You must take positive action to ensure you will be interviewed by the right people for the right job. Indeed, there are certain secrets to getting an interview you should know about before embarking on this stage of your job search. The most important one is the informational interview--a type of interview which leads to high quality job interviews and offers. These interviews minimize rejections and competition as well as quickly open the doors to organizations and employers. If you want a job interview, you first need to understand the informational interview and how to initiate and use it.
Probability Approaches
For most people, getting an interview is a game of chance. You are hopeful, but the odds are against you. You look for new strategies and techniques that will turn the odds in your favor. The two most common approaches for getting an interview are to:
- Mail numerous copies of your resume to employers in the hope that someone will invite you to an interview.
- Phone employers or mail your resume with a cover letter in response to advertised job vacancies (THE RESPONSE APPROACH).
Blindly mailing resumes to hundreds of employers in the hope someone will interview you is a probability game with the odds always against you. Let us face it; few people get interviews and job offers through the mail. We don't mean to minimize the importance of writing resumes and letters. After all, if you mail enough of them, you may develop a few job leads by sheer luck. But don't expect more than 2% of blind mailings to result in some type of job lead. The chance of your resume and letter reaching someone who has a job vacancy waiting for you is slight.
Uncover jobs that will use your strengths.
Even if you are lucky with this shotgun approach, it will seldom yield high quality jobs. The very fact you are shotgunning your resumes and letters means you are trying to find a job you might fit into rather than one that is fit for you. You should uncover jobs that will use your strengths rather than locate jobs that may accentuate your weaknesses.
Advertised and Hidden Job Markets
Most job hunters turn to the advertised job market for employment leads. This is a highly visible, relatively well structured, and coherent market consisting of job vacancy announcements in newspapers, trade journals, professional newsletters, employment agencies, and personnel offices. People look to these sources, because they are familiar with them, and because they believe the jobs available at any given time are listed in these places. However, these advertised sources may only identify 25% of job vacancies at any particular time.
So where do you find the other 75% of the job openings? Most jobs are found on the unadvertised and relatively unstructured, chaotic hidden job market. Here you will find job vacancies people know about because they hear what is going on in organizations or they know someone who is quitting or an employer has a need for a new employee. In addition to encompassing the largest proportion of available jobs, the hidden job market tends to yield the highest quality jobs. Best of all, you face the least competition and the fewest rejections in this job market. You gain access to this market by word-of-mouth, through friends, relatives, acquaintances, and informed strangers. Knowing this, it is to your advantage to concentrate most of your job search efforts on this relatively unstructured and unpublicized job market.
At the same time, you should monitor the advertised job market. You occasionally may find a job that you believe is right for you. If so, apply as you normally would with a restmie and cover letter and follow-up with telephone calls. But you should not spend a great deal of your job search time working the publicized job listings. Unless you are exceptionally well qualified, you may waste a great deal of time and effort responding to such listings. Therefore, a good rule of thumb is to devote no more than 25% of your job search time in the advertised job market. Your time is best spent on higher pay-off activities aimed at the hidden job market.
Vacancies and Employers
Put yourself in the position of the employer for a moment. You have a job vacancy to fill. If you advertise the position, you may be bombarded with hundreds of applications, phone calls, and walk-ins. While you do want to hire the best qualified individual for the job, you simply don't have time or patience to review scores of applications. Even if you use a P.O. Box number, the paperwork may be overwhelming. Furthermore, with limited information from application forms, cover letters, and resumes, you find it hard to identify the best qualified individuals to invite for an interview; many look the same on paper.
So what do you do? You might hire a professional job search firm to take on all of this additional work. On the other hand, you may want to better control the hiring process. Like many other employers, you begin by calling your friends, acquaintances, and other business associates and ask if they or someone else might know of any good candidates for the position. If they can't help, you ask them to give you a call should they know of anyone qualified for your vacancy. You, in effect, create your own hidden job market --an informal information network for locating desirable candidates. Your trusted contacts initially screen the candidates in the process of referring them to you.
