their careers or jobs. You will find most people more than willing to talk about the subject. The process of talking to people who have jobs that interest you is called informational interviewing. Informational interviewing is simply talking to people in a profession to learn more about that profession.
The primary objectives of informational interviewing are to:
- Investigate a specific career field.
- Assist in narrowing options.
- Obtain advice on where you might fit in.
- Learn the jargon and important issues in the field.
- Broaden your network of contacts for future reference.
- Create a strategy for entering your field of interest.
Informational interviewing is an effective tool in your approach to career planning. It can be one of your most valued strategies in gathering information and establishing contacts as you begin or continue to build plans for the future. Like all other components of career planning, informational interviewing requires planning and focus on your part. Make the interview a benefit for you and your career.
When calling to schedule an appointment:
- Introduce yourself.
- Tell them why you are calling.
- If you are calling as the result of a referral, mention the other person’s name.
- Let them know how much time you’re asking for. Keep it to about 20-30 minutes.
- Arrange a mutually convenient time.
- Try if at all possible to arrange a face-to-face meeting. If this is not possible, you might need to interview over the phone.
- Be prepared to do the interview on the spot, if the person invites you to, and they sound like they really have the time. You want to be sure you have their attention.
You also have the option of requesting an informational interview by email or by letter. Include the same information, and indicate that you will call them to follow-up and arrange a mutually convenient time. Double-check your letter or email for proper spelling and grammar; this will be the first impression you make, and you want the person to take you seriously.
Keep track of who you have contacted, so that if they call you, you’ll
know exactly who they are, how you got their name, which company they
are from, etc.
Before the interview:
- Learn as much as you can about the industry, about the company, and about the person you will be meeting with.
- Think of your key questions, and write them down in a logical order. During the interview if the conversation doesn’t follow the order of your questions, that’s OK; just keep track of what you have already covered so you don’t go back and ask again. Make sure you are listening.
- Dress professionally.
- Bring copies of your resume. (Distribute them only if requested.)
- 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.
- 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 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?
Your questions will yield the most information if you use open-ended questions to engage your contact in conversation. Listed below are sample questions to help you prepare for your interview.
Questions about the career field:
- Types of positions most often found in the career field.
- General skills needed to perform responsibilities (e.g., organizing, supervising, writing).
- Specific skills needed to do the job (e.g., academic, experiential).
- Recommendations for training or education required to perform this kind of work.
- Negative aspects of field, for example, "What would you change if you could?" or "If you had it to do over again, how would you have done it differently?"
- Typical entry-level positions in the field.
- The outlook for entry-level professionals.
- Alternative methods to gain entrance to the field (e.g., part-time, mid-career change, volunteer work or other kinds of training).
- The future of this field in terms of new and expanding opportunities.
- Other information that may be helpful (e.g., critique of resume, job-seeking tactics, names of other professionals in the field).
Questions about the organization:
- Short- and long-term goals of the organization such as growth, new products or services, and expansion of facilities.
- Philosophy of the organization and types of training programs available.
- Descriptions of the various positions they have held between entry-level and present job.
- Description of the individual's present job (as defined in the job description as well as what is done beyond the job description).
- Description of typical career path from entry-level to top management.
The Alumni Office has established a network of BU Alums who are willing to speak with students about their careers, share their experiences, etc. You can access the Career Advisory Network (C.A.N.) by going through www.bu.edu/alumni/careers/can. Please do not use this network to ask for jobs or do any kind of solicitation. This is an information resource only.
Quintessential Careers: Informational Interviewing Tutorial
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