Informational Interviews

• explore careers and clarify your career goal
• obtain information about your career field and the skills needed to do that job effectively
• discover employment opportunities that are not advertised
• broaden your professional network
• build confidence for your job interviews
• identify your professional strengths and weaknesses

Don't waste time asking for information you can find in the library or on the web. Do your research first!

Find professionals to talk to based on the type of information you want to obtain. Talk with people who work in settings you like, career areas in which you are interested, and individuals with specific jobs or in specific organizations of interest. Don’t forget that when alumni return to campus or employers give informational sessions on-campus, it is a great opportunity for you to ask questions and engage in conversations.

Do research about the occupation and company in order to ask intelligent questions. The following are examples of questions you might ask. Design questions that fit your personal situation. Do not read your list of questions;the interview should be a conversation. Preparing a list of questions ahead of time will ensure that your interview maintains focus.

• Describe your typical day.
• What training or education is required for this type of work? Certification? Degrees?
• What educational institutions would you suggest?
• What jobs and experiences led you to your present employment?
• If you could do things over, would you choose the same path? What would you change?
• What part of your job is most satisfying? Most challenging?
• What is the demand for people in this occupation?
• Which professional journals and organizations would help me to learn more about this field?
• What is developing/changing in this field? Company? Where do you see the greatest needs?
• What advice would you give someone entering this field?

Brainstorm about people you already know -- family, friends, fellow students, present or former supervisors, neighbors, etc. Also search alumni of the university, alumni of an organization or greek chapter of which you are a member, professional organizations, organizational directories, and yellow pages.

Contact the person to set up an interview by phone, a letter--followed by a phone call, or by having someone who knows the person make the appointment for you.

Hi, my name is (you full name). I am a student at the University of Illinois wanting to learn more information about (profession). (The person who referred you) suggested that I call you because of your experience in the field of (profession). [If you do not have a reference, explain how you heard of this individual.] I am interested in this field of work and would like to learn more about what a typical day is like for a (occupation title) and the necessary education for a position in this field. I would like to meet with you at your convenience to ask you some questions. Could we arrange a time? [Appropriate length of the interview is 30 min.-1 hour]

• Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early.
• Dress appropriately for the interview.
• Be prepared to take notes.
• Show enthusiasm and interest.
• Be prepared for questions they might ask you.
• Brainstorm concise and informative answers to the following questions and others you think they might ask:

Tip: Always Send a Thank You Letter

You initiated this interview so you are responsible to conduct the interview. Ask the questions you have prepared. Be sure to listen carefully to the answers. Sample questions that may be asked in informational interviews:

• What do you consider the most positive aspects of this job/field/industry?
• What do you see as the negative aspects?
• What are the characteristics of someone who is successful in this field/type of job/industry?
• What are characteristics of those who have not been successful?
• What advice would you give to someone who would like to go into this field/type of job/industry?
• Whom would you suggest I talk with to get further information about this job/field/industry?
• How did you attain your present job?
• How long have you worked in this position?
• What are your major responsibilities? What proportion of your time on the job is actually spent in what kinds of activities?
• What was your first job in your career? What other jobs have you held?
• What are the criteria on which your performance is evaluated?
• What kinds of education/training were required for your position?
• What aspects of your education and/or training have you used? Not used?
• What would you take differently (add and/or subtract from your training) in school if you were going to do it over again?
• From whom did you get help in planning or preparing for this field?
• What kinds of pressures have you faced in getting to this point? What kinds of help have you received?
• What are the opportunities for advancement in this job or in this organization?
• How easy or difficult would it be to get a similar position in another business, industry, or setting?
• What is the title of your immediate supervisor? What is the title of his or her immediate supervisor? What are the titles of the people you supervise?
• What do you perceive to be the major rewards of the job?
• What do you like most about this work? What are the major frustrations in this job?
• What motivates you to stay?
• What is the reason most people give when they leave this field?
• What else do you think I should know in order to make an intelligent decision about this type of career?
• What are the most frequently recurring problems associated with this job?
• Has your job changed in the last few years? How? Why?
• What kind of lifestyle is associated with this occupation? Is there much travel required during the first few years? Later years? Is there a lot of pressure? What type and from where? Are there frequent relocations? What about overtime, evening work, time for leisure, set hours, own boss, staring salaries, etc?
• How did you become interested in the field? How did you arrive at your career decision?
• Which professional journals and organizations would you recommend?
• What personal attributes are essential for success in this field?