The Importance of Informational Interviews - CareerAlley

The Importance of Informational Interviews - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. A new technique that is emerging that allows us to make connections in our industry or in an industry to which we may want to make a career change is called the informational interview. The informational interview is where you contact someone in a field or industry that you are interested in and ask them to spend time with you discussing a realistic preview of that job or industry. Prior to informational interviews, job applicants would go to an interview and the interviewer would discuss the industry and job requirements. However, there is no telling if the information one receives in accurate. The person would take the job and find out that the position or industry was not what he or she expected and would end up leaving the company. This is a bad circumstance for both the new employee and the employer. Now, one can ask to discuss the position or industry without the pressure of getting hired and may receive a more realistic outlook on the job or industry. This method saves both time and money for both parties involved. It is important to realize that an informational interview is not a way to land a job. It is simply a tool to determine if you want a job in a particular area or industry. It is the persons chance to ask questions about a job or industry that he or she may not ask on an actual interview, for fear of asking too many questions or ruining his or her chance of obtaining the job. The informational interview decreases the pressure tremendously. Further, the informational interview is a great way to make contacts and build networking skills. The person you are interviewing may very well remember your interest when or if you decide to apply for a position in the company. However, it is important that you are prepared and leave a positive impression. Prepare yourself for the informational interview by researching the company or industry prior to the interview. Instead of asking questions that you can receive answers for online, reserve the questions that will tap into the interviewers expertise and personal knowledge. The interviewer generally does not want to waste his or her time, so preparing leaves a good first impression. The informational interview will also allow you to brush up on interviewing skills and professional etiquette. Everyone wants to make a great impression during an interview, but when the time for the interview comes, the chances for practice have disappeared. Therefore, if you are interested in a particular company or industry, the informational interview will allow you to prepare without waiting for that crucial moment during an actual interview. Finally, the person you pick for the informational interview should be someone in a management position that can really tell you what you need to know to later make an informed decision on whether the company or industry is right for you. Someone who sees the big picture and deals in details at the same time, like management, would be a perfect resource to gain valuable insight. Informational interviews are a growing trend and are not looked upon as pushy or rude. It actually looks as if you are proactive and professional in your endeavors. You can find people to interview by contacting the HR office of the company you are interested in or finding a professional on LinkedIn. This is one tool I highly suggest that people use to network, make contacts, and improve informed decision-making. Author Bio: Theresa Collins is an MBA who has taught HR for 12 years and worked in management for the past 3. She is passionate about recruiting employee benefits and employee relations. Theresa is a freelance writer and blogger for FreeResumeBuilder. Visit Theresas website at http://freeresumebuilder.org This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif