|
|
Informational Interviewing
Overview
Often the most current information
about a career field, especially in a specific geographic location, may
not be available in print or online resources. The best information comes
from people who are actually working in that career field. An informational
interview is an informal conversation with someone working in an area of
interest to you who will give you information and advice. It is an effective
research tool in addition to reading books, exploring the Internet and
examining job descriptions. It is not a job interview, and the objective
is not to find job openings.
You may feel awkward making arrangements
to talk with people you don't know about their work. However, most
people actually enjoy taking a few moments out of their day to reflect
on their professional life and to give advice to someone with an interest
in their field.
Benefits of Informational Interviewing
- Get firsthand and relevant information about the realities of working within a particular field, industry
or position. This kind of information is not always available in print.
- Find out about career paths you did not know existed.
- Clarify your initial goals and how a particular career may match your interests, lifestyle and future
plans.
- Improve your communication skills by talking informally with an interested professional.
- Develop job search skills. Resume writing and job interviewing become much easier when you have a
good sense of what interests you and how your background and skills match
the qualifications of a particular field, industry or job.
- Initiate a professional relationship and expand your network of contacts in a particular
career field.
Five Steps for Informational Interviewing
Informational Interview: Finding a Person to Interview
A student developed an interest in marketing but wasn't sure how to find people
in the field to talk to. She had worked as a clerk/typist in the payroll office of
University Extension for several years. She decided to talk over her career
interests with her supervisor, who pointed out that Extension had a marketing
department and that she'd be happy to introduce her to the director. This "right
in your own back yard" referral led to a great informational interview and lots of
other contacts.
- Identify people to interview
- Pursue your own contacts.
People you already know, even if they aren't in fields of interest
to you, can lead you to people who are. This includes family, friends,
teaching assistants, professors and former employers.
- Call organizations directly
or visit their website for the name of someone working within a particular
area of interest.
- Visit the Career Center's
Information Lab to review employer directories, past job listing binders
and other resources.
- Read newspaper and magazine articles.
- Contact professional or trade associations.
- Identify names of Cal alumni.
Berkeley graduates will often take a special interest in Cal students.
Utilize student services offered by the
California Alumni
Association to connect with Cal alums.
- Initiate contact
- Contact the person by phone, email or letter (see
 Sample Letter).
- Mention how you got his or her name.
- Emphasize that you are looking for information, not a job.
- Ask for a convenient time to have a 20-30 minute appointment.
Sample Telephone Script Requesting An Informational Interview
Hello. My name is Jane Wilson and I'm a junior majoring in English at UC
Berkeley. I heard you speak at an event sponsored by the Undergraduate
Marketing Association last semester. Although I am not currently looking for a
job, I have become very interested in public relations and would like to
find out as much as I can about the field. Would it be possible to schedule
20 or 30 minutes with you at your convenience to ask you a few questions
and get your advice on how best to prepare to enter the field?
- Prepare for the interview
- Do some initial research on the career field or employer using Internet and print resources (see
Resources to Research Organizations).
- Plan open-ended questions to ask.
- Develop a 30-second overview of yourself, including your reasons for
contacting this person, as a way to introduce yourself and define the context of the
meeting.
- Conduct the informational interview
- Dress neatly and appropriately as you would for a job interview.
- Restate that your objective is to get information and advice, not a job.
- Listen well and be genuinely interested in what the person has to say.
- Take notes if you'd like.
- Respect the person's time. Keep the appointment length within the time span that
you requested.
- Always ask for names of other people to talk to for additional information
or a different perspective.
- Follow-up
- Keep records. Right after the interview write down what you learned (including the suggestions or
advice given to you), what more you'd like to know and your reactions
in terms of how this industry, field or position would "fit"
with your lifestyle, interests, skills and future career plans.
- Send a thank-you note within 1-2 days to express your appreciation for the time and information given.
Based on your assessment of the nature of your informational interview,
whether informal or more businesslike, this may be a brief handwritten
note or a business letter (see
Sample Letters).
- Keep in touch with the person; let him or her know that you followed up on their advice and how
things are going as a result. This relationship could become an important
part of your network.
Back to Make Connections
Back to Planning Your Future Home
|
