Conducting an informational interview can be beneficial to job seekers, especially recent law school graduates and seasoned professionals looking to change fields. Below are a few ways you can maximize the benefits of an informational interview:
Be prepared to conduct the interview immediately upon first contact. While it would be ideal to meet with the interviewee in person, some people may be too busy to fit you into their schedule. If this is the case, be prepared to ask them for 10 minutes of their time over the phone and be ready with your quick questions.
Make sure that you do your research on the company and the individual you are interviewing before you call them to schedule an informational interview. Nothing will make a worse impression than showing the interviewee that you didn’t even bother to do your research before calling them.
Only ask questions that are relevant to the information you need. For example, if the purpose of your informational interview is to find out what is like to work at a certain company, make sure your questions are geared towards exploring the culture of that firm.
Follow-up with your interviewee afterwards. Send a thank you note and give them periodic updates on your progress; but don’t overwhelm with too much contact. Keep it brief and just frequent enough to remain on their radar.