INTRODUCTION: If you do not know your contact very well or not at all, begin with a little information about yourself-where you are from, where you went to school, where you have worked, and why you are seeking advice. Are you switching careers, just graduating, or reentering the workforce? Why did you choose to interview this person at this company? Did someone refer you to her? Your introduction will familiarize your contact with your experiences and interests and provide a framework for the meeting.
GETTING TO THE POINT: You scheduled this interview so you could get your contact's advice on your job search. Whether it is advice on your resume, thoughts on where the industry is going, who is hiring, or what skills are desirable in this held, you will need to get to the point and be clear about the information you are seeking. Prepare questions ahead of time and practice them. Relate some of your questions to what you already know about the industry or your contact's company.
CLOSING: Before leaving, restate your goals and your enthusiasm to work in this field. Ask if he knows others in the industry who may be doing things differently and could give you another perspective of the field. Try to get at least two other names from your contact, and keep him posted on your progress! The more people who know your name, the quicker you'll be remembered the next time a job becomes available. You never know, you could impress these contacts so much that they will create a position for you!
FOLLOW UP: Always send a thank-you note to show your appreciation for the help you received during your job search-especially for an informational interview. Thank-you notes are not only courteous, but they also increase the likelihood that the employer will remember you. It is important to remember to keep these contacts in your loop. Touch base with them periodically to let them know what you are doing and that you are still out there. If they circulated your resume, find out to whom it was given. The people who have received your resume are now new contacts. Follow up with them, and add them to your list. Contact them for informational interviews.
The bottom line is - if you network effectively, someone will remember you and possibly recommend you for the next available position. That is why it is so important to leave your contacts with a great impression of you. In the meantime, you will have made some valuable professional contacts and you will have learned useful information about the industry.
Some additional things to remember for your informational interview are:
- Arrive on time.
- Be enthusiastic, organized, and watch the time.
- Do not ask for a job; you are only there for advice.
- Bring extra copies of your resume. They may want to circulate it.
- Dress for success. That's how you want to be remembered.
- Do research on the company and your contact before your informational interview.
- Bring your informational interview outline (next page) and a pen and paper to take notes.
While some of the people on your list will not have the resources or time to assist you, others definitely will. Those who can help you will either set up informational interviews with you, or they'll refer you to other professionals in the industry. That is where your organizational skills come in. You must keep track of your contacts, your referrals and what you have learned from each of them. Say your original contact, Ms. Brown, meets with you and then refers you to Mr. Smith-someone who knows more about the particular field. The form on the next page will enable you to list your original contact (Ms. Brown), and then any other contact (Mr. Smith, etc.), that may stem from your original contact. This gives you a handy reference of each of your contacts and how you met them. Other helpful information to know is the date you called them, their name, position, company, phone number, and the date you arranged to meet with them.
Calling Your Contact
No matter how well you know the people on your list of contacts, calling them to network or to set up an informational interview requires you to be professional and respectful of their busy schedules. You should keep your conversations as brief as possible. Be well organized and to the point. Make it clear that you will only take a few minutes of their time. If you were referred through a contact, mention the name of the person who referred you. Here are some examples:
"Hello, Ms. Lord? My name is Edward Wilder. John Wallace suggested I contact you. I'm going to graduate from M. U. soon with a Business Management degree and am very interested in pursuing a career in Human Resources. I was wondering if I could have fifteen to twenty minutes of your time to ask you some questions. I've prepared a resume and I wondered if I could get your reaction to it and ask you a few questions about where you see the industry going in the near future."
OR
"Hello, Mr. Jones? My name is Phoebe Donovan. I'm interested in doing some free-lance writing for the paper. I have written several articles as well as several promotions for some area businesses and wondered if I could talk to you about writing a special feature for your Sunday Life section. Gould we arrange a time to meet sometime next week and discuss some ideas?"
OR
"Hello, Ms. Demeuth? My name is John Fisher. I will be moving to the Charleston area soon and am seeking a banking career similar to yours. I have a strong background in finance and plenty of practical experience. I would like to talk to you about some of the different avenues you took to get into this field. Gould you spare fifteen or twenty minutes to meet with me?"
OR
"Hello, Mr. Lieving? This is Jean Farmer. I have been out of the workforce for awhile, but I would really like to get involved in a catering company such as yours. Your staff and service is much admired in the community and I wondered if you would allow me a few minutes of your time to discuss some of the catering opportunities in the area."
Of course, your conversations will not be exactly like these-add your own personality. But the idea is still the same-keep it organized, brief and to the point. Some people will be difficult to contact. Don't be frustrated; keep trying. You have plenty of people on your list and there are those who may be too busy to meet with you.
