Whether you are actively applying to jobs, or still trying to figure out what you want to do, you should talk to as many people as you can. You do this through informational interviews. Connecting with professionals in your target industry gives you the opportunity to learn from their experience, and could even help you get in for an interview there.
Think of the informational interview as a way to pick someone’s brain without annoying them. You should take the networking call in 3 stages: before, during, and after. You need to get this done in 15 or 20 minutes, so use your time efficiently.
BEFORE
- Do your homework-if you want to make a good impression and get your questions answered, do your research. You don’t want to ask questions you can get the answers to, you want to understand more about the person’s background and career path.
- Prep your pitch-have your elevator pitch ready. Why are you interested in getting advice from this person and what you hope to gain from the conversation?
DURING
- Get to the point-ask your most important questions first. Have your questions ready use them to guide the conversation.
- Keep track of time-keep your conversation to the point and if you asked for 20 minutes, stick to 20 minutes.
AFTER
- Follow up-a thank you note is important. Thank the person for their time and always end with asking if they recommend you speak with anyone else.
- Stay in touch-don’t just reach out when you ask for something, stay in touch and keep them in the loop in your search. If they give you someone to reach out to, thank them and let them know after you’ve connected with the person.
