Have you ever had an "informational interview?" If you have, then you may know what I am talking about but if you haven't, here is a brief explanation.
Watch:How To Stop Being Random With Your Networking Efforts
An informational interview is a tool to help job seekers, career transitioners, and even college students, understand a particular job or field they are considering moving toward.
It is a brief conversation - either on the phone or in person - in which the person seeking the new career is "interviewing" the person currently in the role or field of study.
The goal is to learn about the perception versus reality of an area of interest.
I did this when I was first looking into coaching. It was the best thing I could have done. I wasn't sure career coaching was what I wanted to focus on. By speaking to real coaches in various areas of expertise, I got a true picture of the training and experience necessary and even the lifestyle/schedule.
Before digging into how to have an effective interview, there are a few key differences between a regular job interview and an informational interview I want you to understand. The informational interview is targeted at:
Keeping it brief
Information gathering - mostly one sided
The person in the job you most want to investigate
On the other hand, a formal job interview is:
Much longer
With multiple interviewers, both parties are interviewing each other
The job seeker is the core person being interviewed by a hiring manager(s)
The pressure is on you. However, with an informational interview the pressure is significantly lowered, but not gone. This tactic if done well can help you decide if you want to go into this area, add connections to your network, and possibly gain you a job opportunity at that company or elsewhere. This person may know of other opportunities for you to investigate at their competitors or partners.
So, the pressure is never off. You still must bring your "A" game.
It is a tool fantastic tool to utilize. Many times people are willing to help in your research however they can. But keep a few "rules" in mind to have your informational interviews be truly successful.
Some "rules" of information interviewing:
1. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
Never "wing it." Prepare as you would for anything truly important. This shows respect to the person you are interviewing. Know where you are meeting and how long it will take to get there, if this is in person. If it is on the phone, have the correct number and time. Confirm the details the day before. If in person, again dress appropriately which means professional. Develop your questions in advance and have them in priority order.
Some great questions to ask in an informational interview:
How did you get into this field?
What are your core roles and responsibilities?
What is the favorite part of your job?
What do you most dislike?
Here is my interest and background (keep it brief). How might you suggest I break into the field?
What training or education is required?
What associations do you belong to?
What publications do you read to keep up with your field?
Finally, be prepared to keep to the allotted time. If the plan is 20 minutes, based on your conversation when you booked the interview, keep to it. Again this shows respect for the person's time. If this is a positive experience for the person being interviewed they will mostly likely offer up their time again to others.
2. Research, Research, Research
Research not only the company this person is employed by but even more importantly, the person. Find out all there is to know about the person you are going to talk to. Their background, time at the company, length of time in the field, and any common area of interest. This common area of interest will help you truly connect with them.
That is the key.
Make a connection and you will have an alley, encourager, and possibly colleague in the future. Some of the coaches I did informational interviews with years ago are now my colleagues and I love that!
Research them on Google, LinkedIn, ZoomInfo. Work to understand as much as you can about that person. Just like preparation and research pays off in a formal interview, so it will, in an informational interview when the pressure is not nearly as high.
Be professional and thankful for the time this person spent with you.
Follow up with a values-based thank-you e-mail within 24 hours of your meeting.
Also send a handwritten thank-you card. That, too, needs to be in the mail within 24 hours.
Yes, this is "old fashioned," but tells the person you appreciated their time enough to actually write a "real" note. Trust me. It makes an impression of your character, whether you do or don't send thank-you notes and e-mails. I make this same recommendation for a formal job interview.
I mean let's be practical.
The e-mail gets there quicker and is easier to type up. The handwritten truly shows your appreciation.
Send both!
Be sure to follow up on recommendations or connections this person makes for you. Let them know what came of their connections and suggestions and exactly how it helped. This again shows good character and also keeps you in their mind for future news and opportunities they may hear about.
I strongly suggest the informational interview to see what is perception versus reality in a field you are interested in.
If you need help working through getting one lined up or preparation for, let me know. I can help.
This post was originally published on an earlier date.
Lisa Adams, founder of Fresh Air Careers, is a certified career management coach and job search strategist, specializing in helping young professionals transition. Disclosure: This post is sponsored by a CareerHMO coach.
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
Bigstock
Make a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
How did I learn about this job?
How did I apply for the job?
Did I earn an interview?
What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
Bigstock
Are you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
Bigstock
Your job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
Need more help with your job search?
Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.