Are you looking for a career change? Or do you want to learn more about a specific career? One of the best ways available for you to get the information you need would be to conduct an informational interview with a person who is currently engaged in that career. During this time, you can get some valuable insights related to the job, including career path, and job experience. However, you need to be ready to conduct an informational interview, so that you can get the most out of it. Continue to read this article, and we will share how to do it.
What is an informational interview?
An informational interview is a type of informal discussion, where you ask questions as a job seeker from an employed professional. The objective of this interview is to learn more about a specific career, company culture, or even the overall industry. This will typically last for around 20 to 30 minutes.
There are a few reasons why you would conduct an informational interview. They include:
- Preparing yourself for an upcoming job interview
- Understanding how to screen or research careers, employers, or positions
- Increasing the network contacts, you have
- Understanding how to ask direct questions and follow-up questions
- Understanding your weaknesses and strengths for a specific job
- Understanding the steps to follow in order to pursue a career
How to be ready for an informational interview?
Now that you know the basics, let’s dive deeper into how to prepare. Here are some steps on how to prepare for an informational interview.
- Do your research
Before you conduct the informational interview, it is better if you can take some time to do some research. For example, you will need to do background research on the person that you are going to speak to, the industry, as well as the organization. Websites such as LinkedIn can help you with that. Based on the research, you can be ready with interview questions.
- Prepare the list of questions
You need to prepare a list of questions before you face the informational interview. Make sure that you keep your questions open-ended. These should focus more on understanding the role that a person plays in the company, company culture, and area of expertise. It is better if you can arrange what you’re asking so that you can maintain a conversational flow. You will also be able to group the interview questions.
- Always be professional
An informational interview can be an informal discussion, but you need to be professional throughout. For example, you need to be punctual and respect the schedule of the interviewee. Likewise, you should also be dressed appropriately. It is better if you can arrive at least 15 minutes before the interview if it’s not on zoom.
During this time, you should be actively listening to the other person. When you are asking follow-up questions, you need to be respectful. On top of that, you should be open when sharing your own experiences.
- Be appreciative and courteous
Always keep in mind that your interviewee is trying to do a personal favor to you. Therefore, you need to be appreciative and courteous at all times. You should also consider it as one of your responsibilities to highlight your objective and get advice accordingly.
- Take notes
You need to take notes the entire time. You will not be able to remember everything that you hear during the interview. This is why you should have what you need to keep track of what was discussed.
Final words
Now you know what an informational interview is all about and how to get the most out of it as major action points are listed above. Anyone going for an informational interview can follow these tips and get the most out of the interview. If you have any questions or need more information and assistance, please reach out to us at [email protected]
