Getting to Know Both You and Me: The Key to Successful Informational Interviews
- 1. Getting to Know Both You and Me: The Key to Successful Informational Interviews Angelique Torres May 14 th , 2011 The Career Place, Woburn, MA
- 2. Introductions What is your name? What has been your experience with informational interviews? What would you like to get out of the workshop today?
- 3. Learning Objectives Understand that informational interviews are a part of your overall job search strategy Define informational interviews Apply techniques to conduct successful informational interviews in your job search Commit to at least one action as a takeaway
- 4. Job Search Box Online Job Boards Career Fairs Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking Networking
- 5. Outside the Box: Networking Career Centers Informational Interviews _______________________________________ Internships Professional Organizations Social Networking Sites Temporary Positions Volunteer Opportunities
- 6. Definition: Informational Interviews An informational interview is an interview with the purpose of gaining information about an industry, company, career path, and/or yourself.
- 7. Guidelines You are not asking for a job
- 8. Guidelines Always make an appointment
- 9. Guidelines Do your homework
- 10. Guidelines Prepare questions and take the lead
- 12. Guidelines Respect your contact’s time
- 13. Guidelines Ask for referrals
- 15. Guidelines Keep in touch
- 16. Exercise: Informational Interview Role Play In pairs, please do the following: Using the sample questions provided, ask you partner some questions for 10 minutes then switch roles. Report back to the group one key takeaway you learned from the other person.
- 17. Key Takeaways Informational interviews should be a part of your overall job search strategy They are a great way to learn about potential employers and yourself They can lead to job prospects
Editor's Notes
- #3: There are many tactics job seekers can use as a part of their job search strategy. One of these tactics that has become commonplace is the informational interview. When used effectively, informational interviews can help you learn more about yourself, potential employers, and lead to job prospects. This workshop will provide you with the tools to conduct successful informational interviews.
- #7: What is an interview?