Once you have done some research about specific options, your next step is to talk to individuals in the type of job/ industry that you are interested in. The goal of these conversations (informational interviews) is to explore your career options, expand your network, build confidence, access information and identify your strengths and areas of development.
For example, you read an article about a new programme for addiction treatment and you are curious about how the researchers went about evaluating the programme. You could contact one of the authors of the article to ask if they would be willing to share how they went about gaining access to the information they needed for their evaluation.
The best informational interviews are two-way exchanges of information, more like a conversation than an interrogation. You are offering the information you have collected via your research and the interviewee is adding his or her thoughts and ideas. You come across not as the novice looking for a favour and more as a colleague brainstorming ideas.
People are busy and don’t always take the time to read business news, attend trade association meetings, or do the in-depth research you will be doing. They will appreciate you bringing them the latest news. By being well researched and prepared, you do not have to feel like you are imposing on someone when asking for an informational interview.
You want to get to know your interviewee by asking questions such as the following:
Interest in their specific background establishes rapport because it shows you care about them specifically. It also gives you a foundation for questions to ask later because you know more about their experience.
You want to get broader information about the industry, so you ask questions that reflect your research:
This is why research before the informational interview is so critical. You use your research findings as a springboard for conversation. You are not relying on the interviewee to think of everything and be the sole source of information. You are offering ideas, too.
Pick several research findings to test, and choose what to ask based on what level and type of experience your interviewee has. If your interviewee is very experienced and senior, you can ask broad strategy questions. If your interviewee is focused on a very specific area, say technology, focus on technology-related issues in the discussion.
You want to get career-related information, such as salary and environment, and a candid sense of your chances in this job, organisation, or industry:
These questions enable you to get information on the touchy issues of compensation and lifestyle and candid feedback on your hiring prospects. By offering ideas, you take the pressure off the interviewee to reveal sensitive information. People will also appreciate that you have done some salary research, as they might not have time to see what is happening in the market, and they may want to reciprocate by sharing something they know.
Other sample informational interview questions include the following:
If you look at the structure of the informational interview, many questions use secondary research as a springboard for the question.
When you invite your interviewee to an informational interview, make sure they know that you have done some interesting research and would like to share and confirm the results with them. Many job seekers do not do this research, so you differentiate yourself immediately and assure the interviewee that it is worth their time to see you. You are more likely to land informational interviews if the interviewee knows that you have done some work in advance and have interesting insights and questions to share.
Remember to keep track of the information you have gathered and how you make sense of it. Also, track the questions you still have and how you think you would be able to get answers to these questions.
A current student, Ms Nomalanga Mnisi, shares her experience of conducting informational interviews:
How did you prepare for the interviews?
I started by reflecting on my career vision, as well as making notes of how I think my vision is related to the organisation I will be contacting for interviews, as well as the possible career fields within the company that are related to my studies and my career vision.
I did research to help me understand more about the organisation, for example, the different divisions, where they are, what their main business is, and the kind of jobs available. This helped me to know which questions I need to ask so that I could clarify uncertainties.
I also wrote an introduction letter (who am I, previous and current qualifications, why I am interested or what I know about the organisation, the purpose of the information interview and how it will contribute to my career development and also careers that I am interested in within the organisation).
I made a list of aspects I am curious about, including in which department is my qualification in demand within the organisation, and which career positions I can be considered for with my qualifications?; different career titles within the company related to my studies?; other requirements for those positions, e.g. skills, driver's licence, physical health etc.; how to structure my CV and cover letter; what to include when I apply for positions in the organisation?; information about internships, learnerships or volunteering programmes that I can apply for to enhance my skills.
What did you do before the interview?
I sent an email confirming my appointment and also I included keywords that I wanted the interview to cover and specified that among others those are features I wanted to discuss with them. Both gave me feedback that my email also helped them to prepare for the interview.
What did you gain from the interviews?
The two individuals I spoke to helped me to understand what I needed to ask during my next interviews in specific sections.
Watch these videos to learn more about informational interviews:
Last modified: 2023/08/07