Intro to Business Communication: Interviews and Networking - Informational Interviews, Purpose Preparation Questions FollowUp

What This Is

Informational Interviews are a valuable tool for learning about a company, industry, or profession. They involve asking questions to gather information from someone with experience or expertise. Effective informational interviews can help you make informed decisions about your career, identify potential job opportunities, and build professional networks. For example, let's say you're considering a career change and want to learn more about the marketing department at a company. You schedule an informational interview with a marketing manager and ask insightful questions, which helps you gain a deeper understanding of the role and the company culture.

Key Principles & Techniques

• Define Your Purpose: Clearly state the reason for the informational interview, such as seeking advice or learning about a specific industry. This helps the interviewer understand your goals and tailor their responses.
• Research the Company: Learn about the company's products, services, mission, and values. This will help you ask informed questions and show your interest in the company.
• Prepare an Elevator Pitch: Develop a brief summary of your background, interests, and career goals. This will help you introduce yourself confidently and make a good impression.
• Ask Open-Ended Questions: Use questions that begin with what, how, or why to encourage the interviewer to share their experiences and insights.
• Use the STAR Method: Structure your questions using the Situation, Task, Action, Result (STAR) framework to gather specific and detailed information.
• Be Respectful of Time: Keep the interview concise and respectful of the interviewer's time. Aim for 30-60 minutes, depending on the schedule.
• Follow Up: Send a thank-you note or email within 24 hours to express gratitude and reiterate your interest in the company or industry.
• Be Prepared to Share: Be prepared to share your own experiences and insights, and be open to feedback and advice.
• Use Active Listening: Pay attention to the interviewer's responses and ask follow-up questions to clarify any points you don't understand.
• Take Notes: Take notes during the interview to help you remember key points and follow up on any leads.

Do's and Don'ts

• DO: Send a clear and concise email or message to schedule the informational interview, including your purpose and background.
• DON'T: Ask too many questions at once or dominate the conversation – let the interviewer share their experiences and insights.
• DO: Show genuine interest and enthusiasm for the company or industry.
• DON'T: Use the informational interview as a job interview or ask for a job – this can be seen as insincere or pushy.
• DO: Follow up with a thank-you note or email to express gratitude and reiterate your interest.
• DON'T: Expect the interviewer to provide job leads or recommendations – informational interviews are meant to be informational, not transactional.

Common Mistakes

• Mistake: Not researching the company or industry before the interview.
• Correction: Take the time to learn about the company's products, services, mission, and values to ask informed questions and show your interest.
• Mistake: Asking too many questions or dominating the conversation.
• Correction: Use the STAR method to structure your questions and let the interviewer share their experiences and insights.
• Mistake: Not sending a thank-you note or email after the interview.
• Correction: Send a thank-you note or email within 24 hours to express gratitude and reiterate your interest.

Quick Practice

Scenario 1: You're considering a career change and want to learn more about the marketing department at a company. You schedule an informational interview with a marketing manager and ask insightful questions. How would you structure your questions using the STAR method?

Answer: You would ask questions like "Can you tell me about a situation where you had to launch a new product? What was your task in that situation? How did you take action to achieve your goal? What was the result of your efforts?"

Explanation: The STAR method helps you gather specific and detailed information by asking questions that begin with what, how, or why.

Scenario 2: You're attending an informational interview and the interviewer asks you to share your background and interests. What would you say?

Answer: You would give a brief summary of your background, interests, and career goals, such as "I have a degree in marketing and have been working in the industry for three years. I'm interested in learning more about the marketing department at this company and exploring potential job opportunities."

Explanation: A clear and concise elevator pitch helps you introduce yourself confidently and make a good impression.

Scenario 3: You're following up with a thank-you note or email after the informational interview. What would you say?

Answer: You would express gratitude for the interviewer's time and reiterate your interest in the company or industry, such as "Thank you for taking the time to speak with me today. I appreciated learning more about the marketing department and I'm excited to explore potential job opportunities."

Explanation: A thank-you note or email shows appreciation for the interviewer's time and helps you stay top of mind.

Last-Minute Cram Sheet

• Informational Interview: A conversation with someone who has experience or expertise in a specific area.
• STAR Method: A framework for asking questions that begins with Situation, Task, Action, and Result.
• Elevator Pitch: A brief summary of your background, interests, and career goals.
• Follow-Up: Send a thank-you note or email within 24 hours to express gratitude and reiterate your interest.
• Active Listening: Pay attention to the interviewer's responses and ask follow-up questions to clarify any points you don't understand.
• Take Notes: Take notes during the interview to help you remember key points and follow up on any leads.
• BCC is not a secret weapon – overuse damages trust.
• Don't ask too many questions at once or dominate the conversation.
• Don't expect the interviewer to provide job leads or recommendations.
• Readability Score: A measure of how easy or difficult text is to read, with higher scores indicating easier reading.
• Hofstede Dimensions: A framework for understanding cultural differences, including power distance, individualism, and uncertainty avoidance.