Based on this understanding of the employer's perspective, what should you do to best improve your chances of getting an interview and job offer? Remember, the employer needs to solve a personnel problem. By conducting informational interviews and networking you help the employer solve his or her problem by giving them a chance to examine what you can offer them. You gain several advantages by conducting these interviews:
Advantages of Informational Interviews
- You are less likely to encounter rejections since you are not asking for a job -- only information, advice, referrals, and to be remembered.
- You go after higher level positions.
- You encounter little competition.
- You go directly to the people who have the power to hire.
- You are likely to be invited to job interviews based upon the referrals you receive.
Minimize Rejections and Build Networks
Ask anyone who is about to embark on a job search what they fear most, and they will almost certainly answer "being rejected". None of us like to be told "no". Some of us fear rejections more than others. Yet the common method for seeking employment -- responding to job listings -- leaves the job searcher vulnerable to a host of noes.
While you will encounter some "noes" in your search for "yeses", informational interviews minimize the number of "noes" you will collect. Using this approach, you seldom will be turned down for an interview. In fact, most people will be happy to share their experiences with you and give you information, advice, and referrals.
More important, informational interviews help you overcome the likelihood of rejection.
The first rule in conducting informational interviews is to never ask for a job. When you ask for a job or ask to be interviewed for a job which you do when you send off your resume, you set yourself up to receive a rejection. If no job is available, you put the employer in an uncomfortable position of telling you "no". If you apply for an advertised opening, you will probably get lost in the herd of applicants. On the other hand, if you request an interview for information and advice - not a job - you are likely to get a "yes".
Informational interviews minimize the number of "noes" you will collect.
Informational interviews will help you build networks for locating the better jobs and careers. For example, look at the classifieds in your local newspaper. Most of the positions listed are either lower level positions or they require a high level of technical skills -- in other words, positions that are difficult to fill. Since the jobs you learn about through your networks are often neither advertised nor competitive, your odds of getting a good job improve considerably. As you continue making new contacts through additional referrals, you will build a large network of job contacts. Individuals in your network will be your eyes and ears for locating job opportunities that are appropriate to your goals and skills.
Enter the Back Door
Regardless of what you have heard about affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the need to advertise positions, the unadvertised or hidden job market still exists. It is not our intent to sit in judgment of what should or should not be. Rather, our job is to help you understand the realities of today's job market and prepare you to use them to your maximum advantage. Suffice it to say that you can gain access to most jobs through both a front door and a back door. Long lines normally form at the front door. If you conduct informational interviews and network, you should be able to enter through the back door. Job seekers find this entrance infinitely more responsive and rewarding than standing in line. You, too, may wish to join the successful job seekers who know how to get through the door to see the person who has the power to hire.
Your informational/networking interviews help you bypass personnel offices and other gatekeepers who lack the power to hire.
Personnel offices have many functions, but they seldom hire. They advertise positions, take applications, administer tests, and may conduct initial screening interviews. The hiring function usually rests with the department head/manager for mid-level positions while upper management hires for senior upper-level positions.
Your approach should aim at contacting the individual who has the power to hire.
Gather Career Information
Your goal is to find the job or career path which enables you to make a living using your strengths.
The informational interview gives you the opportunity to find out if a particular job or career is right for you. You gain valuable information for making career decisions by talking with individuals who work in your field of interest. These individuals will tell you what skills are necessary to perform the job and outline the realities --both advantages and disadvantages -- of working in their field. It is best to learn about these things before you find yourself in a job you may not like but which appeared attractive in a job description.
Gain Access
You will conduct informational interviews with different types of people. Some will be friends, relatives, or acquaintances. Others will be referrals or new contacts. You will gain the easiest access to people you already know. This can usually be done informally by telephone. You might meet at their home or office or at a restaurant.
