💬 Informational Interviews: Why & How! Your Secret Weapon

Here’s a career cheat code that separates winners from the rest—informational interviews.

They sound boring, right? But here’s the truth:

• Informational interviews are how students with no connections create connections.

• They’re how students with average resumes get job offers anyway.

• They’re how you unlock insider knowledge, referrals, and confidence—without applying to a single job yet.

Let’s break down exactly what they are, how to do them right, and why they can change your career trajectory and life.

🧠 What Is an Informational Interview?

It’s a 15–30 minute conversation with someone working in a job, company, or industry you’re curious about. You’re not asking for a job. You’re asking for their story, their insight, and their advice. Usually you do this with an alumni of you college, as you have a mutual bond and alums are usually happy to help someone who was in their shoes.

Think of it as career recon. You’re trying to answer:

• What is this job actually like day-to-day?

• How did you get in?

• What would you do differently if you were in college again?

• Can you help me get a job? (Kind of)

📈 Why Informational Interviews Matter

1. You Learn What Google Can’t Tell You
   The job description says “cross-functional execution.” The person actually doing it says, “I sit in 6 meetings a day and build decks.” Big difference.

2. You Stand Out by Showing Up
   While everyone else is blindly applying, you’re having conversations. That builds trust—and trust gets you referrals. You’re also building your own network. You have an email chain with these people and a convo – that actually does mean something.

3. You Get Better at Talking Like a Professional
   Every conversation is practice. You learn how to ask better questions, tell your story tighter, and build rapport.

4. You Might Accidentally Get a Job
   Seriously. People want to help students who show initiative. I know people who got internships or jobs just because they had a great chat and the person liked them. That person could be hiring, have a friend who is hiring, ping a recruiter for you, etc… It’s a person in your corner, which you need.

🎯 How to Set One Up (Step-by-Step)

1. Find Someone to Talk To

• Alumni from your school on LinkedIn

• People who work in jobs you want

• Older students or recent grads from your org or club
  Use filters like: “Account Executive” + [Your University] + 1st/2nd degree connections

2. Send a Short, Casual Email. LinkedIn is a black hole in my opinion.
   Here’s a script you can steal (use my guide to emails here):

Hi [Name],
I’m a [Year] at [School], interested in [Industry or Role]. I came across your profile and would love to hear more about your career path and what your role at [Company] is like. Would you be open to a 15-minute Zoom chat sometime in the next week or two? Totally understand if you’re busy.
Appreciate it either way!
– [You]

3. Prep 4–5 Questions
   Make them specific. Examples:

• How did you get your first role in this field?

• What’s one thing you didn’t expect about your job?

• What advice would you give a college student trying to break in?

• What’s your day to day look like?

• Are there any resources or people you'd recommend I check out?

4. Follow Up and Keep the Relationship Warm
   Always thank them. A simple follow-up message 1–2 months later (“Hey, I ended up applying to X based on your advice—thanks again!”) keeps the connection alive. I’m bad at this and it’s a mistake I’ve made. If you can keep the connection alive, it’s a good thing.

💥 Do 10. One Will Change Your Life.

You might get ghosted. You might feel awkward at first. But after 5–10 of these, you’ll:

• Understand what jobs actually look like

• Know how to talk to professionals with ease

• Have multiple people who could vouch for you when hiring opens up

• Start building your network and community. These people can help you if you ask for it, whether it’s for an introduction, a mock interview, or even to help prep you for a take home assignment for a job role.

Most students never do this. That’s your edge.

One conversation can change your whole perspective and potentially your career. And your future self will thank you.