Today was the last day of my PR class at MSU, and so we spent some time talking about networking and how to get a job. I gave them the one piece of advice that I have been giving my students for 17 years—use the informational interview as a stepping stone to finding a job.
The informational interview is a way to talk to someone either at a company you are interested in or in a job you would like to learn more about for a few minutes of their time–start with 15 minutes. You promise them you will take no more than 15 minutes of their time to ask them about their job, how they got there, what they like about their job, and any advice they have for someone trying to break into the field. After 15 minutes are up, thank them for their time. If they insist on talking more, let them. If not, say good-bye and hang up. Afterwards, send them a thank you note for their time.
This informational interview is helpful to the student because it will give them information about a position that they might not know unless they actually worked at that company or in that job. It gives them information to think about in terms of how this person spends their day or the types of things they do, and then the student can decide if this sounds like a good “fit.”
In addition, if you were pleasant to talk to, they will want to help you find that job or interview. They will start asking you questions, like, “Where would you like to work?”, or “What type of job are you looking for?”, or “Send me your resume and I’ll see what I can do.”
If we call folks and directly ask them for a job, we put them on the defense, because they may or may not have a job or any knowledge or one at the time.
But, if we approach them as the expert and ask for a few minutes of their time, we build trust with them in a way that they are willing to become our advocate. And, as well all know, it is not always what you know, but who you know.
-karen
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