Importance of Informational Interviews

Any career transition strategy must include evidence that the job seeker or job changer is involved in continuous learning. With competition for jobs tighter than ever it creates a buyer market for hiring managers and recruiters. They can select from among the best in the talent pool and part of being the best is for the professional to be engaged in their field through a never-ending process of learning and refinement. I would recommend to any client going into a job interview that they make sure the interviewer knows that they are enthused and energized by their line of work or chosen profession and are constantly seeking ways to grow and learn more deeply and broadly about it.

Now this doesn't have to mean just taking formal classes or matriculating into degree programs, although that can certainly count as concrete evidence. Additional continuous learning techniques can be accomplished through on-the-job-training, networking with those possessing expertise, joining and following relevant LinkedIn groups, getting involved with professional association activities and resources, and the one I'd like to focus on today, the informational interview. This method is great for targeted learning about particular types of jobs. It's all about information gathering and when done well and often can leave you much more knowledgeable about where you want and don't want to go with your career. And as an added benefit, informational interviewing can expand your network and serve as a self-promotion or marketing tactic that may pay off with knowing about interesting and new opportunities down the road.

The first thing to know about informational interviews is that they are not job interviews. The purpose is to ask proven professionals for advice and insight. They can help the seeker learn more about specific careers, industries, and companies resulting in you knowing much more about each than you did before. To do this well, however, you need to be someone who can reach out to these people in the know and make a request for an informational interview. In many cases this may mean making a cold contact, everybody's favorite thing to do! But with practice, even the most introverted among us can get into the outreach zone. But keep this in mind, most people like to be asked about what they know and are good at. Who doesn't like to talk about themselves? Many current pros probably did some informational interviewing when they were considering transitions and feel it's appropriate to give back.

Finding people to interview will require some homework. LinkedIn and Twitter along with other face to face networking through professional associations, Chambers of Commerce, alumni associations, professional journals or other publications, workshops, conferences, and social events can all turn up interesting people to speak with. Once you identify some potential contacts approach then first in writing explaining who you are with some professional background, the purpose of your contact with a degree of specificity, and your contact information. Request a twenty-minute time slot (if lucky, it'll go longer). Determine with them if face to face, phone, or Skype is the best way to talk. Don't ever go into one of these ill prepared. Get as much background information together by visiting the organization's or industry's web sites beforehand along with pre-determined questions ready to use. You're asking them about things like:

a typical day

workplace environment and conditions

necessary training and education requirements

anticipated job prospects

company and industry culture

earnings potential

typical company and industry career paths

what their recommendations and warnings are

best practices

how they stack up with the competition

I'm sure that you can think of others. Hopefully the conversation will begin to flow and take on a life of its own. Remember, as you conclude ask if there is anyone else they can recommend for you to interview. After all, this is part of your continuous learning plan. There is always more to read and someone else to meet.