Informational Interviews

Informational interviews are meetings—in person or over the phone—in which you “interview” a professional in your area of interest. Your primary goal is to learn about this person’s career field and their background and experiences. You can also ask questions about how to become a competitive candidate in this field.

In addition, an informational interview is a great way to expand your network by establishing a good connection with your interviewee. Make sure they know that you are not asking for a job. In fact, it’s a good idea to say outright, “I’m not asking you for a job. I’d just like to learn about what you do.”

Some good reasons to conduct informational interviews:

  • To get an insider’s perspective on a potential career path.
  • To get valuable tips about how to gain entry into this field.
  • To enlarge your circle of expert contacts in the area. (Remember, it’s often who you know that gets you the job.)
  • To learn about a particular organization, how you might fit in and the employer’s challenges and needs.

Who Should I Contact?

Look for people who work in an organization or setting that appeals to you, or who have built a career in an area of interest to you. To find these individuals, you can:

  • Ask friends, family, neighbors, colleagues, former employers.
  • Reach out to UMBC alumni through LinkedIn.
  • Contact faculty, staff, and the Career Center.
  • Email or call community service agencies or professional associations.
  • Read articles in newspapers, magazines and journals.
  • Attend meetings for professional associations in your career interest.

How to Arrange the Interview

  • Call or email to explain your request and obtain an appointment. Use a personal referral, if possible.
  • Explain your request to schedule an appointment for gathering information about their career. Indicate clearly that you are not looking for a job, but conducting research to help you make better career decisions.
  • Schedule a 30 to 60 minute appointment at their convenience.
  • If your intent is to make a personal interview appointment, do not let your phone call turn into the actual interview.  If you ae meeting at your contact’s office, make sure you have clear directions and parking information.
  • Written requests for appointments are most effective if followed up by a telephone inquiry to confirm an appointment time.
  • A sample informational interview request and other communications can be found on our Correspondence page.

How to Prepare

  • Research the job, company, and person. Use FOCUS, Vault online career library, LinkedIn or meet with a career specialist.
  • Read about the field and the organization in which the person you’ll be interviewing is working.
  • Know your own interests, skills, values and how they relate to the career field represented by the person you’re interviewing.
  • Have plenty of thoughtful and open-ended questions prepared to spark conversation.
  • Review information on interviews and sample informational interview questions.

Conducting the Informational Interview

  • Dress as if it were an actual job interview, or at least in business-casual attire. First impressions are important.
  • Arrive a few minutes early and be courteous to everyone that you meet.
  • Once inside the organization, look around. What is the work environment like? Observe the dress style, communication patterns, sense of humor, etc. Is this a place where you would want to work?
  • Take the initiative in conducting the interview. Remember, you are interviewing the employer. Ask open-ended questions which promote a discussion.
  • Do not exceed your requested time, unless the other person indicates a willingness to continue the conversation.
  • Ask if there’s anyone else you who might be willing to talk with you at a future date. Ask everyone you meet with for a business card.

Personal aspects of the career

  1. What attracted you to this career path?
  2. What satisfaction do you find in your work? What are the rewards, both tangible and intangible?
  3. What are some of the challenges you find in the work? What are some of the stresses and frustrations? Did your training prepare you for these?
  4. What was your first job out of college? How has your career path led you to your current role?
  5. Tell me about a few projects you recently worked on.
  6. What would surprise people about your daily work?
  7. What previous professional experiences have helped you the most in this role?
  8. What are some of the joys and challenges about your work setting, its structure, its facilities, the people?
  9. What do you wish someone would have told you before you started this career?
  10. What advice do you have for an entry-level candidate interested in doing what you do?
  11. Does your career permit you to lead the kind of life you would like to live? How does your career affect your style of life – the required work load, the time commitment, work-life balance?
  12. If you could go back in time, is there anything you would do differently?

Questions about an occupation

  1. Would you please describe a typical work day?
  2. What type of education and training are recommended as preparation for the job? Distinguish between what is desirable and what is necessary.
  3. Is there a certification employers look for?
  4. Which skills are particularly important? Are there any personal qualities or abilities that are most marketable?
  5. What kind of work experience would employers look for in in this field? How might a student obtain this work experience?
  6. While a student, what can I do to make myself stand out? Specific coursework? Research? Internships? On-campus involvement?
  7. How would you describe someone who would excel in this career?
  8. What other steps are necessary to enter this occupation (e.g., required testing, join a union)?
  9. What is a typical entry level title?
  10. What are the opportunities for advancement? Is an advanced degree needed? If so, in which area?
  11. What are the different work settings in which people in this occupation may be employed?
  12. What are some related occupations? Are there occupations doing similar work, but at different levels, such as assistant, paraprofessional?
  13. Are there professional organizations that you would recommend?

Propects of the career

  1. What advice do you have for finding a job in this field?
  2. What are current employment prospects locally? Elsewhere?
  3. What future trends do you see?
  4. How will these changes affect the plans and training for people interested in this career?
  5. What challenges do you think a person entering this field now can expect to encounter?

Additional questions

  1. Are there any questions I’m not asking that I should be?
  2. Would it be alright for us to stay in touch?
  3. Are you willing to provide any feedback on my resume?
  4. Can you recommend other people that I should speak to about this? Who can you refer me to that shares my interests and goals?

Questions to ask yourself after the interview

  1. Which aspects of the job would you like?
  2. Which aspects of the job would you dislike? How long could you tolerate them?
  3. What is your reaction to the conditions (e.g. stress, anxieties) of this occupation? Do you think you would be able to handle them?
  4. What is your reaction to the amount of freedom or flexibility the worker has in determining what they do on the job?
  5. Do you already have (or could you acquire) the skills and personal characteristics necessary for this job or career?
  6. How do you feel about the duties described in relation to your strengths and weaknesses?
  7. Are you willing to complete the necessary education and training?

Following Up

  • Record the information you obtained for future reference. Reflect on skills and experiences you need to build and brainstorm ways to build upon your strengths.
  • Evaluate your experience. How did you manage in scheduling and conducting the information interview? How sufficiently did you prepare? Did you get the information you were looking for? What information do you still need? Do you need to interview more people in order to get more than one viewpoint?
  • Send a thank-you note within 24 hours. You may decide to follow up now or later with a resume and an application. Compliment people’s knowledge, expertise, helpfulness and/or company, define how each person helped you, let them know which of their contacts you plan to meet and say you will keep them advised of your progress.
    • A sample thank you and other communications can be found on our Correspondence page.
  • Make appointments to interview the referrals.