Informational Interviewing Adapted from article in: Introduction An informational interview should be an integral part of your networking and job-hunting plan. An informational interview involves talking with people who are currently working in the field to gain a better understanding of an occupation or industry -- and to build a network of contacts in that field. Potential Results of Informational Interviews This opportunity will expose you to a variety of jobs and personalities of companies making the search for your "niche" that much easier. It is an opportunity to learn where you might fit into a particular organization. Reasons for Conducting Informational Interviews Following are some good reasons to conduct informational interviews: to explore careers and clarify your career goal to expand your professional network to build confidence for your job interviews to access the most up-to-date career information to identify your professional strengths and weaknesses You gain invaluable interviewing experience and you gain visibility. In short, informational interviewing prepares you for what's in store and allows you the opportunity to network with others in your field of interest. Talking with family, friends or anyone with whom you feel comfortable should reduce the anxiety you may feel about interviewing. Guidelines for Informational Interviews Following are some guidelines for informational interviews: Identify Occupation(s) for Informational Interviews Identify one or more occupations you would like to investigate. Assess your own interests, abilities, values, and skills, and evaluate labor conditions and trends to identify the best fields to research. Read all you can about the field before the interview. Decide what information you would like to obtain about the occupation/industry. Prepare a list of questions that you would like to have answered. Find out as much information as you can about each place before setting up an interview. Identify People to Interview for Informational Interviews Start with lists of people you already know: friends, fellow students, present or former co-workers, supervisors, neighbors, etc. Professional organizations, the yellow pages from the phone book, organizational directories, and public speakers are also good resources. You may also call an organization and ask for the name of the person by job title. There's no one in the world who you can't try contacting. You should be prepared.
Informational Interviewing Adapted from article in: Introduction An informational interview should be an integral part of your networking and job-hunting plan. An informational interview involves talking with people who are currently working in the field to gain a better understanding of an occupation or industry -- and to build a network of contacts in that field. Potential Results of Informational Interviews This opportunity will expose you to a variety of jobs and personalities of companies making the search for your "niche" that much easier. It is an opportunity to learn where you might fit into a particular organization. Reasons for Conducting Informational Interviews Following are some good reasons to conduct informational interviews: to explore careers and clarify your career goal to expand your professional network to build confidence for your job interviews to access the most up-to-date career information to identify your professional strengths and weaknesses You gain invaluable interviewing experience and you gain visibility. In short, informational interviewing prepares you for what's in store and allows you the opportunity to network with others in your field of interest. Talking with family, friends or anyone with whom you feel comfortable should reduce the anxiety you may feel about interviewing. Guidelines for Informational Interviews Following are some guidelines for informational interviews: Identify Occupation(s) for Informational Interviews Identify one or more occupations you would like to investigate. Assess your own interests, abilities, values, and skills, and evaluate labor conditions and trends to identify the best fields to research. Read all you can about the field before the interview. Decide what information you would like to obtain about the occupation/industry. Prepare a list of questions that you would like to have answered. Find out as much information as you can about each place before setting up an interview. Identify People to Interview for Informational Interviews Start with lists of people you already know: friends, fellow students, present or former co-workers, supervisors, neighbors, etc. Professional organizations, the yellow pages from the phone book, organizational directories, and public speakers are also good resources. You may also call an organization and ask for the name of the person by job title. There's no one in the world who you can't try contacting. You should be prepared.
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