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Introduction

Whether you are just beginning to explore various occupations, trying to learn specific details about an occupational specialty, or seeking to increase your contacts for job possibilities, informational interviewing is the way to go.

Interviewing for information is a process of gathering facts about people, activities, and occupations in a particular career field, and is an essential part of the career exploration process.

Informational Interviewing can assist you in a variety of ways, including:

• Introduce you to the people and work environments that are of interest to you.
• Give you a better idea of where you might use your skills, and what those jobs are called.
• Enable you to screen out occupations that you would dislike or organizations for which you would not want to work.
• Develop the necessary rapport with someone who can hire you.
• Teach you the vocabulary that pertains to that particular company or field.

How Do I Begin

Your first step is to identify what information you need. It is essential that you become clear about the information you are looking for? Do you need information about majors, occupations, salary potential, contacts, jobs, training in a particular field, networking opportunities or other?

You should be able to articulate your need in a sentence or two because if you aren't clear, others who are trying to help you won't be clear either.

Next, decide on the best resources for getting the information you need, including people, places, websites. Use the information below to help you create a contact list and prioritize the order in which you will make appointments. Your career counselor can assist you with identifying and locating the best resources.

Third, prepare for making an appointment and for your interview. Use this guide to help you clarify your purpose and questions, and to learn how to go about using informational interviewing most effectively.

Next, take action. Make phone calls, send letters, and set up appointments as appropriate to the relationship. Talk to as many people as needed to get the specific information you are looking for.

Finally, follow-up. Always send a thank you letter or note. This is not only professional, it will help you stand out from the rest of the crowd and make a positive impression on the recipient.

Locating Contacts

Begin by identifying the organizations and people that appear to do what you want to do. Use the attached sheet or a personal database to create a comprehensive list of contacts.

You can get names from many sources, including:

• Your personal and professional contacts
• online search engines or websites
• Yellow Pages
• business directories
• chambers of commerce
• newspaper articles

Don't discount the people you already know, as they can often be one of the best sources of information. Most people have acquaintance with anywhere from 200-500 people, including friends, family members, teachers, and people with whom they have professional relationships, such as doctors and bankers.

Not only do you have these relationships, but each person on your contact list also has a large network of contacts, which can be extremely helpful when trying to locate specific information.

Simply listing out these people, and letting them each know what information you are looking for may quickly put you in touch with others who can answer your questions and provide you with needed information.

In addition, you can find companies or organizations through various directories and websites. Someone in your contact network may know someone in one of those companies and be able to put you in touch with them. See Career Services for assistance.

Departments of Human Resources may be helpful, especially if you want to find out about a particular field within an organization. These departments, however, are not always up to date on who does what and they can sometimes be a little tense because they may assume that you are looking for a job. Emphasize that you are simply seeking information at this time, not a job.

Membership lists from your college's Alumni Association, service organizations to which you belong, and Biola's Career Services Office are sources of potential contacts.

Another way to establish contacts is to look for people whose interests are similar to yours. Cut out interesting newspaper and magazine articles and put them in a file folder or desk drawer. Also take notes as you watch television and listen to the radio. These articles and notes contain the names of people who are doing what you want to do; go talk to them.

Make a Plan

Once you have clarified your purpose and the information you need, and created a list of contacts, you need to make a plan of action.

• Prioritize your contacts in order of importance (in relation to the information you are seeking)
• Determine the appropriate method of contact for each person or company, phone call, email, letter, appointment. The more closely you are associated with the contact, the more direct and informal your approach. For your closest family and friends, a simple phone call or email stating your need is enough.
• To establish contact with a person you have not yet met, but to whom you were referred, you will need a more formal approach, and will need to set up a face-to-face appointment.

Making an Appointment

You may want to begin with a telephone call to the person you want to interview. Your conversation might start like this. "Hello, my name is _________________. I am interested in learning more about ______________________, and would like to make an appointment to talk with you about what you do and the field in general."

Remember to state your business clearly, and emphasize that you need a short appointment of about 15 minutes. If you are asked whom you are representing, reply that you represent only yourself.

Another approach is to go to the place of business, explain to the secretary or receptionist that you are seeking information (NOT A JOB) about a particular career and ask to speak to the appropriate person. This has worked quite well for many people.

At some point you are likely to encounter a very protective secretary who will refuse to let you see the person you want. Do not become angry; always be polite.

Try asking the secretary the questions you need answered. He or she may have the answers. If not, chances are that he or she will then suggest that you talk to the person you wanted to see.

A busy appointment schedule may preclude the possibility of a face-to-face interview.

It is perfectly all right in such cases to do your information gathering over the telephone.

