I was reminded during a conversation with a client recently about the worth of the information interview. It’s a tool I remember discovering soon after I started working in the field of careers, and I was surprised that such an approach existed within job hunting.
So what are these enigmatic information interviews? Put simply, its purpose is to ask for advice and information from an individual working in an industry or role you are interested in. It enables you to gather information and find out if it’s an area you would want to work in before you start investing your time and energy in trying to gain work in that area. It is an effective way to research careers in addition to exploring the internet and reading job adverts.
Prepare –
- Identify what you want to learn – what are the questions you have about the field that you are struggling to find answers to? Take time to really think about what you want to find out, and formulate thoughtful questions from there.
- Identify people to speak to – pursue your own personal contacts, do you have family members, colleagues, friends or friends of friends who work or know someone who works in the area you want to find out more about? Look at your LinkedIn network to see if any of your connections have contacts in areas that appeal to you. Consider contacting alumni associations from your previous employers/educational institutions for leads. Look at company websites, industry publications or social media for details of who a relevant person to speak to would be, and make contact with them.
- Be prepared to answer questions about yourself, practice explaining who you are and what you are trying to achieve, in a similar vein to how you would compile an elevator pitch.
Initiate contact – generally it is best to initiate contact via email first (rather than by phone) as it allows you time to clearly express your reasons for getting in touch, and gives the recipient time to consider your request before responding. You could also ask for an introduction from a shared connection, request a short meeting over a coffee perhaps or via Skype/Phone. Remember that you are looking for information, not a job so keep that in mind when conducting the meeting.
Conduct the interview – ensure you respect their time and keep to the agreed length of your appointment. Possible questions to ask could include:
- Career Path: How did you get involved in this career path? Is there something you wish you’d known when you were starting out in this industry? Or done differently?
- Day-to-Day tasks: What is your job like? What are your normal working hours?
- Organisation/Company: What is it like to work at X company? How is it different from its competitors?
- Skills/Experience: What knowledge/skills/qualifications/experience are most valued in this role/sector/organisation?
- Current Outlook: Can you tell me about occupational outlook in this field? How much demand is there for people in this occupation? What are the typical job titles?
Tap into their network – ask if they can suggest any other people for you to speak to. If they can’t offer any leads, ask for ideas on other sources of information e.g. professional bodies, networks, industry related meetings etc.
Follow-up – after the interview follow-up with a thank you email, to express your appreciation for their time. Also, you can provide them with updates later down the line to let them know how you’ve applied their advice.
As a result of conducting such an information gathering exercise, not only will you gain access to insider information about a role/industry to help you gain information about a possible future career, you will also start to make contacts and network within an area where your future career may lie.