Scheduling the Informational Interview

Contact the resource person preferably by telephone or letter. You can also try to have someone who knows the interviewer make the appointment for you.
Guidelines for contacting the resource person by:
An introductory letter, written much like a cover letter  without the job pitch, is a great way to get your name out there. Although an introductory letter should be typed, neat printing is acceptable. Your letter should include:

• A brief introduction about yourself;
• Why you are writing to this individual;
• A brief statement of your interests or experiences in the person's field, organization or location;
• Why you would like to converse. Be straightforward; tell him/her you are asking for information and advice.
• The last paragraph of the letter should always include a sentence about how and when you will contact this person again.

Make sure to follow up the letter as you said! Usually this follow-up involves a phone call to set up a phone appointment or an informational interview. Never expect the person to phone you. If you have difficulties contacting the person, ask the receptionist for a convenient time to phone again.
Finally, proofread all correspondence and save copies!

Here's a sample cover letter requesting an informational interview.

July 12, 2010

Mark Steppe, Esq.
VAVILOV, WEBB, WALSH & RIVER
1313 Avenue of the Harbors
Suite 4444
Silver City, CA 12345
 
Dear Mr. Steppe:
I am student at California Western School of Law, beginning my third trimester. Labor law has been of interest to me since I took a class in that subject as an undergraduate. Your firm has an outstanding reputation in that field of practice.
My area of concentration in law school will be labor law. I would appreciate the opportunity to meet with you briefly and discuss the practice of your specialty. I am especially interested in your views regarding public vs. private employment experience. Any further insights you have would be greatly appreciated.
I will contact your office the week of October 2 to set up a mutually convenient time for this informational meeting.
Sincerely,
 
 
 
Jeremy D. Muller

People who grant informational interviews are generally willing to share 20-30 minutes of their time toexplain their expertise in their field. Please remember to be flexiblein your scheduling, as these volunteer interviewees may have prior commitments.If your prospective interviewee seems too busy to talk to you, ask a convenienttime when you could call back to discuss scheduling an appointment. Althoughthere are many techniques to requesting the informational interview, the following are good approaches:

1. "Hello, my name is ________________________. I'm conducting career research in your field. I would like to meet and talk with you for about 30 minutes so that I can find out more about your field of expertise."
2. "Hi, my name is ______________________ and I'm a student at _______ University. I got your name from ________________. You're in a line of work that I'm interested in, and I was hoping that you could help me gain insights into the profession. I'm sure that my questions could be answered in a 20-30-minute informational interview."
3. If you prefer to arrange an appointment in person and cannot get past the front desk, treat receptionists as resources. They hold the key to getting inside the unit or section ofthat organization if you do not already have an inside contact or referral. Ask them some of your questions. You will usually get good information. Receptionists and other support staff know much more about their company than we often realize. They know how it works, the names of key people, job requirements, etc. It is important that they understand what you want. If you ask them something that they feel could be more fully answered by someone else, they will usually give you a referral.
4. You can use your own creativity, but the most important thing is to emphasize that you are simply trying to get first-hand information, and whatever they share with you will be appreciated.

Most of the time, your prospective interviewee will be more than willing to take 20-30 minutes to answer your questions. Sometimes the person will want to talk over the phone, but often he or she will invite you to his or her workplace. When you can, choose that the interview be at their workplace because you'll learn more and make a stronger connection with the person.
You may want to schedule some of your interviews with managers and supervisors who have the authority to hire. Identify yourself and explain that you are researching careers in the contact's field, and that you obtained the person's name from ____________________(if you were referred).

Do Some Research Before the Interview

For an informational interview to be truly effective, you can't just go into it blindly.
Thorough company research is an absolute necessity when you go on a regular job interview. You don't have to do quite as much research for an informational interview, but some degree of research will greatly enhance the quality of informational interviews. If you are informed about the company, you'll be able to ask more intelligent and relevant questions. You'll respond thoughtfully to information and any questions the interviewee might put to you. You won't ask questions that could easily have been answered by doing your homework.

Preparing for an Informational Interview

The day before the interview,call to confirm your appointment with the contact person. If you have questions regarding the location of the contact’s office, this is the time to ask. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early for your interview.
Carry a small notebook and pen. Be polite and professional. Refer to your list of prepared questions; stay on track, but allow for spontaneous discussion.

Dressing Appropriately for an Informational Interview

Because 90 percent of all jobs are never advertised, you will uncover job openings that never make it to the newspaper or employment office. Thus, be prepared to make a good impression and to be remembered by the employer.
Dress as you would for a regular job interview.

