Whether you are a newbie just beginning your career or a seasoned professional making a career switch, informational interviewing is an essential step for getting to know the field you will be working in, getting connections, and making a name for yourself. Many people see informational interviews as unimportant or a waste of time, but it’s a great way to realize whether or not a job is for you, before even making an official application. This can save you time and energy down the road.
What is an informational interview?
An informational interview is a conversation with someone you don’t know very well (or at all), for the purpose of gathering information. It’s similar to a job interview, except that you’re not applying for a specific job or position—just gathering information about the company, industry and job path.
Informational interviews can be helpful for anyone who wants to learn more about a career field or industry. For example:
You’re considering switching careers and want to learn more about what it’s like to work in your target field.
You’re graduating from college and want to learn more about what graduate school will be like before you apply.
You want to figure out if your dream career is feasible before taking on student loans or quitting your job.
They’ll help you shape your career goals.
Informational interviews are also known as “soft” interviews. Unlike “hard” interviews (which are often part of the job search process), these conversations aren’t primarily intended to assess whether you’re qualified for a particular position. Instead, they’re meant help you find out about a company, industry, or profession. You can also use them to help determine if you want to pursue a new career path or get some advice on how to move forward with your current goals.
For example, if you’re thinking about going into public relations, an informational interview with a PR professional can help confirm whether or not this is the right career for you. And if it turns out that it’s not, then at least now you know.
Informational interviews are also beneficial because they can provide insight on how to get started in a new field without having any experience there yet. For example, if you want to be a social media manager, you could ask someone who works as one what steps they took to get there and what qualities they look for when hiring new employees. This will allow you to build an action plan to obtain those skills and qualifications.
They’ll give you a better understanding of yourself.
Informational interviews help give you a better understanding of yourself. If you’re unsure what type of career path you want to pursue after graduation, informational interviews can help narrow down your options based on what interests and motivates you. This could help lead to finding employment that’s aligned with your goals and passions after graduation.
They’ll put a voice with your job searches.
You’ll be able to ask questions and get specific answers from someone who knows what they’re talking about — not just from Google or your friends’ second-hand experiences. Informational interviews are a great way to see what jobs are out there and what they entail, learn about the industry and company you’re interested in, and get first-hand, invaluable advice from someone who has been there. You can also use them to get feedback on your resume and cover letter. Ultimately, they’ll provide a voice of guidance when you actually do begin searching for jobs in the desired field.
They can connect you.
Informational interviews can connect you to friends of friends, and they can also help build your network of contacts who might be able to refer you for job openings down the road. It’s a good idea to schedule them as early as possible in the job search process because many of these people will have jobs coming up soon — and if they like talking with you, there’s no harm in sending them your resume later on when they’re available again!
Takeaway
Informational interviews are a great way to learn about a career path before taking the plunge. You’ll learn about what someone does on a day-to-day basis, what kind of education you’ll need, and whether it’s your cup of tea or not.
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