Changing careers is not for the faint of heart. But there are certain things you can do to make that change a lot easier. Unfortunately, I see a lot of job seekers make this one mistake when trying to change careers.
If you are struggling to make a career change, then you need to be doing something called informational interviewing. An informational interview is not a job interview. It's an interview with people who you respect and trust, who work at the companies on your interview bucket list. It's an interview where these people help you connect the dots and figure out how you're going to take yourself from where you are right now to that new career.
Conducting informational interviews is really important because most people think they can't make a career change, and they feel trapped. The truth is, in order to successfully change careers, you need to have a game plan, and informational interviewing is at the center of it.
The University of Phoenix actually has a free resource that walks you through all six steps of the informational interview process. First, they walk you through how to figure out who to interview. Then, they tell you what questions to ask so that you can get the correct information. And lastly, they even tell you how to follow up so that you can look professional and build your network.
So, if you're struggling to change careers, try conducting informational interviews in your job search. I promise it'll make your career change a million times easier.
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One thing that will gain you interviews with your target companies is by talking with more people who are “in the know.” Do this by conducting more interviews of your own.
The informational interview is an effective way to build your network and gather information to move your career forward. Informational interviews can actually be quite fun. Meeting for coffee, or briefly in someone’s office, takes the pressure off both parties. The job seeker is simply asking for information, guidance, and advice. The person being interviewed is just providing that information and expertise. No one is saying, “Please give me a job!” And no one is making an offer. It’s just a chat.
That’s right—this is not about asking for a job!
Not right away, at least.
As a job seeker, you should hope to get some questions answered relevant to the industry you are in, the company where your interviewee works, and the company’s competitors. You should ask about good ways to network in the field. Getting names of other professionals to contact for further informational interviews is a great result.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Make A List Of People You'd Like To Meet
Make a detailed list of people you’d like to talk to about the next move in your career. People who have mentored you in the past, people you admire in your field, and people at your target companies are great people to meet with. Anyone who may be able to help you, or knows someone who can help, should go on your list.
2. Find Them On LinkedIn
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Look up your target companies on LinkedIn and see who works there. You can find their contact information easily on their LinkedIn profile. If they don’t have a profile, Google them to get their phone number or email address.
3. Call Them Or Send Them A Message
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Phone messages often go unreturned and inboxes are often full for many professionals. Be persistent, try multiple avenues of communication, or go through a contact’s assistant (but don't harass them). Be clear that you just want a brief meeting to discuss a specific set of questions regarding their job, company, and industry, and that you are not inquiring about a job opportunity.
4. Meet With Several Contacts Each Week
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Be committed to holding 2-3 informational interviews consistently. Stick to the amount of time that you mentioned when setting up the meeting and don’t go beyond it, no matter how tempted you might be! You can always set up another meeting or use additional questions as a reason to stay in touch and build the relationship.
5. Bring Your Resume (Just In Case)
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Don’t offer it. But, if they ask for it, you’ll be prepared. Also, if the topic comes up in conversation, you can ask for advice on how to beef it up. Are there classes you should take? Organizations you might join? Get their feedback on what might make you a stronger candidate.
6. Ask Relevant Questions About The Industry, Company, Or Position
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How did you become interested in this field?
What brought you to this company?
What is a typical day like in your position/department?
How much time do you spend doing ______ each day?
What types of problems do you solve in your position?
What can you tell me about the corporate culture?
What are the biggest challenges the company faces right now and in the future?
7. Give Your Branded Elevator Pitch, And Then Ask...
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With the little you know about me, what suggestions do you have that might help me to break into the field or a company like yours?
If a position were to become available here, would you keep me in mind?
What other companies would you recommend for me to explore?
8. Get More Connections Before The Meeting Is Concluded
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Ask who they know who might be a good person for you to speak with. Get their contact information. Ask if it’s okay to tell the new connection who referred you.
