But watch out. Just because the questions are general, don't assume that you can give general or vague answers in return. Most people make the mistake of appearing far too hesitant and undecided during a job interview and even though you can't ask for a job, you must treat the Information Only meeting as a job interview. The pressure may, in away, be even greater than an actual job interview! Why? You've singled yourself out. You've done something very daring in asking for a meeting like this, something that only a tiny minority of job seekers will take the effort to do. No matter what the interviewer says, he or she is probably just a little bit impressed by your initiative. Now the question that's on the interviewer's mind is: Is this person for real?
The Information Only Interview will say more about you than it will say about the person you're speaking with no matter how much you jot down in your notebook. Make the best possible impression. Be every bit as decisive in personas you were in composing your letters.
Think carefully, ahead of time, about how you might approach the "basic" questions outlined above. Come up with some well reasoned answers that point you logically in the direction of the industry you've chosen. If your background is in computers, and you've decided to go into banking, your career choice is going to need some explanation. Be prepared with an honest, easily understandable reason for your decision: perhaps you've developed substantial problem solving skills working with computers, and are enthusiastic about applying those abilities to real life situations that affect people directly. However you approach the matter, remember that you must do enough background work to know why you would be well suited for the career area you're trying to enter. Stay away from responses that don't convey solid reasons for your decision. Answers like, "The banking industry is very exciting", while literally true, don't pass along any meaningful data to your interviewer, and do little or nothing to separate you from the pack.
Your career goals should be realistic. Your background should be stated in as positive and enthusiastic a manner as possible, and should support your stated professional desires. Wherever possible, try to link your strengths with those that you've determined are necessary for success in the industry and don't sell yourself short if you have specific positive accomplishments you can point to as evidence.
There's a reason for all this, and it's a simple one: the better the impression that you make with your interviewer, the more likely that person will be to help you out in your efforts to win a job.
The goal in any interview situation is to emerge with one of three things: a job, another interview, or a referral. Most people feel great after Information Only Interviews because the discussion is usually pleasant and the atmosphere encouraging. This can be misleading. If you haven't gained some tangible lead with which you can perpetuate your job hunt, the session has really been less than successful even though you may have gleaned some very important information. If, toward the end of your discussion, you haven't asked the "big question" I mentioned above, ask it. You may wish to follow it up with this one:
Contacts
This brings us to the question of contacts. The issue of the "contact network" has been outlined in broad terms a little earlier, but now that we've entered into the realm of the Information Only Interview, it's appropriate to go into a little greater detail.
The importance of contacts within an industry or company can never be overemphasized. Employers, as we know, will feel better about hiring someone that they know and like than they will about hiring a total stranger. That's why it's important that you not only utilize any contacts you may already have, but work actively to develop more. The simple fact is that the best jobs virtually always arise through word of mouth. You must have access to the "party line" employers use to fill these positions if you want to be considered for the most rewarding opportunities.
A good analogy might be the dilemma faced by someone looking for a parking place in a very crowded downtown area of a major city. Most people go around and around the block and up and down the side streets until they get lucky and find a spot. This approach is similar to the one you'll have to take if you embark on a job search with no contacts and no plans for developing any. It can take a long, longtime to find anything.
On the other hand, imagine what finding a parking space would be like if you had a car phone and six friends standing in strategically selected phone booths. The second that one of them saw a car pulling out of a spot, your number would be dialed, and you'd have up to date information on where you had to be, and when you had to be there, in order to get the spot. Now, if you could somehow set up such an arrangement, don't you think you'd find a parading place before the person driving around aimlessly waiting for" something to open up"?
That's the way it is in a job search, too. If you have contacts spread throughout the industry, you'll find out about openings much more quickly than your competition without contacts will. Don't be shy. Dive right in and ask for help. If your goals are realistic and your attitude that of a solid professional, you'll be surprised at how quickly you'll get positive results.
