Video:What Is an Informational Interview?

Transcript:What Is an Informational Interview?

Hi, I'm Mackenzie Lawyer Davies and in this About.com video, I'll talk about what is an informational interview. 

Learn About Careers Through Informational Interviews

If you want to learn about a specific career or company, it can be difficult to find good information. Even if you happen to find a website that has some depth as far as information, you are still limited to your imagination as text and photos can only tell so much.

The best way to really get a feel for what a career or company is like, is to actually sit with an employee and see what they do on a daily basis. An informational interview is designed to give you this type of experience. It is an opportunity to learn a comfortable setting where you are the one asking the questions. There are a lot of questions that can be asked in this type of setting that you may not want to ask in a job interview.

Prepare for the Informational Interview

Do your research and have good questions to ask. Possible topics are: Typical salaries, management philosophy, employee benefits and daily work tasks.

While it isn’t a job interview, keep in mind that you may actually be looking for a job with this person or company and you don’t want to hurt your relationship. Some informational interviews can even turn into employment opportunities if you use the time to show them how professional and pleasant you might be to work with.

Try to dress as professional as you expect the employees to be.

Be Professional During the Informational Interview

While you’re in this interview, keep in mind that they are doing you a favor. Don’t be pushy and respect their working environment.  The person that you are talking to, may have to cut off a question in order to resolve an issue. Be polite, and realize that they are taking time out of their day to answer your questions.

Make sure everyone knows you are thankful for their help and if possible, try to remember and use as many names as you can. Using someone’s name can often incline others to remember yours.

Good luck on your interview. For more tips, visit About.com