Informational interviews, by their very name, give you the opportunity to gather information about the career you think you want to pursue. The more prepared you are, the better your session will be because the best informational interviews are two-way exchanges, more like a conversation than an interrogation.
Your research will allow you to share vital information with your interviewer, and you both will benefit from the time spent.
Some informational interview questions focus on the interviewer:
- How did you get involved in this job, organization, or industry?
- What do you like most about it? What has been most rewarding?
- What is most challenging? Was there anything that surprised you?
- What is a typical day, week, or month?
- What skills are most critical to have, develop, and maintain to be successful?
- What personality types are most successful?
- What do you know now that you wished you knew when you started? (This is a great question to ask because it forces people to reflect on the arc of their career. It is unexpected and people appreciate this question.)
These types of questions establish rapport and will help you dig deeper and learn more about the job, the industry, and the career.
Some informational interview questions focus on the job and career:
- According to my research, the top competitors are [name the competition]. Am I missing anyone you think is significant? Is there a new player I should know about?
- I’ve read that [name a trend, challenge, or innovation] is a major trend, challenge, or innovation. Does this affect your job or organization? Is this overestimated in the media? Are there are other trends, challenges, or innovations I should be concerned about?
- Compensation isn’t the biggest factor in accepting a job, but I’d like to have a better sense of this. I’ve read that it is customary for people in this job to make [name salary range] and experience [name lifestyle, travel, work culture]. Is that accurate? Are there any nuances to this that are not publicized in the general media?
- According to my research, it is customary for people in this job to have [name skills and experiences]. Is my background of [summarize your skills and experience] competitive? If you had an opening in your group, would you consider me? What do I need to do to improve my chances?
- What department are you in (i.e., the specific name if it’s not revealed in their introduction or on their business card)?
- Who oversees this department?
- How does it fit in with the rest of the organization?
- Is this the typical structure or are your competitors organized differently?
- I am doing research on [name another organization] and trying to find who runs the [name department you want]. Do you know anyone there whom I could ask?
Perhaps the most important question to ask during an informational interview is this one:
- I’m currently planning to speak to [name the people]. Should anyone else be on my list? May I use your name when I contact them?
Typical informational interviews lasting about thirty to forty-five minutes can be a vital part of the research you conduct to ensure you are targeting the right types of jobs.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Knowing the different types of interviews is important to succeeding at each.
- A behavioral interview is the most expected interview form for the vast majority of positions.
- Behavioral interviews rely on past performance as an indication of future performance.
- Case interviews are most widely used for consulting positions. The goal of a case interview is to test your logic and ability to problem solve quickly and effectively.
- Informational interviews, reviewed in Step 3: Conduct In-Depth Research", the section titled Informational Interviews, are a useful way to learn about an industry and a specific job through someone who has built their career in that area. You ask most of the questions, so you must prepare well in advance to get the most amount of information possible and impress the person with whom you are meeting.
- Some interviewers may merge aspects of behavioral and case interviewing into one interview session. Knowing how to succeed at each type of interview is a wise strategy.
EXERCISES
- Participate in mock interview workshops given by career services.
- Practice answering behavioral and case interview questions.
- Prepare for an informational interview by deciding who you would like to interview and preparing the questions you will ask.
- Pair up with an interview buddy to practice each type of interview. Critique each other’s performance.
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