What are informational interviews and why should you do them?
Informational interview: speaking with someone about their knowledge for insights on their career path & areas of interest. This is not a request for a job or an interview!
They sound terrifying. Trying to talk to a stranger, wondering how on earth they ended up in their crazy cool position. But they are so useful to learn more about a career path, and you can meet some pretty amazing people along the way!
It took me 2 days to craft my first email for an informational interview. I kept thinking it wasn’t ready, that they would read the email and turn me away, not want to talk to me. (I’m still a little like this.) But over time, it’s become easier to ask! Now it might only take me an hour to write the email, and maybe in a few years it will only take 10-15 minutes.
Below are some practices I’ve picked up to get the most out of informational interviews!
How to find people to have informational interviews with
Mutual Connections
LinkedIn is often a great place to start! Look for people that are 2nd connections (connected with a connection). You can either cold message (see below) or reach out to your mutual connection for an introduction! Another option is reaching out directly to someone a friend mentions.
Organizations/ Societies/ Community Service and Outreach
Professional societies and outreach groups are a melting pot of new and established people in the field. Use this network! Go to the conferences these societies host or events the group offers to make the initial introduction, and then reach out directly to someone you look up to that you met there.
Ask for recommendations from advisors and people you have already had informational interviews with
The least scary approach (and how I started) was reaching out to people my advisors had suggested. And a really important tip I picked up is try to ask at the end of your informational interview for who they might recommend you speak with next!
How to craft the email/LinkedIn message
- Introduce yourself and your career interests briefly
- Say why you are interested in talking with them about X career path
- Give date and time options (email only, because LinkedIn messages have a character limit)
- Keep it short and sweet
An example: Dear Dr. X, I hope you are doing well! I am reaching out because [a bit about you/your interests] and am eager to learn about what a career path in [X] looks like. I noticed [mention mutual connection/organization/how you found them] and I’d love to learn a some insight from you if you would be willing to chat!
How to prepare
- Check out their LinkedIn and where they’ve worked
- Think of a couple questions specific to who you’re talking to
- Respond promptly and clearly with when you are available
- Take a notebook
- Send a calendar invite (with a zoom link if it’s virtual)
Generic Questions for looking at jobs post-PhD
- How did you transition into your field?
- Was a postdoc helpful?
- Do you have any advice what current PhD students can do to be better prepared to transition into X?
Lastly, perhaps the biggest takeaway, is remember the people you are asking for informational interviews used to be in your shoes. They know what you are going through and are often willing to help!
