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Speaking with professionals who are currently working in your career field of choice is one of the best ways to learn about your prospective industry. You can meet such professionals through job fairs, part-time jobs, internships, and industry expositions. One way to get great face time with such individuals is to attend informational interviews. An informational interview is an event wherein you have the opportunity to learn about a company, how they work, and to ask questions about the industry as a whole. If there is a company that you would love to work for, be sure to call their human resources department and ask if they grant informational interviews. If they do, then be sure to schedule one for yourself.
Some large companies offer regular informational interviews. These events are often geared toward large groups of people. The publishing house Simon & Schuster, for example offers group informational interviews on a regular basis. As these kinds of informational interviews are meant for large groups, you may not have a great deal of one-on-one time with the representatives of the company. Once the interview is over, be sure to shake hands with and thank the representative or representatives.
Always make sure that you get a card or contact information for the people that you meet during an information interview. It is very important to send a thank-you note shortly after your meeting. In order to add a personal touch to your note, be sure to note something that you spoke about during the meeting or a topic that was discussed during the presentation. If you did have the chance to speak with a representative at a large informational interview, then be sure to write something that you spoke about when you thanked them on your way out. This will, hopefully, job their memory and remind them of you.
Informational interviews are not only great ways to learn about companies within your industry, it is also a great way to make contacts that may help you land a job. If you wind up applying for a job at a company where you had an informational interview, be sure to note this in your cover letter. Also, be sure to send a note to the representative that you spoke with at the interview, alerting him or her that you are applying for a job. Thank them again for their time and let them know that the interview compelled you to apply for a job within the company. Hopefully they remember you and will put in a good word.
Informational interviews are a great resource. Be sure to use them to learn about your prospective career industry, make contacts, and land a great job that you love!
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