Ask SCS:What Do You Think Of The "Informational Interview"? What Is Your Experience With It?

I am seeing more of a trend on the "informational interview" and wanted to see how everyone felt about it now and what their personal experiences have been from it.People have different connotations when they hear the term "informational interview." A real informational interview is a great way for someone to learn about an organization or an industry - for example, finding out about the organization's corporate culture or learning about how to successfully enter a particular industry. It can also serve as a way to increase an individual's professional network; the individual conducting the interview can ask if there are other people that they might be able to talk with to learn about a particular industry.

Using an informational interview as a guide to ask someone for a job, however, can be a big mistake. It can leave people feeling put on the spot, leading them to try to end the meeting as soon as possible. If the meeting is used appropriately, it can be a valuable part of a job search. If the "interviewer" presents her/himself well in the meeting, s/he can become part of someone's mental rolodex. This means that if an appropriate position becomes available, the person s/he met is likely to remember her/him and pass her/his name onto the hiring manager or be first to let her/him know about an opportunity they might not otherwise hear about.