Are Informational Interviews in Your Playbook?

Whether preparing for what’s ahead after graduation and being a student-athlete or securing an internship or summer job during college, networking and “informational” interviews should play an important role in your preparation to win. Here are ten things to know when someone experienced in a field of interest agrees to meet with you to provide guidance, advice and ideally introductions to other people getting you closer to the hiring manager of a coveted job.

1. Informational interviews are a big ask in today’s “no free time” world, and their time is money (assume it’s a lot).
   
   
2. Be prepared, research them, their position and company, and write down questions relevant to what you learn in your preparation.
   
   
3. The interviewer’s value is their knowledge, experience, and network. And their network is “them times thousands.”
   
   
4. Even if their specific experience and knowledge doesn’t directly align with your interests and goals for a near-term internship or job, their overall work experience and career journey is very relevant and, yes, informational! This may help guide you to know “what you don’t want to do.”
    
5. You never know when you will reconnect with someone who interviewed you or gave their time. Serendipity is powerful and can create big opportunities way into the future; but only if your time together and follow up was memorable.
   
   
6. The thank you email is a baseline must for everyone you interview with or that helps you in some way (it used to be handwritten notes – and if you really want to impress someone, pull that out for a “wow” factor).
   
   
7. After a meeting/conversation, you have earned the right to send a LinkedIn invitation. This is a must and defines the progress of building your professional network.
   
   
8. Periodically scan your network for reminders of who you’ve met, job changes and promotions; all could lead to new reasons to reach back out and stay connected.
   
   
9. The periodic check-in email is another “above and beyond” method to keep connected and being memorable. A good (and appropriate) reason is to follow up to tell them what you ended up doing for an internship, landing your first job or simply reading an article you think would be of interest and forwarding to say “I thought you might enjoy this, and I hope you’re doing well. Thanks again for taking the time with me.”
   
   
10. The Summary – one important path to success comes from knowing people who you can learn from and who can and want to help. You take it from there to accelerate your success by working hard, working smart. And don’t forget to pay it forward. Share what you learn along the way and be a resource to others.