Informational Interviewing

An informational interview, sometimes called a networking interview, is a conversation that you arrange with someone who is working for an organization, or who is in a role, that interests you. It's a great way to learn about an industry, accelerate your job search, discover new opportunities, get personalized advice and expand your network — all in one conversation!

An informational interview is different from a job interview in two important ways:

1. You are not trying to get a job. You are trying to learn about working in a particular field from someone who has experience in that field.
2. You ask the questions.
   

The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Outlook Handbook and O*NET Online are great sources of information about potential career fields.

Use any or all of these suggetions to identify people to talk with:

• Ask family, friends, professors or current and former managers to identify people who have experience in your field of interest.
• Identify organizations whose work interests you and visit their websites' About, Team or Staff pages.
• Use LinkedIn’s “See Alumni” feature to find UC graduates. Using the LinkedIn search box on your homepage, type in “University of Cincinnati.” Select the page that says “School,” and then click on “See Alumni.” You can explore UC alumni by major, location, industry, company and skills. If you have a connection in common with a potential interviewee, you can request to connect on LinkedIn with that person directly.
• Board members of local chapters of professional associations tend to be outgoing and happy to talk about working in their profession, especially to young people who are considering a career in it. Whatever your field of interest, chances are there is a professional association with a local chapter, and it should be relatively easy to find a list of board members on their website.

Choose six to eight questions. Here are some examples:

• Tell me about your career path up to this point.
• What is rewarding about your job? What is challenging?
• How has your industry changed over the last few years? What trends do you anticipate in the future?
• What advice would you give to students or alumni who want to get into this type of work?
• What personality traits or skills are most helpful to have in this work?
• What is a typical day like?
• What is a typical entry-level job title in this field?
• How would you describe your organization’s culture?
• Based on what we’ve talked about, do you know of anyone else I should reach out to?

1. Find an email address. Use Google, LinkedIn, a company website, personal contacts or the UC Alumni Association.
2. Send an introductory email asking for a 20–30 minute conversation by phone or in person. Do not ask for help with finding a job. You're not doing this to get a job; you're doing this to learn about working in this field.
   
3. If you have had no reply after five business days, politely follow up. It's likely that they didn't see your message or haven't had time to reply.

1. If conducting the interview in person, dress as you would for a job interview.
2. Arrive early.
3. Start the conversation with a 10- to 20-second overview of your background and interests.
4. Ask your prepared questions, while also allowing the conversation to flow organically.
5. Keep the conversation to 30 minutes.

1. Send a thank-you note for the conversation within 24 hours.
2. Write down any reactions, observations or insights. Note whether or not this role, company or industry feels like a good fit for you.
3. If you had a positive interaction, stay in touch with the person. Let them know if you acted on any of their advice, and update them on how things are going for you. They are now part of your network.

Come to walk-in hours for help preparing for or conducting informational interviews.