I have recently attended a workshop conducted by Workforce Singapore. The workshop facilitator mentioned the term “informational interview”, which caught my attention. Interestingly, do you know that an informational interview is not a job interview? It’s an avenue by which one gathers career insights on the dream jobs in the industries which are of interest to you.
Moments later, I chanced upon this term again. I then decided to read more about what it was.
In a nutshell, the purpose of an informational interview is to learn more about the prospect company or organisation, its culture, and the skills required to perform the duties with the associated job role. You can glean valuable insights and advice from the experiences of others in the industry that inspire you. Conversely, it is also an avenue to assess your suitability for this role based on your skills, abilities, and interests.
Here are five practical tips on going about an informational interview:
- Do your homework, research and prepare by listing all the questions you would like to ask and the information you would like to find out. Like a job interview, be ready to answer any questions related to your career plans and ambition which might be posed to you.
- Send a request expressing the purpose you would like to meet to the contact person from the company of interest.
- Be flexible with the contact’s schedule. The actual appointment may be conducted in person or virtually, and it should not take more than 45 minutes.
- Ask your contact for other relevant referrals they might have in mind who can provide further beneficial inputs regarding the industry you are keen to enter. Personal experiences shared are always deemed to be valuable, authentic and practical.
- Thank your contact person for his/her time when the interview ends. You might wish to offer to buy them coffee or treat them to a meal after that. Keep them posted on your ongoing developments after the meet-up and tell them what you have done following the advice given.
Written by: Veronica Lim