9. Send A Thank-You Message
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Do this within 24 hours in the format of your choice. Email is convenient and green. You might be perceived as tech-savvy. Or, you might be looked upon as impersonal. A handwritten note is perceived as more personal by some. Or, on the flipside, archaic. It’s up for debate and depends on your industry. Just pick one and thank your interviewee quickly.
10. Stay In Touch
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Connect on LinkedIn and send occasional messages updating the contact on your progress. If you come across any articles that might help them, pass them along. Monitor the company and your contact using Google Alerts. When you discover they have gotten a promotion or have spoken at a conference, be sure to send a congratulatory email. Keeping in touch will help the relationship to grow.
Eventually, the informational interviews you conduct will pay off. Word will spread that you are looking for a new position. People will remember your personality and respectfulness. The relationships you are cultivating will result in a network that is keeping you in mind for when their company is ready to hire. Before long, you will be interviewing for real!
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This article was originally published at an earlier date.
An informational interview is a meeting where a job seeker asks for advice rather than employment. Rather than get a job offer, a job seeker uses informational interviews to:
Learn more about a company or job function
Inquire about job leads
Network
For job seekers, informational interviews can secure meetings with managers, shape positive first impressions, and develop relationships that may pay off in the future. Managers are open to informational interviews because:
They do not require a big time investment. Informational interviews can be done during lunch or during an afternoon coffee break.
They can give managers an opportunity to identify new talent, either for now or in the future, without a formal recruiting process.
Informational interviews allow managers to give advice. Who doesn’t like to have their ego stroked?
Here are my tips on how you can succeed in your informational interviews:
1. Ask For An Informational Interview
After you’ve identified who you want to meet, ask friends, family, ex-co-workers, and fellow alums if they have contacts at a certain company or a particular line of work. Utilize social networking tools, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to find contacts. In the introduction email, keep it short and simple. Provide some background information on yourself and explain why you want to meet.
2. Clearly Define What You Want To Get Out Of The Meeting
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If you don’t know what you want, the person on the other side of the table will have a hard time helping you. I’d recommend going for easy wins such as learning more about a company or a job function. So prepare questions such as: “What do you like about working for company X?” or “When you think about successful folks in position Y, what made them successful?”
3. Getting A Job Should Not Be Your Immediate Goal
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Job seekers often ask for a job at the beginning. Resist that temptation. If the manager does have a job, asking for it at the beginning is premature, especially if you haven’t proven yourself. If he or she does not have a job, you and the manager have to overcome the early letdown. Instead, focus on asking good questions and creating a good impression. Then, at the end, do ask if the manager is hiring, but don’t push it.
4. Go With The Flow
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Some managers use the informational interview as an informal job interview. If the manager wants to deviate from your prepared list of questions and ask you more formal interview questions, let him or her do so. Who knows? You might get a job offer at the end of the interview.
5. Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
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An informational interview can range from an informal career chat to a structured interview. Prepare for any scenario. Have those general career questions ready, and at the same time, don’t be surprised if the interviewer asks tough questions like, “What’s your biggest weakness?” Remember the saying, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”
7. Don’t Forget To Follow Up And Send The Thank-You Note
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Don’t forget to send a thank-you email or note after the informational interview. In addition, send updates every couple of weeks. The manager invested time into your career; he or she will be interested in your progress. And who knows, that manager may not have had openings a while ago, but he or she may be hiring now.
As a job seeker, an informational interview can be the secret to job search success. If you want to have a successful informational interview, just remember these seven tips. Good luck!
Need more help with your job search?
We'd love it if you joined our FREE community. It’s a private, online platform where workers, just like you, are coming together to learn and grow into powerful Workplace Renegades. More importantly, we have tons of resources inside our community that can help you prepare for your next job interview.
It's time to find work that makes you feel happy, satisfied, and fulfilled. Join our FREE community today to finally become an empowered business-of-one!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.
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