Another possibility is to include your questions in a letter or email, then follow up with a phone call.

What Do You Say Once You Get The Appointment?

It is important to make it clear that you are not looking for a job. You are looking for information and possibilities. The key to the whole process is your enthusiasm.

If you are truly interested in the topic, the person with whom you are talking will usually respond positively. The following are some suggestions for information interview questions.

Since you only have a few minutes to ask questions, you will not have time to ask all of these questions. Choose those which are most important to you and which get you the information you most need.

1. How did you get into this field?
2. What do you like most about your job?
3. What do you like least?
4. What is your typical day like?
5. What are the responsibilities of your job?
6. Are these duties the same for everyone with this job title?
7. In terms of talent and personality, what kind of individual would be best suited for this kind of job?
8. What are the prospects for someone entering your field today?
9. What advice would you give me for locating and obtaining a job in this field?
10. Do you travel much?
11. Are there any other sources of information you might suggest?
12. What types of skills are most necessary to do your job?
13. What kinds of services, programs or activities does your office perform?
14. What are entry-level salary ranges in this field?
15. What seem to be recurring problems for people in this field or in your office?
16. Where else might I go to find someone doing something similar to what you do?
17. What professional organizations or journals would you recommend?
18. **** The most important question before you leave your contact's office is:
    Can you refer me to others in this field?
    You need to talk to several people in your field of interest, so getting additional names and contact information for people in the field is imperative. Each contact is a link to another, so try your best not to let the chain end.

Helpful Hints

• Bring a small notebook for any notes you might take.
• Exchange business cards and make sure to file contact cards where you can find them.
• Be prepared with thoughtful questions, but do not merely read your list of questions. Remember you are making an impression.
• Never go over the time set for the appointment. You are trying to make a good impression and want to respect those with whom you are meeting.

Following the Interview

• Send a thank you letter within 24 hours of the interview. Keep it short, but summarize what you learned or appreciated, and hopes for keeping contact in the future.
• Make notes about the interview, the person with whom you met, information about the company and the job. File the notes for future reference.
• Evaluate your performance and write any thoughts you have regarding ways to improve for next time.
• Review the information by asking yourself some questions.

Does this person use the skills I want to use? Would I be qualified for this job? Do I understand what the job entails? Would I enjoy working in this capacity? Did I get additional ideas or alternatives? Do I have an idea about what salary ranges might be? What positive impression do I now have about this area of work? Would I enjoy working for this organization? What are the goals (needs, concerns, problems, issues) of this area of work or organization? How can I help meet those needs and accomplish those goals? Which of my personal assets could I offer?

• Take action on any advice or suggested steps, (i.e. contacting someone else, sending a resume)

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

An informational interview can sometimes be a disaster. If you have a problem, it can probably be attributed to one or more of the following factors.

• You are uncertain about the kind of information you are seeking. Work to clarify what you need by meeting with your career counselor or a friend.
• You are sure about the kind of information you want, but are unable to communicate it to the person with whom you are talking. Practice with a friend or tape recorder until you can express yourself more clearly.
• You might be talking with the wrong person. If your contact is not able to answer your questions, ask for names of other potential contacts. This may mean speaking to a person on the same level, a higher level, or someone in a different organization.
• Although you may be talking to the right person, that person may not want to talk to you. There is not much you can do if your contact is inattentive, disinterested, threatened, or hostile. You might try asking if there be a more convenient time to meet. You will then be giving that person the opportunity to attempt to help or to schedule another appointment.
• You may somehow give the impression that you are looking for a job, not information. This may be the hardest issue with which to deal. If you are looking for a job, it is going to be difficult to prove that you are not. It is important to be clear to yourself and to the other person that although a job is your ultimate goal, information is your immediate concern.
• Do not hesitate to discuss any problem with a career counselor. The counselor will help by going over your stumbling blocks with you making suggestions for successfully conducting your next interview.

Final Thoughts

• Informational interviewing can be a powerful tool in the career exploration and job search process. It is far more accurate than often out-of-date books or other written resources, and offers opportunity to develop professional relationships as well as gather information.
• It is important that you interview several people in the field you are exploring to gain the most accurate information, as one person's opinion may be skewed by personal issues or specific company difficulties.
• Work with your career counselor to get the structure, guidance and support you need along the way.
• Whenever possible, give back along the way. Offer your services to those who assist you and let them know that you are available to them if they ever need something you can provide.
• Make it a professional practice to show interest in others; ask about their work and professional interests. Work to develop relationships over time and your network of contacts will grow.
• Keep your network of contacts up to date with your progress and career decisions

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