Informational Interviewing

Informational Interviewing 568 Garden Ave., St. Louis, MO 63119, 314.968.6982 http://www.webster.edu/career-services/, [email protected]

Informational interviewing is a specific networking technique whereby you (the interviewer) gather career information and advice by initiating a conversation with a networking contact or potential employer. The short-term benefit of an informational interview is that you, as a student or internship/job seeker, obtain information on an occupation, industry, or company. In the long-term, informational interviewing can build your network of connections within occupations and companies of interest. An informational interview is not a time to ask for an internship or job. This guide details how to: • Identify potential interviewees • Request an informational interview

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Conduct an effective, professional interview Follow up appropriately

PREPARATION Identify Your Purpose Before contacting a potential interviewee, prepare for the interview by determining your purpose. Your purpose may be to explore two occupations of interest to help you decide on a major or degree. Or, your purpose may be to learn more about an employee’s experiences at a company that interests you. With your purpose in mind, write a brief summary of your abilities, interests, values and goals so you are focused and can discuss these with ease when you contact interviewees. If you are unclear on your purpose or career goals, meet with a career advisor in Career Planning & Development. Identify Potential Interviewees When you have determined the industry, occupation, or employer you want to explore, the next step is to identify potential interviewees. There are multiple ways to identify potential interviewees. • Existing network (professors, friends, friends of parents, parents of friends, advisors, former employers, etc.) • Referrals from your existing network • LinkedIn, and other professional networking sites (look for groups based on industry, college/university, or geography) • Professional associations • Company websites (look for staff directories) • Gorlok Career Link (Webster’s career management database with student employment, internship, and job postings, and an employer directory, https://webster-csm.symplicity.com/) • Alumni contacts (some colleges have developed a network of alumni, parent and/or community contacts who have agreed to answer career-related questions for fellow alumni) More information on how to identify industries, occupations, and employers of interest can be found in Career Planning & Development’s guide on researching careers and employers. Request an Informational Interview Upon identifying potential interviewees, request an informational meeting by calling, e-mailing, or sending a LinkedIn message. The key components of your message (whether verbal or written) should be: who you are, why you are calling or writing, and the desired outcome (including your time expectations; requesting a 15 or 30 minute conversation, for example). The message should be brief (6 to 8 sentences) and professional (avoid slang; if e-mailing, use proper capitalization and spelling). •

Phone Call: When calling, ask if the person has a few minutes and/or if this is a good time to talk. Explain the reason why you want to meet with the person. Be courteous and thank the individual for his or her time. If you cannot arrange an on-site interview, ask for a telephone interview. Be prepared to conduct the interview immediately if the opportunity arises.

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Email: When e-mailing or sending a LinkedIn message, be sure that you use a professional e-mail address. Consider using your college/university e-mail account or a general account (Gmail) with your name or initials. Because you have the ability to proofread and check a written message, there should be no errors. Your subject line might read as the following: Webster Student Interested in Informational Meeting, Seeking Information from Webster Alumni on (example: Counseling) Field.

Sample Informational Interview Requests Sample Phone Call: Mr. Smith, my name is Gor Lok. I was given your name by one of my professors, Dr. Professorson. Is this a good time for you to talk? I am currently a junior earning a Bachelor of Science in Accounting at Webster University. I enjoy my coursework and am seeking to learn more about working in the accounting industry. I’m interested in exploring the differences between tax and audit accounting and what it’s like to work at a public accounting firm. Because of your experience in the field, I would like to know if we can schedule a time to meet to further discuss this. Sample E-mail: FROM: [email protected] SUBJ: Information Request from MBA Student at Webster University Dear Ms. Cochran, My name is Webb Ster and I am a current graduate student at Webster University earning a Master of Business Administration degree with an emphasis in Information Technology Management. I found your name in Webster University’s Gorlok Career Link system as I was exploring employers in the computer science and information technology fields. I am writing today because I am trying to learn as much as I can about the profession before I launch an internship search. Prior to pursuing my MBA, I spent several years as an elementary education teacher, which required me to be highly structured and organized and very detail-oriented. I would like to speak with you to gather information on the IT field, and to seek your advice and insight into how I might make a successful transition. Can we arrange a time to speak briefly by phone or meet in person for an informational meeting? Thank you for your time and consideration. You may reach me via e-mail or by phone at 314-555-5555. Webb Ster Sample LinkedIn Connection Request: Dear Mr. Jones, I identified your LinkedIn profile through a common group, the Webster University Alumni Association. I would like to connect on LinkedIn because I see you are an Advertising Account Manager at ABC Company. I am interested in speaking with you to learn more about your own career path, ABC Company, and to gather your advice and insight. Thank you, -Lock Wood

When leaving a voicemail or sending an e-mail, be patient in waiting for a response. If you have not received a response within a week or two, consider sending one polite follow-up message reiterating your interest. Before the interview, practice your personal introduction (How will you respond to the “Tell me about yourself” question?), revise your resume, and conduct additional company research.

THE INTERVIEW Whether you conduct an informational interview by phone or in person, prepare a list of questions you hope to discuss with your interviewee. You may consider sending the list to your contact in advance so that he or she can prepare. When interviewing in person, be sure to dress professionally and take a copy of your resume and list of questions in a folder or portfolio. The following is a list of potential questions you may ask: • How did you get started in this field? • What previous jobs led you to your current position? • What are the most significant pluses/minuses about working in this field? • What do you like/dislike about it? • Describe the various careers and career paths in this field. • What is the future outlook for this career field? • What specific skills, interests or values are important for a person to have in this job? • Where might I be after 5 years with an organization like yours? • If I left this career field after 5 years, what other occupations might be options for me? • What kind of training is necessary for this career field? Are there any specific college majors that relate well to this position? • What salaries are earned in this career field? • What is the top job you can aspire to in this career? • Are there any courses or activities a student should get involved in that would be particularly beneficial in this field? • What advice would you give someone entering this field? • What is the best way to obtain an entry-level position in this career field? • Do you have information on job qualifications and/or job descriptions that I may have? • Are there other people you may recommend for me to talk to so that I may learn more about this career field? FOLLOW UP & MAINTAIN CONTACT Send a thank you note (written or e-mail) to individuals with whom you meet for informational interviews. Information on thank you notes, including a sample, can be found in Career Planning & Development Center’s guide on cover letters and thank you notes. Thank the interviewee for his or her time and comment on key insights or lessons that you learned. Stay in touch with the interviewee by sending periodic career-related updates on topics like: choosing a major or degree program, having applied to a position at the interviewee’s organization, or obtaining a job or internship. Keep a record of all informational interviews you conduct. For each, note opportunities to pursue.Contact the referrals you received and arrange an informational interview with them by repeating this process.