What the Heck Are Informational Interviews? Your Job Search Savior!

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“Informational interviews” are interview-style conversations arranged by job seekers, not employers. While you may be submitting resume after resume and waiting by the phone to receive a standard interview invitation, the informational version lies completely under your control, and will take place whenever you’re ready to reach out and make it happen.

Of course, informational interviews won’t provide a direct path to a job offer, but they south korea phone number library do the next best thing: they establish meaningful face-to-face contact between you and someone who may be able to help you. And since the working world is built on social connections (don’t let anyone tell you otherwise), a little good will and personal advice can go a long way.

Here’s how to set up and execute an effective informational interview. If you follow these steps and are pleased with the results, set up another one. And then another. Keep repeating the process until you’re off the job market. And if you decide to keep going even after that, feel free. At that point, you won’t call these meetings informational interviews anymore—you’ll just call them “lunch.”

Step 1: Choose your companion. Search through your network of contacts, which doesn’t just include friends. Your network also consists of people in your chosen industry who you haven’t met, like friends of friends, your parent’s friends, former coworkers, and two-degree connections on LinkedIn. The wider you cast your net, the bolder you’ll have to be about reaching out—but this boldness can be both a skill and an asset.