INFORMATIONAL INTERVIEWS More information: career.virginia.edu/info-interviewing
Informational interviewing is the process of gathering career information from people who are already working in occupations, organizations, or geographic locations that interest you. If you are in the process of choosing a major, making career decisions, changing careers, or beginning a job hunt, these interviews may help you explore your possibilities. This is also a helpful strategy to use when connecting with an Alumni Mentor. How to Schedule Reach out to someone and ask for a meeting to discuss their organization and what they do on the job. Make it clear that you are interested in gathering information and advice—not a job. If you’re nervous, remember people enjoy talking about themselves, their ideas, and opinions. This email template and example may help provide guidance as you start your networking process. Source: themuse.com/advice/introducing-the-email-template-thatll-get-you-a-meeting-with-anyone-you-ask
TEMPLATE
EXAMPLE
Dear (first name),
Dear Xue,
My name is (your name), and I am an (internship/ job title/student) who works/lives in (your location). I’m reaching out because (reason for your interest in speaking with person). I’d love to learn more about (name two or three things you’d like to discuss based on your personal interests and what you’ve learned about person).
My name is Jenny Johnson and I am a college student at the University of Virginia studying psychology and religious studies with an interest in becoming a counselor. I am reaching out to you because I can see from LinkedIn that you have a similar educational background and have a career path that I consider very interesting. I would like to learn more about your experience working in both non-profit and healthcare settings, as well as how you decided to pursue a graduate degree in social work.
I’m sure you’re busy, so even 20 minutes would be appreciated. Thanks for your time, (Your name)
I’m sure you’re busy, so even 20 minutes of your time would be appreciated. Thanks for your time, Jenny Johnson
Before your Interview Plan open-ended questions that will stimulate discussion and enable both of you to learn about each other. See a list of sample questions on the next page. Determine the preferred medium for the interview (in-person or over the phone) based on your and your contact’s availability. Plan ahead what you want to communicate about yourself: skills, traits, and goals. Think about how to convey these attributes by the types of questions you ask and the way in which you conduct the interview. Conduct research by looking at the organization’s social media and web presence, or by reading relevant news articles and literature on Handshake. Follow up Remember to send thank-you notes! A few lines thanking them for their time and help will indicate your appreciation and will keep you in their memory. Be specific about information you learned during the interview. Keep a record of your interviews for your own information. Names, titles, addresses, dates, and major points of discussion will enable you to remember who told you what, and how to get back in touch with your contacts. If you follow through with an action they recommend, reach out to let them know. It will help you maintain them as a contact. 54