When Job-Hunting: Dress for Success

It's probably one of the most overused phrases in job-hunting, but also one of the most underutilized by job-seekers: dress for success. In job-hunting, first impressions are critical. Remember, you are marketing a product -- yourself -- to a potential employer, and the first thing the employer sees when greeting you is your attire; thus, you must make every effort to have the proper dress for the type of job you are seeking. Will dressing properly get you the job? Of course not, but it will give you a competitive edge and a positive first impression.
Should you be judged by what you wear? Perhaps not, but the reality is, of course, that you are judged. Throughout the entire job-seeking process employers use short-cuts -- heuristics or rules of thumb -- to save time. With cover letters, it's the opening paragraph and a quick scan of your qualifications. With resumes, it is a quick scan of your accomplishments. With the job interview, it's how you're dressed that sets the tone of the interview.
How should you dress? Dressing conservatively is always the safest route, but you should also try and do a little investigating of your prospective employer so that what you wear to the interview makes you look as though you fit in with the organization. If you overdress (which is rare but can happen) or underdress (the more likely scenario), the potential employer may feel that you don't care enough about the job.
How do you find out what is the proper dress for a given job/company/industry? You can call the Human Resources office where you are interviewing and simply ask. Or, you could visit the company's office to retrieve an application or other company information and observe the attire current employees are wearing -- though make sure you are not there on a "casual day" and misinterpret the dress code.
Finally, do you need to run out and spend a lot of money on clothes for interviewing? No, but you should make sure you have at least two professional sets of attire. You'll need more than that, but depending on your current financial condition, two is enough to get started and you can buy more once you have the job or have more financial resources.
Hints for Dress for Success for Men and Women
Attention to details is crucial, so here are some tips for both men and women. Make sure you have:

• clean and polished conservative dress shoes
• well-groomed hairstyle
• cleaned and trimmed fingernails
• minimal cologne or perfume
• no visible body piercing beyond conservative ear piercings for women
• well-brushed teeth and fresh breath
• no gum, candy, or other objects in your mouth
• minimal jewelry
• no body odor

Finally, check your attire in the rest room just before your interview for a final check of your appearance -- to make sure your tie is straight, your hair is combed, etc.

Dress for Success for Women

The standard job interviewing attire for women is a conservative dark navy or gray skirted wool blend suit. Job experts and employers seem split on the notion of pants suits, so a skirted suit is a safer choice.

Other conservative colors -- such as beige or brown -- are also acceptable. Red is a power color. A blazer with blouse and skirt is a possible second choice to a suit. You should always wear a jacket.
Skirt length should be a little below the knee and never shorter than above the knee -- no night club attire here. Avoid wearing a dress (unless accented with a jacket). Blouses should be cotton or silk and should be white, or some other light color. Shoes should be low-heeled.
Make-up should be minimal, with lipstick and nail polish conservative tones. Pantyhose should be flawless (no runs) and conservative in color. Do not have excessive body odor or cologne.
You should opt for a briefcase rather than a purse.
So, what are some sample outfits?
Here are some dress for success examples:

The standard job interviewing attire for men is a conservative dark navy or gray two-piece business suit (of natural fibers, such as wool, if possible), a white long-sleeved button-down dress shirt, a conservative silk tie (that matches the colors in your suit), and nicely polished dress shoes.
If you do not own a suit, or the company is a bit more informal, then you should wear a conservative sports coat (no plaids or wild patterns and preferably a dark color), nicely pressed dress slacks, a white long-sleeved button-down shirt, a conservative silk tie, and nicely polished dress shoes.
Your belt should always match your shoes.
If you have a beard or mustache, your facial hair should be neatly trimmed. If you have any visible body parts pierced, most experts recommend removing all jewelry, including earrings. Do not have excessive body odor or cologne.
So, what are some sample outfits?

Be Prepared to Take Notes at an Informational Interview

Pretend you are a reporter. You don't need to write down everything, but there may be names, phone numbers or other information that you may want to remember.
Be enthusiastic and show interest. Employ an informal dialogue during the interview. Be direct and concise with your questions and answers and do not ramble. Have good eye contact and posture. Be positive in your remarks, and reflect a good sense of humor.

Bring Your Resume to an Informational Interview

Bring a copy of your resume along with you. Try to find out about specific characteristics or qualifications that employers seek when hiring. If you feel comfortable doing so, you may ask the person you are interviewing to critique your resume.