You should use a more formal approach to gain access to referrals and new contacts. The best approach is to write an approach letter and follow it up with a phone call. Your approach letter should include the following elements: Key elements in the approach letter, openers, request.
If you have a referral, tell the individual you are considering a career in_. His or her name was given to you by who suggested he or she might be a good person to give you some useful information about careers in_. If you lack a referral to the individual and thus must use a "cold turkey" approach to making this contact, you might begin your letter by stating that you are aware he or she has been at the forefront of business --or whatever is both truthful and appropriate for the situation. A subtle form of flattery will be helpful at this stage.
Demonstrate your thoughtfulness and courtesy rather than aggressiveness by mentioning that you know he or she is busy. You hope to schedule a mutually convenient time for a brief meeting to discuss your questions and career plans. Most people will be flattered by such a request and happy to talk with you about their work, if they have time and are interested in you.
Closings: In closing the letter, mention that you will call the person to see if an appointment can be arranged. Be specific by stating the time and day you will call - for example, Thurs day at 2pm. You must take the initiative in this manner to follow-up the letter with a definite contact time. If you don't, you cannot expect to hear from the person. It is your responsibility to make the telephone call to schedule a meeting.
Enclose: Do not enclose your resume with this approach letter. You should take your resume to the interview and present it as a topic of discussion near the end of your meeting. If you send it with the approach letter, you communicate a mixed and contradictory message. Remember your purpose for this interview: to gather information and advice. You are not -- and never should be -- asking for a job. A resume in a letter appears to be an application or a request for a job.
Formulate Questions
In the informational interview you are the interviewer. It is you who is primarily seeking information. Therefore, you need to think through, prior to the interview, several questions you want to probe. For example, you should ask several of these questions:
Informational Interview-Questions
- What type of skills and knowledge does one need to perform this job?
- What are some of the particular advantages and disadvantage of this type of work?
- What type of advancement opportunities are there?
- What is the future outlook like in this line of work?
- Could you describe a typical work day for me?
- What do you like about your work?
- What do you dislike about your work?
- What are the normal salary ranges for entry into this type of work?
- How would I best acquire the necessary skills to perform this job?
- What type of objections might employers have to my background?
- What might be the best way to approach prospective employ errs?
- How did you go about finding this job?
Remember, you are not interviewing for a position with this company -- you are seeking information about a job or career in a given field. You do not want to wear out your welcome by making the individual feel uncomfortable with questions about a job vacancy this person might have for you. And people do get uncomfortable when you start asking them for a job!
Conduct the Interview
If you approach people in the right manner, at least 50 percent of those you contact for informational interviews will meet with you. Some job hunters are never refused such an interview. Assuming you too are successful in scheduling these interviews, what do you do at the interview?
In the informational interview you are asking for four things -- information, advice, referrals, to be remembered .
At the same time, you are trying to impress upon the people you are interviewing that you possess the essential ingredients for being an outstanding employee: competent, intelligent, honest, enthusiastic, and likeable.
While the informational interview is relatively unstructured, it should follow a general pattern of questions and answers. The interview should take no more than 45 minutes. However, it may go much longer if your interviewee gets carried away in sharing his or her experiences and giving you advice. Some interviews may go on for two or more hours. But plan to cover your questions in a 30 to 45 minute period.
For best results, the interview should go something like this. The interview will begin with a few minutes of small talk -- the weather, traffic, mutual acquaintances, a humorous observation. Next, you should initiate the interview by emphasizing your appreciation:
Thank you again for taking time to see me today. I appreciate your willingness to speak with me about my career plans. It is a subject which is very important to me at this juncture of my life.
Follow this statement with a restatement of your purpose, as you mentioned it in your letter and/or over the telephone:
I am in the process of exploring several job and career alternatives. I know what I do well and enjoy doing. But before I make any decisions in this regard, I am trying to benefit from the counsel of individuals, such as you, who have a great deal of experience in the area of_____I am particularly interested in learning more about opportunities, necessary skills, responsibilities, advantages, disadvantages, and the future outlook for this field.
