Informational Interview

Informational Interviews, it has other names like – Informational meetings/coffee chat/networking. It is a conversation where a person seeks insight/ advice about a career from an Experienced person. Generally, is a casual /informal chat between 2 people. But if handled correctly, it can mature into a formal chat when both parties become job seekers and hiring managers. You might have a few assumptions about a job/role/company, but this process of an Informational Interview will test your assumptions. 

It is a win-win situation. 

• Knowledge seeker – gets more details about 1) Industry/company 2) Career path. 
• Knowledge provider – 1) lends a helping hand 2) expands his/her professional network 3) meets prospective employee/business partner. 

It is a forum where both get to know and learn about each other. Let us, deep dive, into this… find answers to  

1. How do I find SME /Experienced person to talk to 
2. Etiquette of Informational Interview 
3. What questions to ask them 
4. Benefits of Informational Interview 

How do I find SME /Experienced person to talk to 

Source to find an SME.  

1. friends, school/college alumni, and fellow members of a community / non-profit organization.  
2. former coworkers, partners, and clients. 
3. Others like recruiters, mentors, and coaches can help to connect with the right POCs. 
4. People you met in networking events/job Fairs can also help you. 
5. Another great source will be LinkedIn – which focuses on connecting people.  

You can cold contact them by calling/emailing them, if they are interested, they will provide a helping hand. Yes, it is a number game, not all will give a green signal for your request. If they decline or ignore you, just do not lose heart and move on with the next person on your list. We need to ameliorate.

 Etiquette of Informational Interview 

1. Consider it as a business appointment and conduct it professionally. 
2. Keep your introduction short. 
3. Dress for the occasion. Regular business attire is recommended - in person or virtual. 
4. Do some research on the person and the company. 
5. Learn the jargon/ lexicon used and try to incorporate them into your questions. 
6. Duration must be 20 to max 30 mins - in case of need, you can have another meeting. 
7. Come prepared with the questions, you will be driving it. Also, listen actively, and ask follow-up /counter questions, based on the details shared /discussed. 
8. Be prepared, the other person will ask questions too. 
9. The main point to focus on is, the interviewee is looking to know how curious you are. 
10. In the end, appreciate the time spent, and send a thank you note.  

Questions to ask: This is a vital part of the Informational Interview. To break the ice, talk about the lighter subject first and then you can fine grain and volley to the particulars. Avoid all the questions that google guru can answer. Do not feel afraid to ask questions. The other person will be flattered to accommodate this Informational Interview - everyone likes to feel important. Masquerade yourself like a reporter/journalist and start firing the questions.  

1. Roles and Responsibilities. Is there a Rhythm of business in a month / in a year? 
2. What are the skillsets /technology needed and what certification clearance is required? 
3. What makes the resume’ more impressive, when applying for this kind of position - What keywords /jargon must be in the resume? 
4. How is the career path /progression defined - Assume getting into a consultant role working on Data and AI. Then you would go to Sr Consultant, Associate architect, Architect, Sr Architect, and Principal Architect…. 
5. What are personal traits/characteristics needed for the role - Eg you want to be in IT Business Operation and then say do not like to do simple math to calculate the Utilization% or growth/profit margin. 
6. Who are the support team you need to interact with? 
7. How is your job measured? What are your KPIs?  

Some questions to drill down with the SME, as you get comfortable, after the warmup…  

1. What aspects of the job is soul satisfying /feel-good work? 
2. Is there any pressure /fire drill work regularly. 
3. Any toughest /challenging exercise in this role / what is more surprising in this role? 
4. Tell me about a new hire you enjoy working with and what key characteristic stands out. 
5. Who are your toughest competitors, and how is your company different? 
6. Is anyone else you recommend talking to, to get more insight into this role - help expand your network? 
7. What changes have you seen in the last 5 years in this area of work? 
8. How do you stay current in your knowledge base / what would you recommend? 
9. Also, what details you did not know about this industry, which you wish you knew / or someone guided you, at the time of starting this job? 
10. Anything that you missed asking them, which is important, and I need to be aware of 

  Benefits of Informational Interview 

1. You get to talk to an SME without pressure. 
2. You are the person in control. 
3. Improves your self-confidence and this experience gained with the tips and advice helps you to prep and handle a real job interview more efficiently. 
4. The SME knows you may refer to demands that are yet to be published too. 
5. Expand your network.  

Quick Recap: Informational interviews are good but at the same time they are a double edge sword. Just go through the dos and Don’ts.  

Don’ts	Dos
Go for the Informational Interview without practicing	Schedule the chat with the Interviewee with the topic, date/time, and duration
Ask for a job - but create a good impression, that you get referred	Do your homework – about the SME /company or industry
If the first experience of the Informational Interview is not fruitful, do not lose hope. Try a few more.	Practice your intro - keep it short, simple at the same time stunning
	Have your questions specific and not too generic. Ask open-end questions. Also, take notes throughout the conversation.
	Have a solid/robust ending thanking them and reiterating a couple of points, so you make an impeccable impression.

 Use these Informational interviews more proficiently. Do not ask for a job. Generally, the SME, if he/she likes you will refer you for any internal demands that are open – making you visible in the hidden job market. It puts you on the shortlist before the job is published/advertised. Take advantage of it.

                                                                Good luck!