Informational Interviewing

Overview

Often the most current information about a career field, especially in a specific geographic location, may not be available online or in books. The best information comes from people who are actually working in that career field.

An informational interview is an informal conversation with someone working in an area that interests you who will give you information and advice. It is an effective research tool in addition to reading books, exploring the Internet and examining job descriptions. It is not a job interview, and the objective is not to find job openings.

You may feel awkward making arrangements to talk with people you don't know about their work. However, most people actually enjoy taking a few moments out of their day to reflect on their professional life and to give advice to someone with an interest in their field.

Benefits of Informational Interviewing

• Get firsthand, relevant information about the realities of working within a particular field, industry or position. This kind of information is not always available online or in print.

• Find out about career paths you did not know existed.

• Discover what others with your same major are doing in their careers.

• Get tips about how to prepare for and enter a given career.

• Improve your communication skills and confidence speaking with professionals.

• Learn what it’s like to work at a specific organization.

• Gain knowledge that can help you in writing your resume, interviewing for jobs in the field, and your other job search activities.

• Initiate a professional relationship and expand your network of contacts in a specific career field; meet people who may forward job leads to you in the future.

Six Steps for Informational Interviewing

Research Career Fields

• Do some initial research on the career field or employer using internet and print resources.

Identify people to interview

• Pursue your own contacts. People you already know, even if they aren't in fields of interest to you, can lead you to people who are. This includes family, friends, teaching assistants, professors and former employers.

• Call organizations directly or visit their website for the name of someone working within a particular area of interest.
• Review the Book of Lists, a directory of leading employers in major urban areas in California, available on campus at the Thomas J. Long Business Library.
• Read newspaper and magazine articles.
• Contact professional or trade associations.
• Identify names of Cal alumni. Berkeley graduates will often take a special interest in Cal students. 

Prepare for the interview

• Develop a short (15-30 second) overview of yourself, including your reasons for contacting this person, as a way to introduce yourself and define the context of the meeting.

• Plan open-ended questions to ask.

Initiate contact

• Contact the person by phone (see Sample Telephone Script below) or email.

• Mention how you got his or her name.
• Ask whether it’s a good time to talk for a few minutes.
• Emphasize that you are looking for information, not a job.
• Ask for a convenient time to have a 20-30 minute appointment.
• Be ready to ask questions on the spot if the person says it is a good time for him/her and that s/he won’t be readily available otherwise.

Sample Telephone Script Requesting An Informational Interview

Hello. My name is Jane Wilson and I'm a junior majoring in English at UC Berkeley. Is this a good time for you to talk briefly? I heard you speak at an event sponsored by the Undergraduate Marketing Association last semester. Although I am not currently looking for a job, I have become very interested in public relations and would like to find out as much as I can about the field. Would it be possible to schedule 20 to 30 minutes with you at your convenience to ask you a few questions and get your advice on how best to prepare to enter the field?

Conduct the informational interview

• Dress neatly and appropriately, as you would for a job interview.

• Arrive on time or a few minutes early.
• Restate that your objective is to get information and advice, not a job.
• Give a brief overview of yourself and your education and/or work background.
• Be prepared to direct the interview, but also let the conversation flow naturally, and encourage the interviewee to do most of the talking.
• Listen well and show genuine interest in what the person has to say.
• Take notes if you'd like.
• Respect the person's time. Keep the appointment length within the time span that you requested.
• Ask the person if you may contact him or her again in the future with other questions.
• Always ask for names of other people to talk to for additional information or a different perspective.

Note: You can bring a resume, but don’t take it out right away or lead with questions about it or your interviewee may think you’re actually fishing for a job opportunity. You may wish to ask for input about it at some point in the interview, but first make sure you’ve established a comfortable rapport with the person.

Follow-up

• Keep records. Right after the interview write down what you learned, what more you'd like to know and your reactions in terms of how this industry, field or position would "fit" with your lifestyle, interests, skills and future career plans.

• Send a thank-you note within 1-2 days to express your appreciation for the time and information given. Based on whether the informational interview was relatively informal or more businesslike, this may be a brief handwritten note, an email, or a business letter.

• Keep in touch with the person, especially if you had a particularly nice interaction; let him or her know that you followed up on their advice and how things are going as a result. This relationship could become an important part of your network.

Exploring Careers & Opportunities

Select questions that are appropriate for your target career field and stage of decision-making or search for opportunities. Use some of the following questions or come up with your own.

Questions To Ask: Informational Interview

• What are your main responsibilities as a...?

• What is a typical day (or week) like for you?

•  What do you like most about your work?

• What do you like least about your work?

• What kinds of problems do you deal with?

• What kinds of decisions do you make?

• How does your position fit within the organization/career field/industry?

• How does your job affect your general lifestyle?

• What current issues and trends in the field should I know about/be aware of?

• What are some common career paths in this field?

• What kinds of accomplishments tend to be valued and rewarded in this field?

• What related fields would you recommend I also look into?

• How did you become interested in this field?

• How did you begin your career?

• How do most people get into this field? What are common entry-level jobs?

• What steps would you recommend I take to prepare to enter this field?

• How relevant is your undergraduate major to your work?

• What kind of education, training, or background does your job require?

• What skills, abilities, and personal attributes are essential to success in your job/this field?

• Can you recommend trade journals, magazines or professional associations which would be helpful for my professional development?

• If you could do it all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? If not, what would you change?

• I’ve read that the entry-level salary range for this field is usually in the range of ______? Does this fit with what you’ve seen? (Don’t ask about the person’s actual salary.)

• What advice would you give someone who is considering this type of job (or field)?

• Can you suggest anyone else I could contact for additional information?

Questions to Ask: Networking for Opportunities

• What do you like most about working at this organization?

• What kinds of projects do interns and entry level hires get involved in?

• What is the profile of the person most recently hired at my level?

• How long do people tend to stay at the organization?

• What do you/hiring managers look for in candidates?

• What skills and experience are most important?

• Can you tell me about the hiring process you went through? OR Can you tell me about the hiring process -- what does it involve?

• Do you anticipate any openings coming up?

• What are the most effective strategies for seeking a position in this field?

• Can you recommend anyone else here or elsewhere to contact for insights or advice for the internship/job search?