In contrast to a job interview, informational interviewing is an effective, creative, and interesting way to talk with people who work at a job or in a
profession that may be of interest to you. It’s also a great way to gather information about a specific career or company.How can interviewing for information be helpful?
There are two basic ways to
research a career – reading career literature and talking with someone who works in your career interest area. While books and articles are limited in the information they can give you, people working in a career
can tell you what they like about the work and what they do on a daily basis, what background they have which prepared them for the career, and much more. By interviewing someone you can ask the questions
important to you, gain valuable interviewing experience, and learn about the kinds of positions available in the career field as well as how to look for those positions.
Who do you interview?
Focus on the
types of careers in which you may be interviewed. As a liberal arts major, the variety of careers for which you are qualified is extensive. Talk to everyone you know and tell them what kind of work interests
you. These individuals may have an acquaintance who works in your career area of interest. Career Services has several current resources listing, job titles, employers, and salary schedules that may be
applicable to the jobs you are researching.
Finally, be creative: contact and join professional organizations, read professional journals and newspapers, contact the Chamber of Commerce for listings of
employers in specific geographic areas, do research at the A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center.
How do you arrange informational interviews?
After you find out the name and title of a person you would like to
see, you can send that person a letter introducing yourself and requesting 30 minutes of their time for an interview.
How long does the interview last?
Remember to keep your interview to approximately 30
minutes. Some people enjoy talking on and on, but you do not want your contact people to be concerned after you leave because your brief interview turned into a two-hour chat which kept them from important work.
What do you do with your resume?
You may take one along to give to the contact person(s) during the interview. They may ask to see your resume and it can help facilitate the conversation.
What do you ask about?
Prepare a list of questions ahead of time. These questions can include “What is a typical day like for you?, What qualifications did you have to get this position? Who else
would you suggest I talk to?” and more. See Career Services’ handout on
