Informational Interviewing Presented by: The Department of Career Services

Benefits of Informational Interviewing An opportunity to explore careers and clarify your career goal Discover employment opportunities that are not advertised Expand your professional network Build confidence for your job interviews Access the most up-to-date career information Identify your professional strengths and weaknesses

Steps to Conducting an Information Interview 1. Identify the Occupation or Industry You Wish to Learn About – Assess your own interests, abilities, values and skills – Evaluate labor conditions and trends

Steps to Conducting an Informational Interview 2. Prepare for the Interview Read all you can about the field prior to the interview Decide what information you would like to obtain about the occupation/industry Prepare a list of questions that you would like to have answered

Steps to Conducting an Informational Interview 3. Identify People to Interview Start with people you already know (friends, family, fellow students, present or former co- workers, neighbors, etc.) Professional organizations, industry directories or the phone book

Steps to Conducting an Informational Interview 4. Arrange the Interview Contact the person to set up an interview: – by telephone – by a letter followed up by a phone call, or – by having someone who knows the person make the appointment for you

Steps to Conducting an Informational Interview 5. Conduct the Interview Dress appropriately Arrive on time Be polite and professional Refer to your list of questions and stay on track but allow for spontaneous discussion Before leaving, ask your contact for names of others you can talk to and use your contact’s name when contacting these individuals

Steps to Conducting an Informational Interview 6. Follow Up Immediately after the interview, record the information gathered Make sure to send a “thank you” note or within one week of the interview

Common Informational Interview Questions In addition to general questions, you should develop questions to fit your particular needs and experience level…

Common Informational Interview Questions What do you do as a ___________? How do you spend a typical day/week? Tell me about this career field What are the positive/negative aspects about working in this field? What is it like to work in this organization?

Common Informational Interview Questions Can you give me advice on how to break into the field? What skills, education and experience are required? Can you suggest anyone else whom I could contact for additional information? If I wanted to apply for a job, whom should I contact in this organization?

For an extensive list of interview questions… Contact Career Services at The Art Institute of California- San Diego