Whether you are just starting off in your career, or you are
a seasoned Paralegal, conducting an informational interview is a powerful tool
that can be utilized in your professional career. There are great reasons for you to ask
someone for an informational interview.
It’s a great opportunity to further a conversation you might have
started at a networking event.
Informational Interviews can also be a great way to learn about career
paths, and how one would progress in a particular career. It is a great chance for you to meet someone
in your field, without it seeming like you are asking them for a job.
So how do you go about conducting an informational
interview? Here are a few key things to
keep in mind:
The Ask
One of the hardest things to do is to ask someone if you can
meet with them in order to conduct an informational interview. One of the best ways is to reach out to your
contact and ask them to meet you for coffee or tea in order to pick their
brain. Coffee is a great avenue, as it’s
less of a time commitment for someone than, say; lunch or dinner. You also aren’t intruding on someone’s time
by asking them to meet in their office or yours.
When asking someone for coffee, do your best to try and
eliminate the back and forth on emails by giving them several options of
time/days that you are available to meet.
Suggest a coffee shop convenient to the person that you are trying to
meet up with. I always recommend that
you know the meeting place that you are asking someone to meet you. I’ve had clients go so far as to ‘scout out’
the location to make sure that the noise level is appropriate, parking is easy,
and that there is enough seating for you to be able to have an intelligent conversation.
The Meeting
If you’re meeting with someone, arrive early. Use that time to select the best place for
you to get-together with the person that you are meeting with and
interviewing. Several times I’ve gotten
there early and had to upgrade my seating a few times so I had the most
comfortable table in order for us to sit and speak. If you have asked someone to meet you for
coffee, then offer to buy them the coffee – they are doing you the favor by
spending the time with you, and this is a small way to show your
appreciation. Re-state your intention on
why you wanted to meet with them. “Thank
you for taking the time to chat with me today.
I really was interested in how you got to your position, and was hoping
to learn more about it” for example.
Most importantly, ASK QUESTIONS!
In an ideal world the conversation will flow like you’re two long lost
friends, but if it doesn’t you must be ready to drive the conversation by
having questions prepared. How did you
start your career? What key moments did
you have a choice on where to take your career?
Who was your best boss/mentor?
What was the best advice you received early in your career? Who do you like to network with and why? Asking questions such as these shows that you
are interested, and it will be a great way for you to learn more about this
person.
The Follow Up
If you have worked up the courage to ask someone to meet you
for coffee, and spent the time and energy to research the best place to meet
with them, and asked them intelligent questions and learned more about their
profession, then do yourself a favor and follow up with them. Many informational interviews or coffee
meetings end with some type of agreement about next steps. As the person requesting the interview, it’s
your job to follow up immediately with a ‘thank you’ to the person that has met
with you. Include in that thank you any
next steps or positive takeaways that you got from the meeting. Again, keep it positive and thankful. Lastly, if you told this person you were
going to do something, be sure and do it.
Nothing is more satisfying for someone than if their advice is taken and
acted upon. Before you know it, people
will be asking you if they can buy
you coffee and conduct an informational interview.
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