Why should I conduct an informational interview?

Over the years that I have required this assignment in my classes each student has gained something valuable from it. Here are some of the benefits of conducting an informational interview that my students have shared with me:

• help inform your career path and help you make career decisions
• help you get your foot in the door with a potential employer, and give you the opportunity to demonstrate initiative, passion, and interest in a future internship or full-time position
• help you better understand the types of career opportunities available in your field
• help you learn more about your chosen field and what it is like to work in this field
• lead to an internship or employment
• provide insight into a company, helping you determine if you would like to work for them

When I first discuss this assignment with students they are often met with trepidation. It seems like a large assignment with a lot of steps, and students are often intimidated by the prospect of conversing with a professional, setting a meeting, and are even concerned that they would be wasting a professional’s valuable time. Be assured that if you work through the steps of the conducting a professional informational interview it will be worth your time, and you will build valuable skills along the way. Students find business professionals are usually very happy to help college students that show an interest in learning, and many students form valuable connections that help them throughout their career.

Additionally, students are amazed at the tangible results of conducting an informational interview. Here are some statistical results I gathered from a recent group that conducted informational interviews.

• 100% found the assignment to be valuable, and saw they benefit of conducting informational interviews
• 71.43% said they created a new connection that could help them in their future.
• 38.1% said the person they interviewed gave them the names of additional people to network with who could help them in the future
• 61.9% said they received a lead for an internship or a professional job
• 19.05% said they landed an interview for an internship or a professional job
• 14.29% said they landed an internship
• 4.76% said they landed a professional job
• 85.71% said they plan to conduct additional informational interviews in the future; for example, when looking to change positions, or to make connections when they are new at a company

In addition to conquering fear, stepping out of their comfort zone, learning more about their industry/field, and giving students the opportunity to get their foot in the door with a potential employer, students shared that conducting an informational interview helped them develop the following professional skills:

• Setting appointments
• Creating an agenda
• Setting and conducting a professional meeting
• Professional conduct, self-presentation, and social skills
• Developing and asking good questions
• Professional conversation skills
• Building rapport and connection
• Research
• Time management
• General communication skills
• Planning and developing email messages
• Writing and sending thank you messages
• Prioritizing
• Identifying and achieving goals
• Locating opportunities for jobs and internships
• Dealing with anxiety
• Note taking
• Building confidence
• Increasing fluency and using professional and/or industry specific language
• Asking clarifying and follow-up questions
• Delivering an elevator pitch
• Practice for employment/internship interviews
• Phone skills
• Interviewing skills

An Overview: How To Conduct an Informational Interview

To get the most out of your informational interview it is important to realize that the process includes more than just the interview itself. The more time you spend identifying the right person to interview and preparing for the interview, the more you will benefit from the interview. It is necessary to set goals, conduct research, set an agenda, and practice for your interview before your actual meeting.

An informational interview includes the following steps:

1. Set goals
2. Identify companies you would like to work for in the future
3. Locate employees from the above companies who have the potential to help you achieve your goals
4. Make contact with the appropriate individual from the company you identified and ask for the interview
5. Prepare for the interview
6. Conduct the interview
7. Follow-up after the interview