How to successfully conduct an informational interview: what to do before you make contact

One of the best ways to expand your network and to get to know individuals who might be able to help you in your job search is through informational interviewing. This is perhaps the best way to network with individuals who can put you in contact with key decision makers and alert you to unpublished jobs— all in a much less stressful situation than an employment interview.

An informational interview is not an employment interview. If you call up a company and request an employment interview, if a position is not available, you’re not going to get an interview. But if you request an informational interview with a key individual at company for which you would like to work, regardless of whether a position exists, you most likely will get it.

Informational interviews can help you expand your network, increase your market exposure, and help you gather inside information on trends and openings in the companies /industries in which you would like to work. They can help you assess the level of interest you have in a certain field and whether or not you have sufficient skills and abilities to work in that field. As you gather more information and refine your goals, your informational interviewing and networking will become more targeted within the industry and companies that most interest you.

Before you begin making contact with key individuals, here are three things you must do:

1. Research the people, companies, and industries that interest you. As you develop your networking contact list, learn as much as you can about the industries and companies that interest you. Try to identify individuals in your circle of friends and colleagues who work in these industries or companies or individuals who might know someone who does.
   Conduct your research on the company and industry by reading trade publications, visiting corporate web sites, and researching any corporate literature you can find. Try to get in-depth information about the company from anyone you know who may be able to provide you with insight. By arming yourself with information, when you begin conducting informational interviews, you will be thoroughly prepared and will impress the individual with your industry/company knowledge.

2. Put together a contact list. John D. Rockefeller once said, “I would rather earn 1% off of 100 people's efforts than 100% of my own efforts.” That said, as you put together your contact list, remember that you need to develop a job search team with multiple eyes and ears to help you. Don’t limit your contacts to only people within the industries or companies for whom you want to work. You want as many people as possible looking out for potential job opportunities that might be a good fit for you.
   Remember that your family, your friends, classmates, and colleagues are not the only people who might know people you should network with. Your neighbors, church congregants—even the mailman might personally know key individuals with whom you should network. Some good people to ask when you begin developing your list are your personal contacts (family & friends), professional contacts (colleagues/business contacts), academic contacts (university alumnae/classmates), contacts within your community (volunteer/ community organizations), and any contacts you might make through chance meetings (on a plane, party, etc).

3. Prioritize your contact list. A good way to prioritize your contact list is by dividing you contacts into groups such as family and friends, business contacts and colleagues, and target people and/or companies. Family, friends, business contacts, and colleagues are your primary contacts: the people whom you know personally. Bear in mind that though they may not be the people who can offer you a job, they can be a valuable source of information and may help lead you to the target people within the industries or companies you seek.

Next: Making Contact