#010 How a Well-Prepared Informational Interview Results in Job Recommendations

Conducting an informational interview is one of the most effective networking techniques to decide on your career choices provided such informational interviews, calls, or chats are planned properly.

There are the six steps you need to take for conducting a well-planned informational interview so that you can make an informed decision about your career move.

Step 1: Target Companies in Your Industry

As an information gatherer, research a company you are interested in joining by visiting the company’s website, checking its current job openings, and reviewing the company’s LinkedIn page to familiarize yourself with their products and services.

You may also visit their other social platforms such as Twitter or Facebook for recent updates and employee testimonials to get a sense of their work culture.

Conducting research can help you decide what details to ask about during your informational interview and what questions to avoid which you can easily find on the web.

Step 2: Hunt Professionals within Specific Companies

You should identify professionals over LinkedIn or any other platform where people from your space spend most of their workday. In fact, you may also contact a company’s recruiters for job-related details.

Next, you should reach out to people you know already, but if you don’t have any connections then find people on LinkedIn who work in your space within the specific company and send them personalized connection invites. Once they accept your application, thank them for connecting.

Step 3: Send Request Messages to Shortlisted Professionals

If you need a favor, I’d like to highlight being respectful of the other person’s time and asking them what mode of communication they would prefer to chat.

Plus, never get disappointed if you don't hear back from some professionals and move on to the next person on your list.

Isn’t it great? That in this digital era, you can connect with anyone no matter where a person is located. Right!

Some pros are kind enough to grab a phone call or get on a video call for a discussion, but others might have a tight schedule and stick to written text. They would prefer responding to your queries over emails.

Next, the most important part is to give a brief intro of who you are and why you would like to meet. You chose the person for a reason, therefore show gratitude by highlighting what it is about that person’s role or career path that is valuable to you to learn more about.

Plus, you should never forget to communicate what you hope to gain from the meeting.

Step 4: Get Ready with Relevant Questions

Create a list of questions related to the topic you are going to discuss during the informational chat.

This activity is crucial to stay organized and make the most of your time.

Always remember, there are no best questions to ask. It entirely depends on what you want to learn about, such as what a typical day looks like of a person you are chatting with or how the work-life balance is in a particular role.

Be clear what exactly you want to achieve out of the conversation.

But remember, don’t come across as an interviewer as the other person might feel intimidated, so keep a two-way conversation. While asking a question, I would recommend adding your viewpoint and politely ask the other person to add their thoughts on the question or topic.

Step 5: On the day of an Informational Interview

If it’s a virtual or in-person meet, start off by thanking the person for taking the time to speak with you and share a little bit of your professional background and how that’s related to the role you’re inquiring about.

For instance, if you are a recent grad, what you're studying, and why you're interested in working in the certain company. For experienced pros, talk about any relevant experience you have that you could apply to a role in discussion.

Also, be respectful if there are any questions that they are hesitant to answer.

If the other person asked you to communicate via email, then do everything that we just discussed in writing. Most importantly, for those who meet virtually or in person, remember to show professionalism throughout the discussion by listening actively to the other person and responding with appropriate follow-up questions.

Step 6: Be appreciative

Past the informational interview, you should show gratitude in writing via email, text, or LinkedIn message, be obliged of the time the other person spent with you, and reiterate any valuable advice or learning you gained during the session. If the entire communication happened via email, use the same channel to write a thank you note back to them.

I hope, now, you have a better idea how to build on network via informational interviews and use them to your advantage.

You never know when someone you talk to finds you to be a great match to a role in their company and recommend you to the great next job opportunity that you always wished for.

If you still have any questions regarding networking or informational interview, reach out to me at nikita.mehrotra@therecruitmentinsights.com .

I would love to help:)

Nikita