Informational Interview

Since  my job hunt is continuing (sigh...), I thought I ought to re-evaluate my job search process. I thought of setting up an informational interview with someone who works in my field who could communicate first hand experiences and impressions about the job. A year ago, I networked with a student in one of my classes who became a manager in my industry. I sent her an e-mail reminding her of our meeting and requested advice about how she had become successful in the field. We set up a phone meeting.

We talked for about an hour and I was delighted to find that this conversation was not stressful like a job interview. I was able to ask the following questions and some that may not be strategic during an interview (i.e., questions regarding salary, benefits, vacation):  

·        What is a typical day like?
·        What do you enjoy most about your work? What are some of the challenges?
·        What are some of the current issues/trends facing people in your field?
·        What skills/education are important for a position in this field? Tips for finding a similar position in the current job market?
·        What is the typical entry-level salary in this field?

After the informational interview, I had a different perspective about the job. It entailed more than just the skills and education that I had to offer. I realized that I needed to think more creatively about the ideas and services I can provide to meet the company’s goals. Beyond the advantages of gaining valuable career information from this kind of  interview, I’m more confident and feel this was a good opportunity to improve my ability to handle a job interview. I hope you also  talk with several experienced workers in your field for an information interview..

QuintCareers.com Information Interview Tutorial: http://www.quintcareers.com/information_interview.html

Please comment: Describe your experience about the informational interview or what do you think can be gained from in informational interview?