Such a general statement should elicit a response from the individual. It should put him or her at ease by stressing your need at this time for counsel rather than a job. Be sure you communicate your purpose at this stage and that you know what you want to do. If you don't, the individual may feel you are wasting his or her time. Thus, you need to know your strengths as well as have a clearly defined objective prior to this interview.
The next section of the interview should focus on several "how" and "what" questions concerning specific jobs or careers:
- Duties and responsibilities o Knowledge, skills, abilities, and qualifications o Work environments-- fellow employees, deadlines, stress, problems o Advantages and disadvantages o Future outlook o Salary ranges
- Acquire the required skills o Find a job related to this field o Overcome employers' objections to you o Identify both advertised and unadvertised vacancies o Develop new job leads o Approach prospective employers
Resume Review Questions
- Is this an appropriate type of resume for the jobs I have outlined?
- If an employer received this resume in the mail, how do you think he or she would react to it?
- What do you see as possible weaknesses or areas that need to be improved?
- What about the length, paper quality and color, layout, and typing? Are they appropriate?
- How might I best improve the form and content of the resume?
Thanks very much for all your assistance. I have learned a great deal today. Your advice will certainly help me give my job search better direction. I would like to ask one more favor. By conducting research on various jobs, I am trying to benefit from the counsel of several people. Do you know two or three other people who might be willing to meet with me, as you have today?
Just before you leave, ask to be remembered for future reference:
While I know you may not know of a job opening at present for someone with my qualifications, I would appreciate it if you could keep me in mind if you learn of any openings. Please feel free to pass my name on to anyone you feel might be interested in my qualifications.
Make sure you leave a copy of your resume with this person so that he or she has something tangible to refer to and remember you by. After completing this interview, you should send a nice thank-you letter to this person. Not only is this a thoughtful thing to do, it is also a wise thing to do if you wish to be remembered and referred. Genuinely express your gratitude for the person's time and help, and reiterate your wish to be remembered and referred.
As you conduct several of these informational interviews, you may want to keep records of each meeting. Use 4x6 index cards to record the name, date, and highlights of the interview. Be sure to include any names of referrals for future reference.
Information Quality and Usefulness
You will often get more honest information in an informational interview than in an employment interview. In trying to fill vacancies, employers cannot be objective because they also are attempting to sell you on the benefits of working for them. There is less pressure in informational interviews to be persuasive. Informational interviews will help you determine if you are interested in a particular career field or job. For example, in our work with college students, we encounter many who aspire to become attorneys. However, a typical conception is based on seeing too many episodes of L.A. Law and Perry Mason. The image of legal work often is one of standing before the jury dramatically arguing a case. Once these students realize that the two most important skills attorneys use are research and counseling, many lose interest in this career field.
Conducting informational interviews can help you avoid jobs or careers that are not right for you. Whether you are looking forward to a job after you finish school or are already in the workforce but desire to make a job or career change, informational interviews are valuable tools.
Serendipity
When conducting informational interviews, you may occasionally uncover a job opening with the person you are interviewing. Sometimes the company may consider creating a position for you because they are so impressed with your credentials. We have seen this happen with individuals we have counseled. But these are exceptions rather than the rule. Do not go into an informational interview expecting to come out with anything more than information, advice, referrals, and the promise to be remembered.
Successful Networking and Interviewing
As you conduct informational interviews and network with many individuals, keep these four rules in mind:
- Look for a job that is fit for you rather than try to fit yourself into an available position.
- Increase your number of acceptances by conducting informational interviews. When you ask for information, advice, and referrals, few people will turn you down. Most people you ask will be flattered and eager to assist you.
- When conducting informational interviews, never ask for a job; always ask for information, advice, referrals, and to be remembered.
- Always send a thank-you letter.
