The Informational Interview
The informational interview is a technique which gives you the opportunity to talk with people in career fields and even specific jobs that interest you in a non-threatening atmosphere both for you and for the person being interviewed (you are not there to ask for a job).An informational interview will not help you identify your strongest and most marketable skills nor will it find out what your values and work needs are. Only you can do that by careful honest self-assessment. It will, however, enable you to take a closer look at various career fields and positions and work environments in light of what you have found out about yourself and what you hope to satisfy in your professional life.
The objectives of the informational interviewer are to gain insights into what is currently happening in a particular field, what jobs are in that field, and advice about organizations which might use your skills. In addition, it is a good way to tie into the "old girl network," and to ask the people you meet advice about coursework most helpful in their area of work, what they like and dislike about their jobs, etc. Information begets information. The more you know about yourself and about a field, the more you will learn from these interviews. Go to an informational interview with some knowledge of the person's field from doing your reading, and take a list of questions you would like to cover. As you begin to explore an area, questions that are pertinent will occur to you.
Write for brochures, perhaps an annual report, or read back issues of the Wall Street Journal if business is your goal. Find out what the organization's policies are, and when you know enough about what they do and what you think about your own interests and capabilities, you'll find a mutuality of interest which will justify a conversation.
Write to the individual in charge of your area of interest (the public relations director, the director of social work, a trust officer in a bank) addressing her/him by name (telephone to get correct spelling and title). Indicate that you are familiar with the activities of the organization and explain that you are exploring career prospects in general, not specific positions with the organization. Ask for a chance to discuss information that will be helpful to your career planning. A sample interview request letter is attached. (see link at bottom of page)
The informational interview is a method of surveying the employment market as a career investigator rather than a job applicant. When you are a career investigator, approaching employers becomes much easier. When you interview for information rather than as a candidate for a job, the atmosphere is informal. Most people are eager to give advice and are pleased and flattered that you asked them. Also, you and an employer have an opportunity to take a look at each other under non-stressful circumstances. Though informational interviews are not for the purpose of producing job offers, when you are narrowing in on where you fit, it is not at all unlikely that one day you will discover that instead of interviewing for information, you are being offered a job!
Before leaving the interview be sure to ask for a referral name, someone who could give you more information, and be sure to send a thank you note!
