How to Use Informational Interviews to Land Your Dream Job

Having the right information in your career can take you places. Informational interviews are an effective tool to help you navigate where you want to go—in comparison to a standard, structured interview. These “career conversations” are more casual, allowing you to connect with professionals in your field. Each conversation is an opportunity to get inspired and make informed decisions about your career.

“Informational interviews are essential to helping you find out more about the type of industry, company, or role you’re interested in,” says Dorie Clark, author of Stand Out Networking. “You may think you already know all about a certain position, but speaking to someone directly gives you the opportunity to test your assumptions.”

The Million Dollar Question: Who Do I Interview?

Start with people with whom you already have mutual connections. Find areas of commonality as you contact the person whom you’re interested in interviewing. If you share your situation and they have the time to meet, you have one foot in the door. Just remember: the higher up that person is in a company, the less likely they are to have time to meet.

Do Your Homework

The more you prepare for this interview, the more you’ll be rewarded with the right information. Not to mention, the more you can impress a potential employer. Stay up-to-date on industry trends, news, and challenges executives are facing right now. While looking at their resume in advance is crucial, so are asking the right questions.

The Right Questions in Mind

Tailor your questions to the person’s unique background to make the interview feel more personable while keeping your career goals in mind. Only ask questions that you can’t find without asking them directly. Walk away from the interview knowing the skills required for the job, and get more insights on how senior employees like yourself manage, develop, and lead.

One approach is to “gently probe, then listen”. This framework from Daniel Porot’s “Pie Method” can help you navigate the “career conversation” with ease:

• How do you get into this line of work?
• What do you enjoy about it?
• What’s not so great about it?
• What’s changing in the sector?
• What kinds of people do well in this industry?

While the standard informational interview is 15 to 30 minutes, sometimes they can go over if there’s a strong connection. Overall, be respectful of that person’s time. Set the stage with your elevator pitch, but don’t steal the show. Give the interviewee enough context so they can align their insights to inspire your next career move.

Play for the Long Game

Remember what brought you to this interview, but know that building a relationship is more important than getting through your list of interview questions. Take the time to thank the interviewee for their time up front as well as expressing gratitude following the interview.

Here are ways to turn that contact into a connection:

• Send them a friend request on LinkedIn
• Email or message them with a personalized thank you note
• Treat them to a coffee or meal if you meet in person
• Send a virtual card to thank them for their time

Informational interviews are a powerful tool to help you become well-informed about the industry or company you’re thinking of joining. While the right time, the right questions, and the right interview make a difference—all that’s missing is the right opportunity.