Building Your Professional Network with Informational Interviews

How often have you started a job and realized that they require far more than what was listed in the job description? While it can appear that a company is being deceitful during recruitment, many positions across all sectors are “catch-all.” A catch-all position has a core set of duties and responsibilities and additional tasks that sometimes feel unrelated or cumbersome. While most professionals understand that it is a part of many positions, these extra tasks can lead to workplace frustration and resentment depending on the type and frequency. Although we might not avoid the catch-all, it helps to know what we are getting ourselves into at the beginning. Speaking with current or former employees during an informational interview allows you to ask questions and learn about a typical day in their role. While an extra step, conducting these interviews can reassure you when taking a leap of faith and considering your transition into a new position and company. 

Who Should I Reach Out to?

Informational interviews are non-formal conversations with individuals who work at a particular company or sector that you are looking to learn more about or transition into. They allow you to learn more about the role you want to apply to and ensure what you expect and anticipate. You can utilize LinkedIn or company websites to identify someone to connect with. You can even ask a hiring manager or recruiter to introduce you to a current employee. However, you should be wary of attempting to have informational interviews with hiring managers or recruiters though because they may have organizational barriers that prevent them from speaking freely about the role, culture, and company. In addition, persons in this position are often very busy, so requests quickly become buried in their inbox or overlooked. Try to find someone who has been at the company for at least one year and is in the same position or an adjacent one to make the conversation as productive as possible. If you do not know anyone initially, try looking at LinkedIn company pages and posts. Often employees engage with posts to help with post visibility. If you find that you don’t know where to start, consider reaching out to folks who have helped you in the past, such as a company or organization that provided you with grant money or financial aid for continued education. 

The Goal of Your Informational Interview (Not What You Think)

Informational interview conversations with an employee should be genuine. This means that you should not go into the conversation hoping for a “leg-up” in the interview process. Although this almost sounds counterproductive, let’s be real, no one wants to help someone when they know that they are being used. Therefore, your goal should be to establish a good rapport with them. Establishing a connection and professional relationship intrinsically motivates them to help you because you are a great person. Once the person has decided that they like you, they will be more willing to introduce you to other important stakeholders within the company and help you in general. Therefore, make sure that you show gratitude for their time and willingness to speak with you throughout your time together.

What Should I Say?

While you are not pitching yourself, you want to show genuine interest in the person, their position, and day-to-day responsibilities. As such, some questions that you can ask are: 

·      What does a typical day look like for you?

·      What are some of your most significant challenges in this role?

·      Do you complete a lot of paperwork? How often do you go out to the field?

·      Do you work more collaboratively with your team or independently?

·      What tasks are you responsible for that were not included in the job description?

·      What does your work-life balance look like? 

·      Do you find yourself working on the weekends or evenings often?

Call-to-Action: What You Should and Should Not Ask!

Although you are not expecting the person you are meeting to help you throughout your job search, you want to ensure that you are making the most use of your time. At the end of your conversation, you want to give a clear call to action that will not be a heavy lift or create more work for them. Instead of asking them to make an introduction, try, “who else should I talk to?” This question phrasing avoids adding more tasks onto their to-do list and prevents your ask from falling through the cracks. Instead, it allows you to get specific names to follow up with and keep the ball rolling. When you speak with the next person, be sure to mention your initial contact’s name as well. Lastly, if you decide to apply for a vacant position, follow up with the individuals you spoke with stating such and asking if there are any referral bonus perks that you should list. They will love that!

Although traditionally, people conduct informational interviews during their job search, it is also an easy way to build up your professional network within your field. Establishing this network in advance will allow you to tap into this resource when you launch your job search. Remember, everybody knows somebody; it is often not what you know, but who you know helps advance your career. So, get out there and start building your network!

Diana Williams, Resume Tailor