March 11, 2015
Informational interviews are the most underutilized resource available to college students, and, well, anyone for that matter.
Potential job-seekers that look for advice on a career, industry or the culture of a workplace can set up information-gathering interviews with people of that specific workplace. It’s kind of like a reverse job interview, except the point is not to try to get hired or about any specific job. The point is to ask questions and gain some “inside” information.
Vesna Brajkovic
Lifestyle Editor
As a junior, my experience is that the biggest questions people have are questions about their future job. Sometimes googling just doesn’t break it down enough.
Ever wondered what it’s like to work at your dream job? How did the person with your dream position get to where they are? What kind of workplace culture does this place have? Those answers can all come from an informational interview.
I first learned about informational interviews last semester through a journalism course on feature writing taught by Ann Knabe where conducting one interview with a journalist was assigned. Being from the Milwaukee area I had always been interested in Milwaukee Magazine. I emailed the editor in chief Kurt Chandler, thinking it was kind of a long shot to ask someone with so little extra time on their hands. Surprisingly, the next day he emailed me inviting me to the office.
While I’ve only been on one informational interview so far, I learned so much from that one meeting that I think it’s crucial that every student go on at LEAST one.
Here are some of my tips:
• Send a professional email requesting an informational interview (include a subject, introduce yourself, give a reason for the meeting, how long it would most likely take, contact information and let them pick a date.)
• Dress appropriate for the workplace.
• Don’t go in looking for a job. That’s not the point of this meeting.
• Don’t be afraid to aim high up in the company when setting up interviews if that’s where your questions can be best answered.
• Research, research, research. Go into the interview knowing a little bit about the company and the person you’re going to talk to.
• Prepare questions. Have a list of questions you want to ask, making them specific and based on your research.
• Don’t be afraid to stray from your prepared questions. Let conversation naturally flow.
• Send a “Thank you” email.
Good luck on all your interviews.
