Guest Post By Brynn Chandler
If you’re having trouble finding a job or internship, consider conducting an informational interview with a professional within your desired industry. Some of you might ask: exactly what does this mean? According to Wikipedia, during an informational interview the “job seeker asks for advice rather than employment and uses the interview to gather information on the field, find employment leads and expand their professional network”. In other words, you pick the brain of a professional in order to gain knowledge of an industry and to receive guidance in taking the next step in your career.
Usually these meetings are informal, conducted in the interviewee’s office, over coffee or on the phone. You should be able to relax more easily in an informational interview than in a job interview, because as the job seeker, you lead the questions and no job is on the line. Still, it’s important to go in prepared. Do your homework about your interviewee’s career path, details of his or her profession, and their company’s history.
Make sure to have your questions ready. Bring written questions with you so that you don’t forget to cover all of your bases. To get you started, here are a few suggestions to guide your interview.
4 Suggested Questions
* How did you career start and how did it end up here?
* What do you like most/least about your job?
* What is your typical day like?
* What emerging trends do you see affecting your job or industry in the next five years?
4 Suggested Dont’s
* Do not push your resume. The point of the meeting is to gain advice and knowledge, and the interviewee probably agreed to the interview under the impression that he or she was not going to be solicited for a job. If he or she asks for your resume, then great! Otherwise, keep it off the table.
* Do not ask questions to which answers could easily be found on the internet. You want to use both your time and your interviewee’s time efficiently to ask questions that will truly help you. A little prep research could also help you develop questions and give you the chance to impress your interviewee with your knowledge.
* Don’t overstay your welcome. Once you have gotten the answers to your questions and the conversation begins to slow down, signal that the interview is over. Recognize that your interviewee is taking time out of his or her day to talk with you and probably has work to get back to. Of course, if the conversation is still flowing and neither of you is in hurry to leave, then use your judgement of when to leave.
* Don’t forget that the person is doing you a favor. Make the meeting or phone appointment as convenient for them as possible and don’t be late. Tell them how much you have appreciated their time and just like an employment interview, make sure send a thank you note within 24 hours of the interview.