Questions to ask at the Informational Interview

You have arrived and are greetedby the individual at the front desk. When the interviewee comes out to meet you, introduce yourself. Thank your contact for his or her willingness to meet with you, and re-emphasize that you are there to learn and gather information about his or her career field. Use an informal dialogue duringthe interview.
Below are some typical informational interview questions. Remember that you won't have time to ask anywhere nearly all of these questions, so target the ones you feel will be most useful to you personally. Pick a dozen or so that get at what you most want to know.
Feel free to skip some -- even most -- of these questions or to substitute questions of your own -- as long as you don't come off sounding like you're there for a job interview.
You may want to get permission from your interviewees to tape-record the conversations, but be aware that transcribing taped conversations can be very time-consuming.

• What is your job like?

- A typical day?
- What do you do? What are the duties/functions/responsibilities of your job?
- What kinds of problems do you deal with?
- What kinds of decisions do you make?
- What percentage of your time is spent doing what?
- How does the time use vary? Are there busy and slow times or is the work activity fairly constant?

• How did this type of work interest you and how did you get started?
• How did you get your job? What jobs and experiences have led you to your present position?
• Can you suggest some ways a student could obtain this necessary experience?
• What are the most important personal satisfactions and dissatisfactions connected with your occupation? What part of this job do you personally find most satisfying? Most challenging? What do you like and not like about working in this industry?
• What things did you do before you entered this occupation?

- Which have been most helpful?
- What other jobs can you get with the same background?

• What are the various jobs in this field or organization?
• Why did you decide to work for this company?
• What do you like most about this company?
• Do you find your job exciting or boring? Why?
• How does your company differ from its competitors?
• Why do customers choose this company?
• Are you optimistic about the company's future and your future with the company?
• What does the company do to contribute to its employees' professional development?
• How does the company make use of technology for internal communication and outside marketing? (Use of e-mail,Internet, intranets, World Wide Web page, video conferencing, etc.)
• What sorts of changes are occurring in your occupation?
• How does a person progress in your field? What is a typical career path in this field or organization?

- What is the best way to enter this occupation?
- What are the advancement opportunities?
- What are the major qualifications for success in this occupation?

• What were the keys to your career advancement? How did you get where you are and what are your long-range goals?
• What are the skills that are most important for a position in this field?
• What particular skills or talents are most essential to be effective in your job? How did you learn these skills? Did you enter this position through a formal training program? How can I evaluate whether or not I have the necessary skills for a position such as yours?
• How would you describe the working atmosphere and the people with whom you work?
• Is there a basic philosophy of the company or organization and, if so, what is it? (Is it a people, service or product oriented business?)
• What can you tell me about the corporate culture?
• What is the average length of time for an employee to stay in the job you hold? Are there incentives or disincentives for staying in the same job?
• Is there flexibility related to dress, work hours, vacation schedule, place of residence, etc.?
• What work-related values are strongest in this type of work (security, high income, variety, independence)?
• If your job progresses as you like, what would be the next step in your career?
• If your work were suddenly eliminated, what kinds of work do you feel prepared to do?
• With the information you have about my education, skills, and experience, what other fields or jobs would you suggest I research further before I make a final decision?
• How is the economy affecting this industry?
• What can you tell me about the employment outlook in your occupational field? How much demand is there for people in this occupation? How rapidly is the field growing? Can you estimate future job openings?
• What obligations does your employer place have on you outside of the ordinary work week? What social obligations go along with a job in your occupation?

- Are there organizations you are expected to join?
- Are there other things you are expected to do outside work hours?

• How has your job affected your lifestyle?
• What are the salary ranges for various levels in this field? Is there a salary ceiling?
• What are the major rewards aside from extrinsic rewards such as money, fringe benefits, travel, etc.?
• From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field?
• What are the major frustrations of this job?
• What interests you least about the job or creates the most stress?
• If you could do things all over again, would you choose the same path for yourself? Why? What would you change?
• What are the educational, requirements for this job? What other types of credentials or licenses are required? What types of training do companies offer persons entering this field? Is graduate school recommended? An MBA? Does the company encourage and pay for employees to pursue graduate degrees?
• Does your work relate to any experiences or studies you had in college?
• How well did your college experience prepare you for this job?
• What courses have proved to be the most valuable to you in your work? What would you recommend for me?
• How important are grades/GPA for obtaining a job in this field?
• How do you think my university's reputation is viewed when it comes to hiring?
• How do you think graduation from a private (or public) university is viewed when it comes to hiring?
• How did you prepare for this work? If you were entering this career today, would you change your preparation in any way to facilitate entry?
• What abilities or personal qualities do you believe contribute most to success in this field/job?
• What are the typical entry-level job titles and functions? What entry level jobs are best for learning as much as possible?
• Who is the department head or supervisor for this job? Where do you and your supervisor fit into the organizational structure?
• Who else do you know who is doing similar kinds of work or uses similar skills? What other kinds of organizations hire people to perform the functions you do here? Do you know of other people whom I might talk to who have similar jobs?
• Do you have any advice for someone interested in this field/job? Are there any written materials you suggest I read? Which professional journals and organizations would help me learn more about this field?
• What kinds of experience, paid or unpaid, would you encourage for anybody pursuing a career in this field?
• What special advice do you have for a student seeking to qualify for this position?
• Do you have any special world of warning or encouragement as a result of your experience?
• These are my strongest assets (skills, areas of knowledge, personality traits and values):___________________________________. Where would they fit in this field? Where would they be helpful in this organization? Where might they fit in other fields? Where might they be helpful in other organizations?
• How would you assess the experience I've had so far in terms of entering this field?
• [If you feel comfortable and it seems appropriate:] Would you mind taking a look at my resume?

