Informational Interviews: Building Connections That Lead to Jobs

An informational interview is a conversation with a professional in your target field or company, designed to gather insights about the industry, the role, or the organization. Unlike job interviews, informational interviews are initiated by you, carry no hiring pressure, and focus on learning rather than evaluation. When done well, they are one of the most effective networking strategies available to job seekers at any career stage.

Why Informational Interviews Work

Most jobs are never publicly posted. Industry estimates suggest that 60 to 80 percent of positions are filled through internal referrals, direct recruiting, and professional networks. Informational interviews give you access to this hidden job market by building relationships with people who know about opportunities before they are advertised on any job board.

Beyond access to hidden opportunities, informational interviews provide intelligence you cannot get from job postings, company websites, or online reviews. You learn about the actual day-to-day experience of a role, the real culture of an organization behind its public image, the skills that matter most for success, and the career paths that lead to where you want to go.

These conversations also build your professional network organically. People who spend 20 or 30 minutes answering your questions feel invested in your success. When a relevant opportunity arises, you are no longer a stranger submitting a resume through an online portal. You are someone they know, someone they helped, and someone they want to see succeed in their field.

Finding the Right People to Interview

Start with your existing network. Alumni from your university, former colleagues, friends of friends, and members of professional associations are natural starting points. LinkedIn makes it straightforward to identify second and third-degree connections who work in your target industry or at your target company.

Look for people who hold the role you are targeting, who recently transitioned into the field from a similar background, or who have broad visibility into hiring trends in the industry. Mid-level professionals are often the best targets because they are close enough to the work to provide practical insights but experienced enough to offer strategic perspective.

Avoid targeting the most senior person you can find unless you have a genuine connection. CEOs and SVPs receive countless requests for their time. A director or senior manager who does the work you aspire to do will likely provide more relevant guidance and be more accessible for a conversation.

Requesting the Meeting

Your outreach message should be brief, specific, and respectful of the person’s time. Explain who you are, why you are reaching out to them specifically, and what you hope to learn from the conversation. Offer flexibility on timing and format. Make it abundantly clear that you are seeking advice and perspective, not asking for a job.

Keep your initial request to 15 or 20 minutes. This low commitment increases the likelihood of a positive response. Most conversations naturally extend beyond this window if the person is engaged, but asking for a small time commitment upfront removes the barrier to saying yes.

Conducting the Interview

Prepare thoughtful questions in advance. The best informational interview questions are specific, demonstrate that you have done your research, and cannot be answered by a simple online search.

Ask about their career path and the decisions that shaped it. What skills have been most valuable in their current role? What surprised them about the industry or the company? What do they wish they had known when they were at your stage? What trends are shaping the future of their field?

Ask about the challenges of the role. What frustrates them? What keeps them up at night? This line of questioning often reveals the most valuable insights because people rarely discuss challenges on public platforms or in official company communications.

Listen more than you talk. The goal is to learn, not to impress. Aim for a ratio of 70 percent listening to 30 percent talking. Your speaking time should consist mainly of asking questions and sharing enough context about your background to make the conversation relevant and productive.

Following Up Effectively

Send a thank-you email within 24 hours that references specific insights from the conversation. Mention one or two things you learned that were particularly valuable and describe any action you plan to take based on their advice.

Stay in touch periodically without being intrusive. Share an article related to something you discussed. Update them when you take their advice and it leads to a result. Congratulate them on professional milestones you notice. These touchpoints keep the relationship alive and position you as someone who acts on advice rather than just collecting it.

Converting Informational Interviews to Job Opportunities

Never ask for a job during an informational interview. This violates the implicit agreement of the conversation and damages the relationship you are building. Instead, close by asking whether they can suggest other people you should speak with or other resources you should explore for your research.

The job opportunities that emerge from informational interviews come naturally over time. As you build relationships and demonstrate genuine interest and competence, the people in your network think of you when relevant positions open. The conversion happens when you have built enough trust that people actively want to help you succeed.

For strategies on leveraging your broader professional network, see our guide on networking strategies for the hidden job market. For tips on making a strong impression during any professional conversation, explore our resource on personal branding for job seekers.