At a certain point, the manager will state that he has answered your questions and must now conclude the meeting. Thank him for his time and help, but ask if he can refer you to managers at two or three other companies. Explain that he's given you the information you came for, but that you would like to gain additional exposure and hear other perspectives on the field. If the manager gives you names, ask if you may use his name when contacting these individuals. He'll most likely consent to this and you will now have referrals. If you prefer, it's appropriate to call these managers on the phone instead of writing them a letter, since you were referred to them by somebody you both know. When placing each call, state the name of the manager who suggested you call, explain your purpose, and set up a brief meeting. After each information interview, write a short note thanking the manager for his time and help, whether you were given referrals or not.
Once you've completed your information interviewing, you should have a good idea of whether or not you want to pursue the position you've been investigating. In the process of gathering information, you may also have been made an offer you want to accept. In the event that you've defined the type of work you want to do but have not received an offer, call the managers for whom you'd like to work and update them on your situation. Explain that you've completed your research, have determined the position you want to hold, and ask if an interview can be arranged for this kind of job. If the manager doesn't have an opening to discuss with you, you now have many contacts in the field and can network for job interviews, instead of information interviews. As stated earlier, information interviewing is the most appropriate for job-seekers who are pursuing entry-level positions or who want to make a career change, since it's customary to investigate a field before entering it. This approach is seldom appropriate for individuals who hold senior-level positions, since expertise in a field is usually a prerequisite for hire.
There are two instances, however, when senior-level job-seekers can benefit from information interviewing. The first is when someone is changing industries, not fields. This is where he wants to do similar work, but for a company that offers different products or services. An example would be the manufacturing manager who wants to move from the television industry to the computer industry.
Because his manufacturing knowledge might be transferable, it would be appropriate for him to gather information on how these two industries differ from a manufacturing standpoint. The other exception is the job-seeker who has recently moved to a new part of the country or who is investigating the area before relocating. He will want to find out what's happening in his specialty in that locale. In the process of gathering this information, he may generate job offers. If information interviewing is appropriate for your situation, it's important to understand that this method for meeting managers has been greatly misused and abused in the past.
Many job-hunters have told managers that they wanted to meet with them to find out about work they were considering for future employment, but when they arrived at the interview it was obvious that they were really looking for a job. Their "doing research" was just a guise to set up a personal meeting. As a result, don't be surprised if some managers are suspicious-and even challenge you-when you tell them that you're looking only for information, especially if you're unemployed.