Colgate University
Center for Career Services
Informational Interviews: Tips for Success
Here is practical advice offered up to Colgate students by the Colgate University Alumni Corporation Board of Directors. This list is an informal collection of our personal experiences & views. To sharpen your info interviewing skills, we encourage you to work with the Career Services staff, take advantage of on-campus sessions with alumni and let us know how we can help! In the meantime, we hope you find this tip sheet useful.
1.
What makes an informational interview successful?
Be prepared.
§ Do your homework. The more prepared you are, the easier it is for me to help you.
§ Know what you want from the conversation. What do you want to learn about? Are you looking for advice, information, feedback, referrals?
§ Don’t focus on questions you can research in advance (e.g. web or print). Do focus on personal questions, such as “a day in the life” and what I like/dislike about my work.
§ It’s ok to call and explore options if you don’t know exactly what kind of job you want. But let me know at the outset. Don’t make me guess what you want out of the conversation.
§ I don’t feel helpful if we blast through a checklist of too many different questions. Let’s discuss fewer topics in greater depth.
Be gracious.
§ Work on your tact and communication skills all the time. Proof notes and e-mails for errors.
§
Focus on the appropriate level for your experience. Sometimes students are too
aggressive/
not realistic about the type of job in which they might start.
§ The more appreciative and respectful you are, the more I want to help.
§ I won’t refer students to one of my contacts if I don’t think they will handle themselves well.
2. What are the most common mistakes info-seekers make?
Not being prepared.
§
Not
doing preliminary research.
§
Not
coming prepared with questions.
§
Not
having any idea about what type of work I do.
Confusing informational interviews with job interviews.
§ Trying to sell yourself to get a job. Remember – you’re there to get information.
§ Assuming that my job is to help you get a job.
§ E-mailing me a resume and asking for a job.
Not following up.
§ I’m amazed at how often I don’t even get a personalized thank you or update call/note.
§ I encourage students to stay in touch. Unfortunately, they typically don’t.
§ When I refer students to other alumni and personal contacts, the follow-up is spotty. Often I don’t even know if they tried to follow up. It makes it tough to give referrals.
3. Why do I agree to participate? What’s in it for me?
I’ve been there myself.
§ As a student, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. The interviews helped me narrow my options. I ruled out a lot of things that didn’t interest me.
§ It helps me remember what it was like to be looking for a job right out of college.
§ I graduated in a very tough economy and job market, and I remember what that was like.
§ Other people were very helpful to me, so I am happy to repay the favors to others. I hope that, in turn, those that I help will pass along the favor when people seek them out.
I’ll be there again.
§ I’ve gone through many career transitions – and expect to go through more. Helping others makes me feel more comfortable and skilled when I need to ask for help.
§ It helps build my network for future business and professional contacts.
I enjoy it.
§ I like helping students.
§ It helps me feel connected to Colgate.
§ I’m proud of my work and accomplishments. I enjoy seeing others benefit from my experience.
§ It helps me get a fresh perspective on my own career, industry, company.
§ I like talking about my job. Talking about what you do helps you focus on the good things and put some of the difficulties in perspective.
§ Even in my job we have slow periods – and it’s a good way to use downtime.
4.
Here’s some parting advice & encouragement we want to share…
§ Talk to as many people as you can – the more you talk to people, the more you learn.
§
The
more direction you get by learning about companies and careers, the easier
it will be to get a job. Recruiters like to see people who are focused and
dedicated.
§ Be creative in your search. Certain fields have always required an “invent your own search” technique. In a tough market, these techniques are important in all fields.
§ Don’t let the frenzy of the recruiting cycle or the job choices of your peers become your benchmark for success. Keep exploring alternatives until you find what’s right for you.
§
Don’t
expect the person you are interviewing to hand you the perfect wisdom, the
secret of success – or a job. Do expect honest discussions & personal insights.
§ It helps to send a letter or e-mail before you call alumni, letting them know who you are and why you are contacting them. They will look forward to your call.
§ If your informational interviews aren’t going well, ask your contacts for feedback. At least you’ll learn how to make your next interviews better.
§ Pick up the phone and call!