While a job posting can provide some crucial insight into a particular role or company, there’s nothing like obtaining some insider information to help you decide if a particular company, job, or even career is right for you.

An informational interview is, strictly speaking, not a job interview. Informational interviews are a bit like networking, albeit with a more formal approach: you’re sitting across from someone in an office, asking them questions. Querying someone in a career you’re interested in for an informational interview can provide valuable insight into the realities of the job you’re considering, but you also need to be respectful of their time.

What is an informational interview?

Tech career coach Dr. Kyle Elliott tells Dice: “Informational interviews are an opportunity for prospective employees to learn more about the work environment and culture at their target company by informally interviewing an employee who works there.”

The key is gathering as much important information as possible. “An informational interview is like discovering a secret passage into the professional world,” says Travis Lindemoen, founder at Enjoy Mondays. “It's not about landing a job, but gaining valuable insights as if peeking into someone else's journey through a keyhole.

Picture it as a two-way street, Lindemoen adds: “You're there not only to learn but also to share your enthusiasm. Forget the standard interview script. It's more about having an authentic conversation. Ask about their career path, industry insights, and what drives them professionally. It's an exploratory dance where curiosity becomes your best partner.”

It’s important to always keep in mind that you’re not there to ask for a job. “Informational interviews should not be confused with job interviews,” adds Jennifer Preston, HR and recruiting consultant for Flex HR. “The main distinction between an informational interview and a job interview is that a job interview is interviewing for a specific role(s) within an organization. An informational interview is an initiative-based conversation for a job seeker to learn about a variety of companies, industries, roles, career paths, etc.”

What are the benefits of an informational interview? 

Jason Wodicka, Principal Engineering Advocate at Karat, says when it comes to informational interviews related to a job you’re interested in, “the primary benefit of an informational interview is as a quick, simple way for a company and job seeker to understand what the other is looking for without engaging the weight of a full interview process.”

Stephanie White, Director at EC1 Partners, tells Dice: “For companies, it allows you to meet with potential candidates in a more informal setting and see how they come across before formally interviewing them. If a company is considering hiring in a few different areas, it also provides the opportunity to assess an individual without pinpointing them for a specific role—and then later deciding where they may best fit. If a company is not actively hiring, it allows them to build up a pipeline of candidates for the future.”

Ultimately, the main benefit of an informational interview is the invaluable advice about a company sector, specific role, or company itself. “Most importantly, it gets you in front of a hiring manager/company, and as long as you leave a good impression, it will put you at the forefront of their minds when they are hiring,” White adds. “They may also refer you either internally or to another connection in the market, who is hiring now.”

“Informational interviews are valuable networking and job searching opportunities, especially for those exploring a new career path,” Preston says. “These interviews allow job seekers to learn about an industry, a company, a role while also networking and selling themselves. Not only can these types of brief discussions help a job hunter learn about a particular company, but it may also open doors for networking opportunities elsewhere. A great benefit to these interviews, if granted, is casting a wider network during a job search which generally increases the likelihood of successfully landing in a great position.”

How to ask for an informational interview

Although they’re more informal than a standard job interview, an informational interview still demands your professionalism. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when asking someone for an informational interview:

• Reach out through professional channels. Find potential interviewers on LinkedIn and message them there. If you notice they use Twitter/X often, send them a direct message or mention them in a Tweet asking for a conversation. Mention how you found them, and why you want to talk to them, specifically.

• Be up-front about why you want to talk. Tell the person you want to interview that you’re looking for an informational discussion, and you’d like to talk about their industry experience.

• Chat virtually. If it’s more convenient to find time to talk virtually, keep your conversations to Teams, Zoom, or a phone call. Ask to record the chat so you can reference the transcripts later.

• Do your research. Don’t meet with someone and say “so, tell me about your job.” Ask specific questions about the industry, company, work, or anything else you’d like to know.

Example informational interview questions to ask

If you’re looking to get into a new industry or field, here are a few good questions to ask:

●      What’s a typical day-to-day like in your role?

●      How can I get started in this industry?

●      Are your duties typical for someone in your line of work?

●      Are there any related fields you think your skillset would be transferable to?

●      How do you keep your knowledge of industry topics current?

●      Where do you see your industry going in five years? Ten years?

●      What’s the average turnover in your industry?

If you’re looking to get information about a specific company, ask these questions:

●      What is the company culture like?

●      Do you feel ‘heard’ by management?

●      Is company turnover high? Why or why not?

●      Is this job ‘typical’ of the same job at competing companies?

●      Which five companies would you say your top competitors are?

Additional tips for informational interviews

• Keep the interview short. A 30-minute chat should give you all the necessary insight you’re looking for.

• Keep things high-level. Don’t delve into inter-company squabbles or industry gossip.
• End your conversation with an open invitation. Ask them if you can follow-up in a few weeks if needed, and recommend they send along any job or industry-specific information they feel may help you.

Conclusion

A new job or a new career path is a big decision. Asking someone to help you make the call can be difficult to do, but you’ll be surprised at how many people are willing to help you make the best decision for you.

Finally, have as many informational interviews as you need with a variety of people to help you make your decision. Don’t rely on the advice or opinions of one person; while informational interviews are one-on-one chats, you’re trying to gather as much information from as many sources as possible.