When it comes to the long-term health of your career, information interviewing can pay off big. These type of interviews turn traditional job hunting on its head because there‘s no immediate job at the end of the rainbow. Instead of going straight for the “kill” (i.e., responding to a job posting), you take a more circuitous path, chatting with someone to get inside info and gain connections. The practice also allows you to stand out way in a way that you can’t when you’re one applicant in a sea of competitors.
What exactly is info interviewing all about?
Information interviewing involves speaking to people who work in a field or in a company you want to learn more about, allowing you to gain some first-hand current information on an industry, a company or a particular occupation. In addition to meeting new people to add to your network, these meetings help you to conduct company research, and — if you’re really lucky — learn about potential job openings. Information interviews are NOT about asking for a job (in fact, don’t even bring your resumé along), but these meetings do let potential employers know that you're out there and they give you the chance to make a positive impression and sell your skills. So, even if this doesn't result in a job right away, you may be remembered if anything comes up in the future.
Information interviewing involves speaking to people who work in a field or in a company you want to learn more about, allowing you to gain some first-hand current information on an industry, a company or a particular occupation. In addition to meeting new people to add to your network, these meetings help you to conduct company research, and — if you’re really lucky — learn about potential job openings. Information interviews are NOT about asking for a job (in fact, don’t even bring your resumé along), but these meetings do let potential employers know that you're out there and they give you the chance to make a positive impression and sell your skills. So, even if this doesn't result in a job right away, you may be remembered if anything comes up in the future.
Another outcome of the information interview is that you may learn you actually don't want to work in that specific field (or company), which may save you a lot of effort and heartache in the future. In addition, another benefit is that they provide practice for real job interviews.
Before you begin
The first step to effective information interviewing is getting clear on what type of info you need. Do you want to know more about a particular occupation or are you just trying to get a feel for the industry itself? Or do you know exactly what you’d like to do but just aren't sure what particular company would be a good fit. In this latter case, brainstorm a list of companies that you might want to work for. If you’re not feeling so crystal clear about your dream career your goal may be simply to gain some insight about a particular industry or industries so that you can decide about a specific career path.
The first step to effective information interviewing is getting clear on what type of info you need. Do you want to know more about a particular occupation or are you just trying to get a feel for the industry itself? Or do you know exactly what you’d like to do but just aren't sure what particular company would be a good fit. In this latter case, brainstorm a list of companies that you might want to work for. If you’re not feeling so crystal clear about your dream career your goal may be simply to gain some insight about a particular industry or industries so that you can decide about a specific career path.
Who should you contact?
Depending on the type of info you’re after, you can connect with people who have the job title that intrigues you or who work at companies you think you might like to join.
Depending on the type of info you’re after, you can connect with people who have the job title that intrigues you or who work at companies you think you might like to join.
If you’re lucky, you already know someone in the field that you can contact. If you’re only somewhat fortunate you may know someone who knows someone. You can also go in absolutely cold — contacting someone you absolutely don’t know or only have a tenuous connection with.
LinkedIn can be a powerhouse tool when it comes to finding potential interviewees. Search the LinkedIn site for companies of interest to find out if any of your first or second level connections work there or have done so in the past. You can also search your LinkedIn network by job title. (As an experiment, I used the term “human resources” and came up with more than 20,000 people. In an advanced search I “narrowed it down” to fewer than 500 people by refining the language, relationship and industry sections — you can refine the search even further but that costs money.) And don’t forget to join groups, a super way to “gather” potential interviewees.
Although LinkedIn is undoubtedly the granddaddy of professional social networking, you can also connect with people you otherwise would not cross paths with on Twitter.
Making a cold (or warm) contact
Cold calling is one way to secure an information meeting, but it may be both more nerve-wracking and less effective than emailing, which is where I recommend you start. If you go the email route, be sure to let the potential interviewee know who you know in common or what your connection is or, at the very least, what it is that inspires you to reach out to them, (e.g., you both attended the same university or share an interest in alternative health.)
Cold calling is one way to secure an information meeting, but it may be both more nerve-wracking and less effective than emailing, which is where I recommend you start. If you go the email route, be sure to let the potential interviewee know who you know in common or what your connection is or, at the very least, what it is that inspires you to reach out to them, (e.g., you both attended the same university or share an interest in alternative health.)
The perfect networking email will do the following:
- Explain how you got their information
- Introduce yourself casually, but with pertinent details
- Express a sense of humor or competence in your field
- Offer a compliment or assistance
Be specific about what type of information they want. “Simply asking for generic ‘advice’ isn’t going to get you anywhere. If you have a question or questions, ask them. If you want to meet in person for coffee, say that you’re buying and you promise not to take up too much of their time.”
You should always have some sort of mutual connection before you send a networking email, but I know from personal experience that contacting someone cold can work. Also, there’s the case of Wayne Pommen, who volunteers for Toronto Homecoming, an organization that helps expat job seekers re-integrate into the Toronto market. An expat himself, Pommen needed to establish a network when he moved back to Canada, and he got an excellent response rate when he sent out the following cold networking email:
Michael,This email will seem slightly out of the blue — I am writing to you after having seen your profile on the _______ website.I am a consultant with _______, and I arrived in Toronto a few months ago after transferring from the London office. I am in the process of trying to get up to speed on the Toronto business scene, not least so I have a better understanding of what my future opportunities might be. I have a particular interest in the private equity space, which has been the focus of much of my work at _______ over a three-year period.I was wondering if you might be willing to catch up over a coffee (or something similar) at some convenient point in the future. I noticed on the _______ website that you have a consulting background and I thought you might be a person with a helpful perspective.You are no doubt busy and I know these types of requests can be a pain, so please feel free to decline. However, any time and insight you could spare would be very much appreciated!Best regards,Wayne Pommen
Once you have secured the interview
If you, like Wayne, are successful in landing information interviews, make sure you do some stellar research on the company (as well as on your interviewee). The aforementioned The Delicate Art of the Networking Email article advises taking time to really study the business or person you’re interested in and how they fit into the marketplace. “Analyze their presence on social media — specifically, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn — and take note of what impresses you the most about how they have built their craft.”
If you, like Wayne, are successful in landing information interviews, make sure you do some stellar research on the company (as well as on your interviewee). The aforementioned The Delicate Art of the Networking Email article advises taking time to really study the business or person you’re interested in and how they fit into the marketplace. “Analyze their presence on social media — specifically, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn — and take note of what impresses you the most about how they have built their craft.”
You’ll want to also prepare some questions that will show your interest in the company/field. Avoid asking basic questions about things like the main product of the company, its size and competitors. (You can usually easily find this out online.) Instead go for more specific information, for example:
- What are the types of positions most in demand in the industry?
- What are the skills and qualifications that I need to gain an entry-level position in this particular field?
- What does the typical day of a _______ look like?
- How did you get involved in this type of career?
- What values are important in your company?
- Is there growth in the field?
- Can you suggest some industry courses, training or programs that I can take?
Before you leave, find out if they can recommend someone else that you can talk to.
Remember also to keep positive during your meeting — who knows, the person you are talking to may be your future employer. It is also a good policy to follow up with a thank-you email that shows your appreciation for the person’s time. Oh, and stick to the promised timeline — if you said 20 minutes don't drone on for an hour!
About the Author
Katherine O’Brien - www.poss.ca
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