Informational Interview
March 5, 2010I am getting ready for my interview. I dress in my business casual attire and grab my carefully prepared questions. I leave my resume and nervousness at home because this is an informational interview and I will be the one asking the questions.
When I began Project Protégé I learned what an informational interview was and how I could use it as a tool for exploring career options. An informational interview is where you visit an organization to learn more about a particular job, without the prospect of applying for employment. This could mean an agency tour, meeting staff, finding out what a company does, different positions offered, salary, responsibility and personal fit. An informational interview is a valuable tool for a couple of reasons:
1. It let’s you scope out the hidden job market in your field.
2. You gain lots of knowledge about an organization in a short amount of time, without having to make a personal commitment such as applying for a job or volunteering.
3. Informational interviews let you meet people and expand your social network. These contacts can be extremely valuable even if you never become employed at that organization because you may need to may need to work with that agency in the future.
For more information on what an informational interview is, etiquette and questions to ask, check out TalentEgg, a career website for students and recent grads.
http://bit.ly/18Siey
Kim Miller