The whole interview could be spent finding answers to the dozen or so questions you decide to ask. But as you practice and move further toward your target, questions will probably pop into your head spontaneously based on what you need to know.
Pay careful attention to what's said by the person you interview. Ask questions when something isn't clear. People are often happy to discuss their positions and willing to provide you with a wealth of information.
Try to keep the conversation friendly, brief, and focused on the contact person's job and career field.

Sharing Information at the Informational Interview

Share something about yourself, but do not dominate the interview by talking about yourself. You are there to get the information that will help you learn the most about the occupational field so that you can be prepared to compete for a job. Be aware, however, that many informational interviews have turned into actual employment interviews. Don't count on it, but it does sometimes happen.

Be a Good Listener at the Informational Interview

Listening is half of the communication. Besides being able to ask questions and convey a message to employers, you need to develop the skill of really listening to what they tell you. Be receptive and show that the information is important to you. You must listen to it and understand it.

Build the Network at the Informational Interview

You have spent 20-30 minutes with this person, asking questions, getting advice and sharing a little about yourself. Thus begins your contact network. The person has taken time to share with you; in other words, he or she has invested time in you. Most people like their investments to pay off. Most people will feel good about your staying in contact with them. You do not have to call or write every week. Just keep your interviewee posted on your research.
The interviewee may not have a job for you but may know of other employers or people to which you may be referred. If possible, keep these people informed about your progress. If you have done your job well, they will be interested in your final choices. Ask for your contact’s business card and exchange one of your own, if you have one.

Ask for Referrals at the Informational Interview

People who are in the same kind of business usually know their competition. Before leaving, ask your contact to suggest names of others who might be helpful to you and ask permission to use your contact's name when contacting these new contacts.

Always Send a Note of Thanks After the Informational Interview

Be sure to send a thank-you card or letter within one to three days after the interview. This communication is an effective way to keep in touch and to be remembered by people. Let them know they were helpful and thank them for the time spent.
As a nice touch, quote something that the resource person said back to them, word for word. Ask the person to keep you in mind if they come across any other information that may be helpful to you in your career research. Include your address and phone number under your signature.

Record, Analyze, and Evaluate the Informational Interview

For possible future reference, keep a list of all the people you have interviewed or plan to interview. You may even plan to keep a special notebook or cards with interview notes on your questions covered. Include the main things that you gained from each interview. This file will be a rich source of information as you conduct your occupational exploration.
Immediately following the interview,nrecord the information you gathered. Now you know how to get the inside scoop on your dream job. This activity alone can lead to your dream job or connect you to a mentor, because employers are very impressed by students who have the savvy to analyze the experience.
In evaluating the interview and making the best use of the acquired information, ask yourself the following questions:

• What did I learn from this interview (both positive and negative impressions)?
• How does what I learned fit with my own interests, abilities, goals, values, etc.?
• What do I still need to know?
• What plan of action can I make?

More Helpful Hints About Informational Interviews

Some final hints about informational interviews:

• If you ask for 20-30 minutes of a person's time, stick to the limit.
• Take all information given with a grain of salt. Don't settle for just one or two interviews about a given area of work; a broad information base is essential.
• Avoid impressions about an area of work based solely on whether the person interviewed was likeable or the surroundings attractive.
• When in an interview, ask what you want to know but really let the person talk because you might discover and acquire information about unanticipated areas of employment.
• Note your reactions on an objective level, but don't ignore personal feelings; what you naturally gravitate toward or away from is very important.
• Find out if the interviewee has any insight on the qualifications necessary for a position such as the one you are discussing.
• Talking with people doesn't have to be a formal process or one you practice only when job hunting. Chat with people casually -- on a plane or bus, while waiting in lines, at social gatherings, etc. Since most people enjoy talking about their work, curiosity can open many doors.